Question about ODP

Today wile browsing on dmoz looking around about things , and checking if my suggestion was review I noticed two links dead and I reported them on the forums after I got the error message on site contact form to editor . So I open the pages on the new tab ( all sites from the category where I wanted to submit my link ) ... now ... the question is : few weeks ago I changed my template from my article directory using a template converted from one nice word press theme I made all things to be nice ( at least on my eyes ) ... and I submitted the site for review on dmoz , today when I open all the sites from the category where I wanted to submit I saw one of sites who's already listed its seems to use same theme its there any issue ? Its seems the site who's already listed there changed hes theme recently since Alexa thumbnail shows something different , and google cache another theme ... will be there any problem during normal review from the editors ?

We don't care about appearance or themes.
We do care about unique and useful content - the more the better.

jimnoble said:

We don't care about appearance or themes.
We do care about unique and useful content - the more the better.

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thanks jimnoble for your answer , in this case I`m keep crossed fingers

its seems become a mania for me to check dmoz now ( after the yesterday ) . I was browsing under different category where I was interested to add another site for one of my customers made , and I wanted to be sure there is right place to do it , so I started to open some of sites from this category on tab's from my browser you know just to see what's around ... I saw the category was last time edited on January 12 2009 , so like two weeks ago ( pretty nice what can I say ... more than sure the editor from this category its dedicated ... ) and surprise .. 1 link from there pointing on one geocities sites free like everyone know I think , 1 html page which is seems was edited lat time on '' 06/24/2002 '' ( I got this info from the page !!! ) . I dont know how much '' value '' for the ODP givin this link and I`m not in charge to judge who's the links valuable or not for ODP ... but took me like what 2 days to browse ODP more often like I do until now to see at least 3 links there who don't even offer nothing ? ( remember the last two links which I write about on another thread where I wanted just to let the editor from category where I suggested my site .... ) .

Jim you said editors aren't look about what theme / template one site is using ( in particular case when I asked about mine ) ... but what exactly editors look when they add sites there ? If you are telling me now the '' quality content '' , even if my article directory is pretty new on there and i`m not like big dogs from this area , I have at least 120 authors who submit on my general article directory articles with far way more '' valuable '' information like this page from geocities .... I`ll not name there category and the link what about it ( if anyone need them feel free to pm me and ask them ) .
And how about the rule of submisions there peoples arent allowed to submit sites witch will redirect to another site ? I know is impossible to check all the curent listings which ODP have at this moment . But atleast give to the peoples a fair chance to say what they have to say when they have to say something.

So ... in short points today ( wile checking another category from odp just for fun and just because I wanted to get some more info ... ) from 3 links open on my end 1 link pointing on one geocities pages ( whos look like a link farm and hard to think anyone with more than 2-3 cellbrains can consider it util for anything ) and another domain / link who is redirecting to a known online comunity ... I don't think I wanna browse more on this category ( atleast not now ... ) .

The "last edited" date does not necessarily mean that an editor did some editing action to one of the listed sites. The edit could be the addition of an internal link to another related category in the directory. It could be a robot weeding out dead links. It could be somebody fixing typos in descriptions. Or it could be that a site was added or removed - but that doesn't mean that the editor checked the listed sites.
Because it is impossible to keep on top of all the listed sites, we very much appreciate it when people like yourself help us find sites that no longer fit in the directory. You can use the "Update listing" link at the top of the category page to alert the editors who have editing rights in the category, or you can use the "Report quality issues" thread in this forum (and now that I looked up the URL for the thread I see you have already found it ).

It's often immaterial when a site was last updated. For a news site, it's obviously important that it's updated (otherwise it turns into an archive of old news), but an informational site about the English Civil War that was a good resource in 2000 is probably still a good resource.

but what exactly editors look when they add sites there ?

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It's in our Guidelines.

