I'm So Frustrated About The Wait!

If a website submitted to the wrong category reaches the very front of the line, when it is passed along to the appropriate category is it prioritized in the next queue?

My website, (URL redacted), was submitted to (category redacted). I think this was the best category for it, but
it is very frustrating not knowing the status of your submission.

I supplied my email address during the submission process, but I haven't even heard a peep as of yet. Does anyone know how to find out the status of a submission?

(edited to remove site-specific information)

There isn't a line. Editors can process the pool of pending listing suggestions in any order they wish. I cherry pick the ones that have made some attempt at guidelines compliance .

The same is true if an editor moves a suggestion to a better category.

We don't provide status reports because they serve no useful purpose. If you browse this forum, I expect you'll find one of the many explanations why this is so.

Boilerplate alert:

ODP is a volunteer organisation and editors edit where they wish, when they wish and as much as they wish within the constraints of their permissions. We have no system to force people to do work that they don't volunteer to do. ODP is not a free listing service for website owners and it does not attempt to process their listing suggestions within the time scales desired by them.

Some volunteer will volunteer to process your listing suggestion in time but we can't predict who or when that might be. Elapsed times can range from a few days to a few years. Please be patient.

>If a website submitted to the wrong category reaches the very front of the line, when it is passed along to the appropriate category is it prioritized in the next queue?

There's no prioritization of any kind: each editor reviews sites (suggested or not-suggested) in whatever order seems best at the moment.

So there's no line, it's only a "pool".

And there can't be a front of the line to reach.

It's easy to see how important that the directory NOT have any of these things: if it did, then viscious spammers would just suggest nonexistant domain names to all the categories, and sell places in the line (like ticket hawkers at a popular concert)....And, since there's no limit on suggestions (unlike concert tickets), the spammers could totally lock honest people out of the ODP forever, just by generating more suggestions than editors could ever review.

I know it's easy to feel frustrated. Right now I have a project I spent days and days on, and I'm just waiting for it to be posted--which will only take a few minutes of someone else's work.

But it's been weeks already, and nothing....

What helps me most is a sense of perspective.

Why did I do that project? It was MY priority, something I cared about. That's enough reason--for me. But what does my priority matter to anyone else? They already have THEIR priorities!

Whose priorities are intrinsically more important, mine or theirs? Well, obviously, if I care about what they do, because they have a respected website -- and I don't -- then THEIR priorities are obviously more important.

If I expect people to care about my priorities -- to care enough to WORK on them -- then I ought to care at least as much about THEIRS -- I ought to work at least as much on theirs. (Even if I didn't know their priorities were more important by any objective standard!) Or I'm nothing more than a self-centered hypocrite. If something isn't getting done, and I'm doing nothing, then where does the problem start? With me, obviously.

And finally, why should I be frustrated when so MUCH work, so much GOOD work, is being done by other volunteers? Shouldn't I be delighted instead?

Well, I've been at this for 10 years. I can't say I've talked myself into being altogether rational and reasonable. I can say I know about enough valuable projects to keep me as busy as I can be; and while I've been working, other people have amazed me by the amount of work they've done (some of it on my priorities). And what more could I reasonably ask?

Your Frustrated it has been over 2 years and 6 submissions for me

ok I am a webdeveloper, I regularly post websites for consideration to dmoz, I have a list that I have been submitting for over two years that have not been accepted I have submitted them to the correct categories but nothing, I don't want to spam dmoz so I have been submitting them every 4-6 months but this is crazy other sites that I have submitted including sites of the same category have been accepted.

The one site that has me really cheezed is <url removed>, I have submitted it at least 6 times over 2 and a half years to

Top: Regional: North America: Canada: Ontario: Localities: M: Mississauga: Business and Economy: Shipping, Storage, and Logistics

now a missisauga courier service located at: 1257 Kamato Rd, Mississauga, Ontario: does shipping storage and logistics under mississauga not sound to you like the proper category I have submitted every time with the owners email this time I submitted it with my email and nothing.

I also tried submitting QRC logistics to this category numerous times but just ended up submitting it to

Top: Regional: North America: Canada: Ontario: Localities: B: Brampton: Business and Economy: Shipping, Storage, and Logistics

and what do you know it got accepted last year.

I have been trying to submit <url removed> for over 2 years and nothing, <url removed> and nothing the list goes on.. I put them in the proper category and nothing

I own 4 free business directories a coupon directory an events calendar and a restaurant guide and I edit them all by myself, going to each persons website checking their validity, I even do correspondence if they forget descritpions and, it may take me some time because I get quite a few listings a day, but I eventually get eveyone verified and under the right category, spell checked and all and I am one person... what the heck

I also applied to become an editor for dmoz and was turned down like they don't need the help, just a no, not a suggestion of maybe try this category for a while just a plain no.

jimnoble said:

There isn't a line. Editors can process the pool of pending listing suggestions in any order they wish. I cherry pick the ones that have made some attempt at guidelines compliance .

