How long does it take to get listed?

Just wondering what the average waiting time is for a site to listed in the dmoz directory. I submitted my site in august of 2006 and have not been listed yet. I also noticed at the bottom of the page where I submitted that it was updated on jan.30, 2007. Should I be worried that my submission was never received? Should I resubmit? Or have they just not got to mine yet? Also, I would be happy to edit this and other categories to help speed up the process but I notice they are not accepting any new submissions for editors? When will this be up and running so we can get dmoz back up to date? I'm sure there's many people who would be happy to volunteer to help out with the submissions. Thanks.

Many of your questions are answered in our FAQ, which is linked to at the top of the screen.

As for our editor applications, we have no idea when those will be available again. Sorry.

I'd suggest that we aren't looking for people to help with the submissions. We're looking for people to help with finding and listing good sites. That's a very different mission, and it calls for people with a different kind of focus.

many good volunteers out there

I'm sure there are many 'qualified' people who could help to find good quality sites to add to the directory. There are so many good sites that are still waiting to be listed. I work on the internet and on web projects all day long and have seen my share of bad websites. I think there are many people who would be able to decipher and weed out the bad submission and speed up the process.

There are no doubt many qualified people. And some of them could no doubt show reasons why they should be trusted. But many of them are already involved doing something else -- something that's (in their mind) more important.

And that's OK. As has been mentioned, we can't add new editors right now anyway. Sometime (fairly) soon, that will be fixed, and we'll be out looking through hedges and hutches around other volunteer communities, to solicit help.

Listing a site

I would hate to sound sour grapes and I'm usually smart enough to keep my mouth shut because of fall out. I have made a site. I have,.. "without ad money", made it to # 3 on Yahoo, number 11 on Google, Made darn near every front page in the Precision Fastener Insustry search dialogues. Yet, it would seem lacking ad funds, DMOZ either misses my entry, which I think is humble enough considering the success of the site and the new Company or we are just missing the point completely. The same 13 companies have been listed there as long as I have visited this site. I can see the frustration. Sure ...we would like to be listed here. Lcking that we remain on page one of everywhere else. Just was wondering how 11 of the 13 are not found before us, yet listed like a frozen time capsule. Yes.. Sour Grapes. Visit <URL deleted> See startup companies at their best! In the Black 1st year on our own.

Sorry, but we've been forced to adopt a "zero-tolerance" approach to dropped links. The good news is, nobody else will be able to give you bad fallout, and I'll probably forget the URL.

OK Then understand the actual Letter and address that!

I would hate to continue to sound sour grapes and I'm usually smart enough to keep my mouth shut because of fall out. I have made a site. I have,.. "without ad money", made it to # 3 on Yahoo, number 11 on Google, Made darn near every front page in the Precision Fastener Industry search dialogues. Yet, it would seem lacking ad funds, DMOZ either misses my entry, which I think is humble enough considering the success of the site and the new Company or we are just missing the point completely. The same 13 companies have been listed there as long as I have visited this site. I can see the frustration. Sure ...we would like to be listed here. Lacking that we remain on page one of everywhere else. Just was wondering how 11 of the 13 are not found before us, yet listed like a frozen time capsule. Yes.. Sour Grapes. Visit <URL deleted>( didn't know I apologize) See startup companies at their best! In the Black 1st year on our own. :icon_ques

What does the fact that 11/13 of the existing listings don't appear above yours in search results have to do with anything? The fact that the category hasn't changed in x amount of time just means that no editor has felt the urge to edit there in that time. Given the voluntary nature of editorship, that's to be expected. I know that your industry is of high interest to you but precision fasteners are probably not that thrilling to most people.

1. The ODP is not a listing service.
2. No site has a right to be listed.
3. It probably hasn't been reviewed by an editor yet.
4. Your page ranking has nothing to do with whether we list your site suggestion or not.
5. Sites get listed at our sole discretion.
6. Congratulations on your success, that's always nice to hear about, .

ODP not a listing service.

Well it may not be from your end. (Important) It does seem it was important enough for some of the largest makers to list with you). However, most would like to list with the ODP. Lack of interest in a topic by the editors sounds lazy to me. Seems you should put more on to show some interest outside those of just your interest. There appears to be many threads with the same feeling although it is becoming very clear that this is a jaded site. Agree or not. I mean why have a business site. I beg to differ on site positioning. Much of that has to do with search results. Which you should know, if you are not searched for and NOT important enough you will not be found. One moderator says Precision Fasteners are not big topic. WOW. What a statement as they are used on The Joint Strike Fighter, Hubble, with every major military and commercial vehicle made etc. It's a world wide operation. Built in and out of space. I don't like Sudoku, but my wife does. I won't bother you with my opinion of your lack of interest anymore. Seems you are not ( maybe not you exactly) not interested in busineses that do not open your eyes. Sorta sad.