I think on last 2 days I read and re-read guidelines 4-5 times . I know I`m not native english , actually english was my 3'th language learned so maybe I have some lack's with my grammar , and with different words which arent so common on the comunications betwen peoples ( normal conversations ) . This dont means I cant make sense when I wanna say something , and certanly peoples who wanna understand what I mean they will understand . On your official guidelines are loads of points most of them honestly fair on my eyes too , look about some of them '' Is it easy to assess the site's trustworthiness? '' or maybe '' Affiliate Marketing Schemes '' another one ''Sites Consisting Primarily of Affiliate Links '' , other one from my favorites '' Redirects and "Cloaked" URLs '' ofcourse there is one of the rules which I never can understand '' Is the site complete? '' ( maybe this is because I`m not so fammiliar with the web after 9+ years online ... I know I have loads of things to learn and practice ) ..... anyway thanks again for kindly answer

ps . funny thing is this post have dirrect refference with my last two days experience with ODP/Dmoz ..

@ nea

The edit was done ( actually one of the links reported by me yesterday was removed from there at all ) . I had the page opened on my browser , and if i`m not wrong I think I know exactly who deleted it , and if you or anyone else wanna know why I`m think this feel free to ask , I think him will confirm too he deleted the link reported by me yesterday . I reported this two sites just because I tought will be nice from my part to point them short , selfish person anyone can call , hopping is true if I`m buzz one of editors looking on this category someone will consider to review sites from queue review list maybe - none and never know what exactly was on my head at this moment and its better to be right that . Funny thing is I was allways souspiciouse about the editors from ODP and about their '' impartial status '' , I never browse on dmoz and this was my first experience and my first and last one when i`ll try to add my site there ( actually its seems peoples don't need even to suggest sites since editors anyway will add them when and if they found them useful - since I`m consider my little project enought valuable will be waste of time for me to re-submit it or whatever ). Now ... about today experience with ODP ( atleast until at this hour ) , like I said up , I was browsing on another category - totaly different than this one , again is first time on my life when I`m going there , just looking around to find a category for one of sites from one of my customers ( I`ve developed it like 2 months ago and we keep emailing eachothers ) ... funny thing , same but same thing happening on second category just there I opened 3 of the links listed on this category 2 of them breacking even elementary rules for some crappy directoryes made by some indian folks to self increasing their pr's ...

TrustNobody said:

there is one of the rules which I never can understand '' Is the site complete? ''

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This means that people should not suggest websites that have pages with text like "under construction" or "coming soon". Also webshops without products for sale, forums with none or only a few postings. a directry with none or only a few links. These websites are all not complete. We will not list such websites.

pvgool said:

This means that people should not suggest websites that have pages with text like "under construction" or "coming soon". Also webshops without products for sale, forums with none or only a few postings. a directry with none or only a few links. These websites are all not complete. We will not list such websites.

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oh , that maybe means the one of the links which I found on second day when I`m browsing ODP was changed after the submision , ( I checked the time watch back machine from alexa ) and this link which I found today was like this since when was born years ago .... and just checked on another site who's currently listed there under another category , who's seems to look and have other '' propouse '' , same rule should apply for this one I think .. So .. how can I understand all this ? Two days for innocent browsing within two different categoryes , finding nice links '' useful for peoples - for visitors - not for webmasters '' . What will be next ? what I can expect to find on there peoples if I`m getting a frequent user of ODP ?


ps . later edit : And about the rules from the guidelines , how's come there I just found one other site listed on the category (where I suggested the link , same category where I reported the two links from yesterday ) , whos breaking other two rules from the guidelance ( Affiliate Reseller Sites (aka Fraternal Mirrors) and Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) and Pyramid Schemes ) .

As I already said: We very much appreciate it when people who are not editors take the time to help the editors improve the quality of the directory.

Why are there a lot of sites listed which don't follow today's guidelines? Several reasons:
* Sites change content over time, or URLs change owners.
* The guidelines have changed over time. Perhaps it was fine to list the sites in 2002, but wouldn't be today.
* Sites can be listed by mistake.

The bottom line is: If you wonder about what sites the editors are looking to include, read the guidelines. That sites are listed that are not guidelines compliant is obviously not a reason why we would want to list other sites that are against our guidelines, but (equally obviously) it is something that we want to be made aware of. If you are interested in directory quality, why do you mention all these problematic sites without giving us the URLs? There is a thread for it, as you already know, and there is an Update listing link in every category.

nea said:

As I already said: We very much appreciate it when people who are not editors take the time to help the editors improve the quality of the directory.

Why are there a lot of sites listed which don't follow today's guidelines? Several reasons:
* Sites change content over time, or URLs change owners.
* The guidelines have changed over time. Perhaps it was fine to list the sites in 2002, but wouldn't be today.
* Sites can be listed by mistake.

