searching directory for URL problem

Step Two of the "How to Suggest a Site" recommends that each person verify that they do not have a listing in the directory before they submit. It specifically reads:

"Step Two
Do a quick search in the directory at dmoz.org (the home of the Open Directory) to be sure your site isn't already listed. This saves everyone time."

Up until recently (if I remember correctly), I was able to accomplish this by entering www.domain.com into the search box on the homepage. This no longer seems to work, and the only way I can find our listing is by typing domain.com.

Since the directions on locating a listing are not specific in the protocol of whether or not to enter the www, it seems as if there is the potential of a lot of Submission Verification Requests that could have been avoided.

It might save the editors some time in the forums if this were to be addressed, by either clarifying the instructions or allowing a person to search for the full domain with the www in it.

As far as I know it has never worked when the www prefix is attached to the domain name. domain.com has always been searchable.

As you can tell from other posts here, search is not a priority on the site, is quite often overloaded (unavailable), and sometimes lags the directory by days/weeks/months.

I don't think trying to add any new functions is likely to happen soon. Just getting it working at all is more important, and thats not a priority.

Certainly the suggestion has merit, but as I said, I don't expect any technical changes, and instructions are rarely read anyway. The only people who would even remotely try searching a domain name on dmoz are webmasters, certainly not the surfers - after all if they already know the domain name why would they try? Webmasters can always search on the site title after all, they should know it.

:tree:

Hmm, I hear what you're saying. I realized when I said it that adding functionality was probably not going to be a suggestion that would be implemented. But, on the other hand, even adding a note right on the submission page that says something like:

Check for existing listings:
www.[____________] [Search]

It might prompt (remind, harrass, entice) more people to check first, and do it in the way that the sytem will return an accurate response.

This whole thing really came to mind when I sent out a submission status request in the forum, when I already had a listing. I was very surprised to see that I already had one, cause I checked for it before requesting a submission status.

I'm not as avid a reader of the forums as are some others here, but from what I can tell, the main problems are bandwidth loads and lack of editorial resources. Small solutions like this might do a little bit towards alleviating the main problems. Please keep in mind, that I'm approaching this from a usability standpoint, and not a technical standpoint, as I don't have the expertise for the technical.

Anyhow, thanks for your comments and your help in the directory!