Hello,
I'm just passing through for the first time in a little while and this thread caught my attention.
In particular, the references to "rude", "lazy" and the extended amount of time that certain reviewers spend voluntarily reviewing.
I was a Dmoz editor many years ago in a very small niche category and quickly learned that once the initial flurry of activity receded, it was very difficult to find new material to edit. I allowed my account to expire.
Now wind the clock forward perhaps 8 or more years and I see a new forum, new tools and......the same old end-user frustration in the editing process and the rate at which new sites are reviewed. I also note that DMOZ seems to have slipped in the eyes and mind of the resource that once made it popular, Google.
If you can't keep up with what people want, a fair review conducted in a timely manner, new information being added promptly, etc, then the only way is down, in my humble opinion. And down it has gone. Perhaps what's needed is a fresh look at the process of getting sites reviewed and listed, perhaps a new injection of ideas into an organization that seems to be wilting, is what is really needed. Or perhaps nobody cares and this is a retirement home for people with puffed out chests and inflated senses of their own importance.
A few months back I retired and now spend most of my time blogging, surfing and reviewing various products and services, all of which is voluntary "work" and unpaid. Having found myself with more time on my hands I decided around 7 or 8 months back to apply to have my editor account at DMOZ reinstated. I no longer had access to my old email and had only a vague recollection of my password, it could be one of several I was using way back then. I entered into a dialogue with the Admin - Mr. Noble who took on the task of trying to verify that I am who I claim to be and that I was indeed a previous editor at DMOZ. I believe that I was able to provide enough pieces of my account login to establish beyond any reasonable doubt that I was owner of the account. For example, back then I had an email through my workplace which was carlh @ net net dot net, and also an email from the same provider using chruza in the address. I had an ISP account with execpc.com and an email with carlhr preceding the @ sign. I offered what I am sure was close to my original password. Remember, this was almost 10 years ago and I'm an old man
But it was all to no avail. I was declined the opportunity to have my account reinstated and on revisiting the issue several weeks ago I did not receive the courtesy of a response.
Now this might sound like sour grapes, but it isn't. I have nothing to gain from editing at DMOZ and I can find other outlets for my time; gardening, playing bridge or walking down to the local pub for a smashing pint of Boddingtons.
But what convinced me to write this was the points covered at the start of this post. People are frustrated at not having their websites reviewed, editors are working 8 hours a day unpaid, and the credibility of this once highly respected operation has been sliding slowly downhill to the point where it's no longer seen as a necessary resource for people using the web.
So why are you making it so hard for people to edit? Why have someone jump through hoops to try and restore an expired account, then give them the brush-off over some technicality?
Why not encourage more people to come on board and build a better relationship with your end users and regain their respect?
Lastly, to say this website is not intended for webmasters is laughable and explains a good deal about its demise. You haven't shown prominently in Google search results for several years now, so who are your 'customers' if not webmasters and website owners?
Best wishes to you all and I hope someone comes along soon to take the helm of this rudderless ship.
Carl Hruza