You're absolutely correct, I'm lazy and I intend on staying that way. Compared to some of our other editors, the 25,268 edits I've done myself, is indeed laziness.

However, as this a hobby I do in my spare time, as I feel like doing it, 25,268 edits is not, of no significance to the building of the Directory. I could quit completely right now and know that I've contributed a fair share of value to the ODP, .

Lack of interest in a topic by the editors sounds lazy to me.

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I'm afraid you have things the wrong way round. Because I am interested in a topic I applied to be an editor for it and edit away using whatever time I choose to devote to that topic. Like many editors my horizons are broadened from my original topic but there is no compulsion for me to edit outside my own interests. Not being interested in the topic of Precision Fasteners is not lazyiness but a normal state of affairs for the majority of people. If it was a really exciting topic, we would have plenty of volunteers of the right calibre willing to edit it.

Now if your business has a 'bricks and mortar' address - a factory that people work at for example - then a regional editor (such as crowbar) would be interested were you to suggest it to the appropriate locality category. Not because of what you manufacture, but because of your location. Regional editors (unlike us topical editors) have the challenge of coping with every topic immaginable which, to me, is a rather daunting prospect.

Looking at things from different perspectives is often quite useful.


regards

Lack of interest in a topic by the editors sounds lazy to me.

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Is your lack of interest in any topic that doesn't interest you laziness on your part? You say you don't like Sudoku -- by your logic, that's just because you're lazy. Does that make sense?

Seems you should put more on to show some interest outside those of just your interest.

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Why? Are you obligated to be interested in stuff you're not interested in? No. Why should we? What doesn't interest me may well interest someone else. That's the beauty of volunteer-driven projects like the ODP. And understand: when we talk about people editing only in categories that they want to edit, that doesn't necessarily mean they are interested in the topic of that category; it only means that they are interested in editing that category. For example, I've edited tons of real estate sites in http://dmoz.org/Regional but that doesn't mean I have any interest whatsoever in real estate sites.

One moderator says Precision Fasteners are not big topic.

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Actually, if you reread my post, I never said they are not a big topic. I said "...precision fasteners are probably not that thrilling to most people." Which is true of many topics. What interests one person may not interest another.

I don't like Sudoku, but my wife does.

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Would you want us to force you, if you were an editor, to edit a Sudoku category? If you wanted to, great. If you didn't, the Sudoku category would have to wait until someone who did want to came along. It's the nature of the way the directory works.

I won't bother you with my opinion of your lack of interest anymore. Seems you are not ( maybe not you exactly) not interested in busineses that do not open your eyes.

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We each of us only have so much time out of our days that we devote to the ODP. We edit where we have an interest in editing. That shouldn't be surprising. That doesn't mean our interests are limited to the areas where we choose to edit.

Below the belt

Hi cheezew,

I also joined this forum concerned that my site had been overlooked while competitors had been added even ages after I had suggested my site.

What you must also have read is that it is far more likely that your site hasn't even been reviewed than that it has been rejected in favour of your competitors (that is assuming it meets listing requirements). I know you think that Editors don't do enough but that is pretty dismissive of people who actually do work on a completely voluntary basis.

Can you imagine getting annoyed because a voluntary Red Cross worker or someone like that only did it on a Saturday and not a Sunday too?

Although I am also keen to get my site listed in the directory, I'm afraid I don't share your view that Editors are "lazy" in any way. One editor mentioned to you that they had personally added more than 20,000 sites over the years. That figure was an eye-opener for me and I think they deserve the utmost in respect and praise for such an achievement.

On a final note, "Precision Fasteners" certainly sounds like a competitive field. I have a small family business and I have the same "google pagerank" as other businesses in my field that are DMOZ listed. My point is that you can easily compete in your industry with an honest, well-designed content rich site. Also, to be honest, I think people searching for precison fasteners would probably use google, yahoo or one of the other search engines you mention so what's the problem?

The numbers that a meta editor has, make mine look very insignificant. I don't normally bother looking at my own, it isn't important, . The quality of edits is what's important, not the numbers.

Edits are not just site suggestion reviews, there are many other jobs that count as edits, like deletes, new sites added, categories created, and link additions. Site suggestion reviews are only a small part of building the Directory, and I'm a very tiny, insignificant, part of the editing community.

not a problem

An observation and an opinion.. differing for sure. Page rank is based on many things, one of the most important is links, as in The Thomas register. Blogs help etc. The DMOZ is just one I have watched. Of course I watch a stale profession as you may see it. Although it is a fascinating thing to see your parts rocket to space, or fly by on the Raptor.

This is not a big deal.. If I see something stale, I usually say it is stale. I do not make excuses for it.

My family works within love Red Cross. This is not that. Funny analogy.

Struck a nerve

Geez, I'm sorry to take up your time...(really) I'm sure you need it for other things... The more I read.. The less interested I have become in topics that aren't interesting..

I'll be on my way for good!.. and I'm sure you will have more time ....Enjoy.. Be well!