Boilerplate alert:

ODP is a volunteer organisation and editors edit where they wish, when they wish and as much as they wish within the constraints of their permissions.

Some volunteer will volunteer to process your listing suggestion in time but we can't predict who or when that might be. Elapsed times can range from a few days to a few years. Please be patient.

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Sorry but that type of a work ethic is unacceptable, the reason why I started my free directories was to give business owners the chance to get a leg up on the Microsofts and the IBM's that have a huge advertising budget.

I actually consider the fact that each person that submits to my directory, may not have a clue as to what they are doing, this idea comes to me from developing websites and dealing with people on an individual basis, I have come to realize that just because people don't understand what I do, it doesn't mean that they don't deserve to be listed in my directory or they don't deserve the best website that I can give them, after all they came to me I am suppose to be the expert.

When I am reviewing people for inclusion into my free directories I start from the first one listed and work my way down, each person has an equal advantage, I think that the attitude expressed above is lazy and uncaring and if I were dmoz I would toss their butt out and wait for someone who actually cares about my business to come along. These people are not doing you any favours. And after all the people submitting that get it right probably have used a ton of free avenues to advertise their business the ones that need help are the reason for the directory to give them an advantage.

Ammended I know that 80 - 90 percent of the editors are great I am talking about the few very very few with a "god" complex.

It is the above attitude that is present in almost every facet of life now, do what they want when they want in the time they want, customer service in general is in the dumper because of a lazy generation of thinkers.

Turf the do what you want people and get some good conscientious people editing your directory, just because you volunteer doesn't meant that you should do less of a job than if you are being paid, I volunteer for the Literacy group and I don't go in there and give a half #$*#$# lesson because I am a volunteer I give them everything I have to get them reading, using computers and living a better life.

Mull that over for a bit.

I also applied to become an editor for dmoz and was turned down like they don't need the help, just a no, not a suggestion of maybe try this category for a while just a plain no.

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How unusual! Usually, we send a generic email giving common reasons why an application has been declined. If those reasons don't cover it, the reviewer often adds specific comments. We expect the applicant to consider those reasons before trying again. I've never seen a just a plain no.

Sorry but that type of a work ethic is unacceptable

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Erm it isn't work - it's an unpaid hobby.

There are plenty of directories that have paid editors. Why not suggest your website to those instead. It really isn't reasonable to require that anonymous volunteers operate to your priorities.

Thank you jimnoble and hutcheson for your replies.

I realize I can't inquire about a specific website, so I'd like to take the next step.(Just tell me if I'm out-of-bounds with this question)

Are there any active editors volunteering in this category: Recreation/Travel/Preparation

If yes, has this category's editor shown signs of doing any editing recently?

Thanks.

P.S. Bertrude, good luck with your website.

As you can see for yourself, there are several named editors at the top of Recreation and all do as much editing as they wish - which is quite a lot. Then there are over 200 editors who can and do edit wherever they wish.

jimnoble said:

Erm it isn't work - it's an unpaid hobby.

There are plenty of directories that have paid editors. Why not suggest your website to those instead. It really isn't reasonable to require that anonymous volunteers operate to your priorities.

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Wow I guess I was told. Shame on me for having pride and a work ethic when I volunteer.

bertrude, your attitude and goals and procedures sound great -- for someone who's providing a service for commercial website owners who do their own SERP, or for professional SERP perps.

I promise you, I'll never ask to help with that work, though: I can see so many more important things to do, including picking up willow lint out in the Alaskan wilderness. And to me, it's beyond "unacceptable" to prevent site reviews of perfectly good sites simply because their owners haven't found my site. You're rewarding site promotion, not content creation--and if that's not dancing in pure evil, it's certainly flirting on its verges.

That's OK, you focus on what you care about, I'll focus on what matters to me, and everyone else can choose THEIR volunteer work by the same rule.

We probably won't even meet at Philippi. And that's OK too.

For the business part of my business I assure you that the content that I put in all my websites that I build for clients is very relevant and clear, I do not spam the search engines, I submit in dmoz under the correct category no matter how many layers I have to drill down to get there, I have never tried post a clients site more than one time once it is accepted under the category I post it in; and I follow every rule of any directory I submit a site to.

For the free volunteer part of my business I own 4 free business directories local to my home, 1 free coupon directory, 1 free events calendar and one free restaurant guide. Which I pay for the site development, the domain names I take care of all the upkeep on the sites and give free banner advertising to non profit and some clients, I hand screen every single business in the directory and once a year they are asked to click on a link to verify that their business is still in existence.

If you want to private message me I will be more than happy give you the full list of all the URLs for the free stuff I provide to the public of my own volition.

I am not trying to pull one over on anyone or get an undeserved leg up, I am only following the guidelines of each place that I suggest my URL's to.
Basically what I am trying to say is I follow all the rules I re post after 3 months not three weeks, I don't start sniveling after 2 weeks I have waited two year on more than three sites and I don't get the attitude if you don't like it go somewhere else.