The bottom line is: If you wonder about what sites the editors are looking to include, read the guidelines. That sites are listed that are not guidelines compliant is obviously not a reason why we would want to list other sites that are against our guidelines, but (equally obviously) it is something that we want to be made aware of. If you are interested in directory quality, why do you mention all these problematic sites without giving us the URLs? There is a thread for it, as you already know, and there is an Update listing link in every category.

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Well I had a good feeling honestly when I dropped the note with the link's from yesterday which I wanted to report . I said on other place ( '' was same good feeling like when I clicked when I suggested my own link for consideration '' ) .

I don't think even one of the point of this reasons can be even considerate decent , I had a look on time back machine , and on google cache search ( looking about first two points - wile browsing on the other category and found the link from geocities page and the link who will redirect to one known girls comunity both links are look now same like they used to be years ago the geocities link is created on 2001 and last one updated on 2002 , redirect link is practically a clone one of subdomains of this girl comunity - like how experienced and dedicated editors are there is just hard to belive they dont know how to see them , about the mlm / refferal build site its added with a folder url - main url its the main propouse of the site the folder its now showing a decent looking site but on time machine same story) . Whois records from the two domains ( geocities links I cant check it on whois records ) didnt show any change over years so this sites are build and maintaned by same persons even if he changed the nameservers or ips from the domains other info are same all the time .The 3'th ... its extremely hard to consider it like real not by me ( even if I`m speaking from the point of view of simply user who browse on ODP or like webmaster of one small site who requested consideration there - is JUST HARD to believe editors of ODP list there sites '' from mistake '' when some of folks who submit links for consideration is known fact wait even years to have their sites review ..... let be serious , such things simply cant even happens and I think is just like escape button from the keyboard when you write on notepad ...

It's just nice to see at least some of the official peoples from ODP can chat decently , I asked things which was not clear for me ( example with the template thing ) ... Its just hard to believe ODP official's can make '' mistakes '' like at least this 3 links which I got them purely from browsing on the directory . The editor who deleted yesterday the two sites withing less than a hour didn't even bother to look at the '' suggestion '' links ( i`m sure there are couple of links for review - one of them is mine is true ) ... Or maybe its same cat mod / meta edit who review my application for volunteer *( I got it rejected within like 30-45 minutes - and yes there wasn't any recommendation / or review thing - just the automatically email generated with some general text from the editorial guidelines ) .
This are only things in two days since I browsed on ODP like 30-40 minutes in total maxim a hour maybe .

What I`m trying to say there? easy answer : Even if some of officials ODP doing well jobs ( like you who answered on this thread ) some don't ! and even when someone wanna help them same '' others '' its seems dont need the help . Even if suggestion links is open for everyone its seems work just fine to report bad links not good links ( proved yesterday within less than a hour ) , even its official there too a open call for peoples who love to offer inocent and decent help this isnt need ( proved by the hours from the emails which I got ) . I`m not saing there I`m perfect , none cant be I think BUT some of the things can be done perfect I`m sure about that .

Its just hard to believe ODP official's can make '' mistakes '' like at least this 3 links

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Two words - link rot.
The websites you highlighted were probably OK when listed. Some link rot is picked up by our robots but this can take time.

The editor who deleted yesterday the two sites withing less than a hour didn't even bother to look at the '' suggestion '' links

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1. How do you know that?
2. S/he was probably more interested in responding to QC issues. The whole point of volunteering is that you do what you like - not what some outsider thinks you ought to be doing.

As to your editor application, you're complaining about fast response times now? If there weren't any reviewer comments, one or more of the common reasons given in the email will apply. You should be able to work out which ones for yourself.

TrustNobody said:

.... official peoples from ODP ..... Its just hard to believe ODP official's can make '' mistakes ''

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I don't know of the "official" people from ODP. None of them are here at Resource Zone. The only people here that answer questions are volunteers. They volunteer to answer questions at RZ and they volunteer to some actions on ODP. And be sure that these people all are capable of making mistakes. I know I am.

Or maybe its same cat mod / meta edit who review my application for volunteer *( I got it rejected within like 30-45 minutes - and yes there wasn't any recommendation / or review thing - just the automatically email generated with some general text from the editorial guidelines ) .

