I give up on getting listed

Hi Guys,

I think I'll just give up on getting listed in DMOZ. Site has been online for 2 years with thousands quality content pages promoting independent artists. Submitted maybe 2-3 times over the last 2 years in the most correct categories. I check back every now and then and nothing. Funny thing is I'm afraid of resubmitting because all I read about it that they punish you for resubmitting. But then I have no idea of the status, catch 22.

I think DMOZ is probably becoming a little fragmented as I'm sure there are many others out there experiencing the same disappointment as myself. IN my opinion if you can't list a quality site in a directory, it is not a directory.

Andrew

Funny thing is I'm afraid of resubmitting because all I read about it that they punish you for resubmitting. But then I have no idea of the status, catch 22.

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Don't believe all you read -- unless you are an egregious spammer, you wouldn't be "punished" for resubmitting. But continually resubmitting really doesn't help your site get reviewed more quickly so why do it? As for not knowing the status, if the site is listable according to our guidelines but isn't listed yet, then you can presume the status is "waiting to be reviewed". And if it is already waiting to be reviewed, there's no need to keep suggesting it. Now, if you haven't suggested it since our crash in October, doing it one more time would be OK but otherwise not worrying about it would be wise.

I understand your frustration, but f you think about it logically, you'll realize how impossible it is for a volunteer-run, human-edited directory to list every listable site in existence as fast as the site owners would like them listed. Even if we told the volunteers which categories to edit instead of allowing editors to edit where they want to, we still wouldn't be able to do that.

andrewdrake said:

Hi Guys,

I think I'll just give up on getting listed in DMOZ. Site has been online for 2 years with thousands quality content pages promoting independent artists. Submitted maybe 2-3 times over the last 2 years in the most correct categories. I check back every now and then and nothing. Funny thing is I'm afraid of resubmitting because all I read about it that they punish you for resubmitting. But then I have no idea of the status, catch 22.

I think DMOZ is probably becoming a little fragmented as I'm sure there are many others out there experiencing the same disappointment as myself. IN my opinion if you can't list a quality site in a directory, it is not a directory.

Andrew

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Don't blame you, I submitted about 3 years ago and nothing. Totally forgot about it until today and thought I'd check. Same old story, the forums really interesting though, generally people complaining and mods having little power trips.
Its a lame excuse that its a volunteer org if you ask me, plenty of volunteer orgs run properly. Not this one!
Move on...

Ah, but nobody asked you, .

motsa said:

I understand your frustration, but f you think about it logically, you'll realize how impossible it is for a volunteer-run, human-edited directory to list every listable site in existence as fast as the site owners would like them listed. Even if we told the volunteers which categories to edit instead of allowing editors to edit where they want to, we still wouldn't be able to do that.

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Actually, I think some of us might understand this frustration.

It's a smaller issue, but we're behind in reviewing death metal -- in some subgenres, behind all the way to about 1994 or so. It isn't funny, but we are a volunteer organization and can't pay anyone. There isn't much glory in it. And you can't really list it on a resume or college application.

When I look at the task, sometimes I think it's impossible, but I also believe it must be done, so I go onward doing it. Hopefully you don't think me too insane.

Just typing that out really improved my mood about the whole thing. Thanks for reading!

I think, given everything I've read on various posts, giving up on being listed is probably the best thing to do.

What I mean by that is... if you've submitted your site since the October crash, then just give up. If, eventually, the editors decide to review and list your site - bonus. If they don't, well... at least you haven't spent any time worrying about it.

It has become obvious through my reading on this forum that DMOZ doesn't care about you, your site or your needs. All that they care about is DMOZ.

Some people may take that as a negative comment against DMOZ, but it isn't really.

Most people submit their sites not based on improving the DMOZ directory, but on getting their own site listed in the directory.

This is partly because DMOZ has managed to establish themselves as a directory partner for various sites that are beneficial for the increased success of any Website. But it certainly isn’t a magic key to success. I’ve seen plenty of sites within DMOZ that have pitiful rankings and pitiful traffic details. If DMOZ was really that important to the success of a Website, then every site listed would be an overnight success.

