Will the Categories Ever Change?

I read that only 31% of the suggestions are submitted to the correct category. If this is true, then it could mean that the dmoz categories are out of sync with the way people actually categorize content.

Does DMOZ have any plans to make changes to the category structure?

The ODP structure is in a constant state of flux. We continually change the category structure as needed. The categories are in sync with the way ODP editors (who happen to be people too ) think that they should be organized. We're building a directory of web sites, so we are always going to be updating how that information is presented.

donaldb said:

The ODP structure is in a constant state of flux. We continually change the category structure as needed. The categories are in sync with the way ODP editors (who happen to be people too ) think that they should be organized. We're building a directory of web sites, so we are always going to be updating how that information is presented.

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Hello DonaldB and thanks for the quick reply. I am not suggesting that the editor's are not people. I am only suggesting that, perhaps, at the time the directories were categorized it fit for that time. Now that the web is more mature, is it time to look at it again?

Is there a way to suggest a category?

Although I would prefer one category over the other, askblax.com could fit into several categories (or subcategories). For example,
(1) Society: Issues: Multi-issue Publications
(2) Society: Ethnicity: African: African-American: News and Media
(3) Society: Ethnicity: African: African-American: Online Communities.

Now that the web is more mature, is it time to look at it again?

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As I said we are constantly updating the category structure of the ODP to fit with the types of web sites that are being listed. It is a never-ending process.

Ah, now you're asking a different question

We would create a new category if we felt that there were enough web sites to justify creating that category. We are generally not going to create a new category for one web site.

Many web sites could potentially "fit" in many different categories, but the trick is to find the best fit for the web site. Stop worrying about placement, and keywords, and other SEO junk. That's not what the ODP is all about. Just find the best category for the web site, suggest it, and forget about it. And thank you for helping us build our directory

P.S. Please stop inserting your URL as a signature. We've turned off the signature function to non-editors for a reason. Thanks.

There are a lot of people who really don't understand taxonomies at all; many more (including most editors) who don't understand all of the ODP taxonomy. But you started out asking the wrong question. The question isn't EVER "how many categories can this site fit in?" Because, as you see, there are always multiple possibilities.

You always pick the most specific category that fits. In this case "multi-issue" is obviously a "catchall" category for sites that DON'T fit any specific category, and you've found multiple specific categories that you think might fit. That's not a difficulty with the taxonomy. That's merely the complexity of reality--which the taxonomy must fit but which many people don't think about.

As to the other categories: if the core of the site is a publication which has a forum for feedback (i.e. infoworld.com), then clearly one category fits better. If the core of the site is a community discussion which has feature articles on the side (such as forums.dmoz.org, the internal ODP forums with its quarterly newsletter), then another category fits better. If the site is really balanced, then the parent category may fit better than either subcategory.

hutcheson said:

As to the other categories: if the core of the site is a publication which has a forum for feedback (i.e. infoworld.com), then clearly one category fits better. If the core of the site is a community discussion which has feature articles on the side (such as forums.dmoz.org, the internal ODP forums with its quarterly newsletter), then another category fits better. If the site is really balanced, then the parent category may fit better than either subcategory.

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Hello hutcheson-

Well here's the thing, at www.askblax.com, the content changes based on who is posting the articles and the topics of current interest. One week, the website content could be news about African American books and authors. The next week, the website could be all about music and entertainment news. The next week, the economy or politics could be the focus of the majority of the articles.

I read that DMOZ does not change the site's description and there is no problem with a listing as long as the url remains the same. If this is the case, when an editor visits a website for review, wouldn't it look like the submitter chose the wrong category simply due to the fact that the content changed by the time the reviewer got there? If so, this would cause a delay in listing wouldn't it?

But judging by the meta title, the tagline under the logo, and your about page, the site will always be for African-Americans, yes? So, pick the category under Society: Ethnicity: African: African-American that best describes the type of content generally found on the site.

Wasn't that a site review, which we don't do in this forum?

motsa said:

But judging by the meta title, the tagline under the logo, and your about page, the site will always be for African-Americans, yes? So, pick the category under Society: Ethnicity: African: African-American that best describes the type of content generally found on the site.

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Hello motsa -

Yes, I see. I would've thought news first, then narrowed it by audience or news types. In the dmoz model, I should think ethnicity first (because that will always remain as part of the site's name -- even if the tag line gets tossed), then think subcategory after that.

Thanks.

Yes, askme, well stated.