My point was not that you need to defend your goals or mission to me. You don't need to: which is good, because you really can't. I'm at best indifferent, at worst horrified.

But it works the other way around also. I can't defend the ODP goals or mission to you. You already share them, or oppose them, or perhaps can't be bothered to care.

Given the ODP mission, the ODP process follows. They suit each other, better than any other process yet devised for such a mission. (As you can tell, by looking at other directories with similar goals!) And that's all the justification the ODP process needs, and all the justification it can have. It doesn't have to be "acceptable" to anyone except the people who are executing it.

Yes, if you don't like it, definitely go somewhere else. That's what I do, and why shouldn't you have the same privilege?

I follow all the rules I re post after 3 months

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Our rules require that you suggest your website just once to the one best category.

Any subsequent listing suggestion overwrites the earlier one, thus pushing it back down to the bottom of the pool (if an editor chooses to sort it in date order).

Perhaps you've been shooting yourself in the foot all this time.

Yes you are inevitably right, but being complacent in your success only affords other companies with better work ethics and customer service models to swoop in a get a toe hold in your market, ie Microsoft and Mac, I am pretty sure Mac is gaining that toe hold in the PC market it may be slowly, but it is happening and where netscape failed with their internet browser firefox has surely gained a huge market share with theirs. Various easy to install operating systems based off of Unix are also getting into the mix of market share steallers.

I am not saying that dmoz isn't the bomb cause it is an awesome open directory and I know their are editors that don't follow the get to you when I can philosophy, I am your "god" method, but I have tried to update listings that I have placed in your directory to no avail so I know that your content is not 80% up to date, (and yes I followed the guidelines for that as well) there are some very minor flaws but all in all it is a great resource for the people that the editor gods smile upon, they have smiled upon me on many occasions and I am happy.

Jim,
thanks for the info about the re post dropping me back down the list, see I learned something today.

If you divide all processes into those that are too simplistic to accurately model the world, and those that are too complex to be executed perfectly by humans, the ODP processes are well balanced: they fall squarely into both categories.

I consider this a feature. But that's what a computer science degree with emphasis on abstract computation will do to you.

bertrude said:

Yes you are inevitably right, but being complacent in your success only affords other companies with better work ethics and customer service models to swoop in a get a toe hold in your market,

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That's OK. If someone else is willing to create a directory either on the same principles as DMOZ or based on their own guidelines I wish them all the best. It won't influence DMOZ, not if they are succesfull and not if the are not succesfull.

"better work ethics" I, and many other editors, do the 'work' in DMOZ based on our ethics. They are not better or worse than other people's ethics.

"customer service model" Ahh, here is the problem. You think thate the people who suggest websites are our customers. I am sorry to tell you that they aren't.

I have tried to update listings that I have placed in your directory to no avail

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Again a misunderstanding.
You can not update a listing. You can not even try to update a listing.
You can not place a site in the DMOZ directory.
The only thing you (an all other people who aren't an editor) can do is suggested a website and suggest an update. It is not more than a suggestion "Dear editor I think this website would be usefull for you to include".
These suggestions can be used by the editors to build the directory. But editors are free not to use then. There are many other sources of websites that we can list.

http://www.dmoz.org/Regional/North_...er-Waterloo/Business_and_Economy/Real_Estate/

at the top of the browser it says update a listing

I click on that link then I see

Update Listing

If you have submitted an URL to the Open Directory Project, and it is listed in

Regional: North America: Canada: Ontario: Localities: K: Kitchener-Waterloo: Business and Economy: Real Estate

you can use this form to make changes to your site's listing. If you are submitting a site to the Open Directory for the first time, see the section How to List a Site in the Open Directory Project.

Specifically, this Update Listing form should be used to

* Replace an old URL with a new URL when it has changed.
* Correct spelling and grammatical errors in the site's title and description.
* Suggest a new title when the title on the site has changed.
* Suggest a new description when the scope of the site has changed.
* Suggest a category more appropriate for this site

In the box below, please type in the URL exactly as it is listed in this category. Click on the submit button, and you'll be prompted for additional information.

Site URL:


I put in the URL then click on the update listing button and you should know the rest right, you see it doesn't say suggest an update is say update a listing, maybe they should change it to say suggest an update to a listing so idiots like me don't misunderstand or have a link that says click here for the fine print.

And I am getting the fact that the people that submit to you are not customers trust me I am getting that point and I also understand that you do what you want when you want because you are volunteers, I get it I totally get it now.
thanks for all your inputs and insights you have given to me today.

Responding to comments below The site went out of business and was gone, I wanted it removed.

It might say "Update listing" but you'll notice that many of the items in the list of uses of the form deliberately use the word "Suggest" because that's really what they are, suggestions for changes to the title, description, and/or category.

The site went out of business and was gone, I wanted it removed.

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We always appreciate help with quality control, so there is a very easy way to notify us of dead sites, broken links etc: the Quality Control thread in this forum. Thanks.