It is also partly because - like a good nightclub - the fact that it is difficult to get listed makes it all the more desirable to do so. After all, if "not just anybody" can get into a club, don't you want to be one of the ones that can?

Site owners and editors, therefore, have completely different motivations for their actions.

Owners feel that they need (and often feel that they deserve) the listing. DMOZ doesn’t need you. After all, will having your site in DMOZ make or break the directory? Not likely.

In the end, from reading these forums, it is become very clear that trying to find out why your site isn’t listed or when your site will be listed is completely futile. Nothing will come of it, other than an increased level of frustration.

So, to recap what I said before - give up. If your site is good enough to be in DMOZ, it will get there, eventually – maybe.

What I mean by that is... if you've submitted your site since the October crash, then just give up. If, eventually, the editors decide to review and list your site - bonus. If they don't, well... at least you haven't spent any time worrying about it.

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Good advice, . It's not a matter of deciding to review a site suggestion, I do that all the time. I just have over 10,000 waiting, yours is probably one of them.

It has become obvious through my reading on this forum that DMOZ doesn't care about you, your site or your needs. All that they care about is DMOZ.

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Almost true. We care about the people we serve, (the web surfer looking for specific information) and the Directory itself. We have empathy for site owners, but, it is not who we actually serve.

Excellent post, you've got it, you understand perfectly, .

Right now, I'm listing fishing boat charters and guides from all over the world, there are many of them. Then, I will probably switch over to listing sites within the US because that's where I currently have permmissions to edit, just to give you a sense of what I'm personally doing, .

This morning, we saw that there were many sites that had something wrong with them and were delisted, so a lot of us are investigating those sites to see if they are really bad urls or if we can find a replacement url for them, instead of just deleting them. Sometimes a site moves to another url.

We also have many other tasks to perform.

The key thing to remember is everything is done by volunteers. And with day-to-day concerns popping up, sometimes it takes longer than we'd like for a listing to get evaluated.

From my understanding, the amount of submissions in some categories makes it nearly impossible to get caught up. The categories I look after are clear of submissions, but that is only because I look after a very small region.

The people looking after the popular categories are constantly swamped with new submissions. I understand how you feel, but short of a revamp of the entire DMOZ structure (which would likely change the directory beyond recognition) there will never be guaranteed times for review.

can't list a quality site in a directory

The Open Directory started with noble intentions but IMO is rapidly declining. Many high quality sites simply can't get listed for a number of reasons.

IMO 1]insufficient category breakdown
2] lack of quality editors - many categories have been without an editor for quite some time.
3] seperation of many policies and practices from reality. Apparently many editors and upper echelon at DMOZ exist within a fantasy realm in which they, and they alone posess godlike powers over the future of the internet.

Remember DMOZ is a jealous God :icon_excl

insufficient category breakdown

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How would that prevent a site from getting listed? What kind of categories are not sufficiently divided?

Remember DMOZ is a jealous God

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That is true, although not in the way I think you mean it. The directory tends to take over free time of the editors, to the point where our families don't see much of us. Because, you know, I'll just review one more site, then I'll come to bed (or have dinner, or go to work, or....)

richrajo said:

3] seperation of many policies and practices from reality. Apparently many editors and upper echelon at DMOZ exist within a fantasy realm in which they, and they alone posess godlike powers over the future of the internet.

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Hey, it's DMOZ's directory, set up under DMOZ's rules and guidlines. Too many folks misunderstand the intent and purpose of the directory, or simply try to make it something it is not ... and was never meant to be.

You're free to use the directory any way you wish, within reason and legality, but don't expect the directory to bend itself to your intentions or expectations.

Old Sarge

don't expect the directory to bend itself to your intentions or expectations.

Your joking right ? Are you really an editor, or some kid who got ahold of grandpas computer ???

Well, I'll tell you what , it's my marbles and I'm picking them up and going home.

Oh by the way Sarge, if it really is you, and not your grandson.. well perhaps you should consider the following link

http://www. youqa.com/diseases-conditions/2792-youqa-1.html

Glad to see you leave. I don't react well to insults.

This thread seems to have reached a natural conclusion. Closing.