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Very unlickely that it was the same editor.
BTW we don't send any automatically emails. They are preformatted but they are always send by a human who can decided to add or remove parts of the email.
I hope you were not applying for an English language category. Although your writings are understandable they don't seem good enough to me to be an english language editor.

What I`m trying to say there? easy answer : Even if some of officials ODP doing well jobs ( like you who answered on this thread ) some don't !

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It all depends on what you think the 'job' of an editor is.
Every editor is a volunteer who likes to build the directory, we do it as a hobby. And as a result every editor is allowed to do when and what he wants to do (as long as he stays withinh the guidelines).
Looking at suggested sites within a specific timeframe is not something we 'must' do. We will look at all suggestions, we just don't know whan that will be and which editor will be doing it. It can be after a few days, a few weeks, months or even after several years. But eventualy each website will be looked at.

jimnoble said:

Two words - link rot.
The websites you highlighted were probably OK when listed. Some link rot is picked up by our robots but this can take time.

> Actually now are other 3 links Jim which about I`m saying :
1. one free site hosted on geocities created on 2001 / last updated on 2002 /same thing on there since first record from the '' web.archive.org '' .
2. An domain first time created on '99 , changed 3 times since that the ns's and 5 times the ips . The whois records show's its same owner , this domain is forwarding to one of most known girls comunity ( under a subdomain ) , cache from the google showing exactly same content under different timeframes speard withing atleast 2 years which I found them .
3. A domain under a category listed like '' domain [dot] extension/folder '' , main domain its used to selling a mlm / get rich refferal product , this domain is first registered on 2005 , loads of nice things about him also the web.archive services ....

1. How do you know that?
2. S/he was probably more interested in responding to QC issues. The whole point of volunteering is that you do what you like - not what some outsider thinks you ought to be doing.

> Of course actually thats the hole point with the rules , guidelines , and voluteer help there. Its like a free world actually where the rules its supposed to be respected and so on ...

As to your editor application, you're complaining about fast response times now? If there weren't any reviewer comments, one or more of the common reasons given in the email will apply. You should be able to work out which ones for yourself.

> what I`m trying to point there arent complains ! arent some desperate lines of text just because I don' have other things better to do , I`m trying to get myself answers for my questions with your ( and other great peoples ) kindly help . Just like a great and short point NONE of the '' reasons '' named on the automatically email was true or relevant for my editor aplication , I filled it just for test to see what's there and how's things works , I had the answer and I`m said thanks for it .

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Easy for anyone to saying '' there are rules '' , '' this is volunteer work '' , even if maybe some of peoples follow the guidelines / the rules and apreciate the volunteer work . In just two days when I`m there quite active I`ve pointed 2 things which wasnt ok ( and was confirmed they didnt had any reason to be on ODP ) , I have other 3 links which arent ok , and thats just with less than a hour browsing on ODP .

@pvgool actually english is 3'th language learned , and just because was a must for continuing study at uni , Yes the editor application was done within a english section with carefully spelled checked all the words used Even if someone read them cant figure by any chance i`m not english person only if he used to check the ip from where I submited .

Spell-checking doesn't catch everything. If you can't write well in a language without the spell checker, you'd be better off applying for a category in your first language.

motsa said:

Spell-checking doesn't catch everything. If you can't write well in a language without the spell checker, you'd be better off applying for a category in your first language.

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Maybe I`ll apply on romanian language section sometime in the future i`m not sure if I`ll do it or not we will see . Important wasn't the quality of spelling words , or how much from english language I`m know on this application ( i`m having a feeling wasn't even read what I wrote there since the rejection come without any comment like is supposed to be only with the default email text within less time frame even received a answer on forums ...

There is no such thing as an automatic rejection. All applications are read and dealt with by a real, live human being. Specific comments are only included if the meta or catmod reviewing the application chooses to include them. Obviously the meta or catmod who reviewed your application felt that the default email covered everything he/she wanted to say.

yes ... seems to be fair enough , anyway this mention about the editor application was just another point linked directly to the '' guidelines '' which its seems was respected like always . Good point on the editor application is at least there peoples getting this email notices ( even if you are saying they are manually send by humans , and I`m have my personal feeling ... ) , and same like this personal feeling its other things which I wanted to point them out with this thread .