Submission verification

[Guy Shurmer]

I have tried to submit a site several times, and each time I get a message "Please verify the text in the image". I am certain I entered the characters correctly. Certainly the last time there could be no doubt it was correct.

 

I stopped trying in case I was creating multiple submissions. Is there a problem with the verification, or should I just keep trying?

[spectregunner]

There have been some earlier reports of problems...but I am not sure if they have been resolved.

 

Hopefully someone with better knowledge will follow up on this.

[motsa]

There are some problems but many people still manage to get through the suggestion process OK. Best I can offer is that you keep trying.

[dbruning]

Perhaps try to make your submission from a different computer?

 

I'm not sure what would cause the problem you are having, but just in case it's not server-side, maybe that will help you?

 

Good luck

[Callimachus]

Don't use the back button in your browser if you get an error message, reload the submission page to get a new image as it only accepts one attempt per image. Some browsers will retain the information you entered in the form fields, some do not and you will have to reenter it.

 

The problems are being worked on.

[pchaparala]

Submission status

 

I submitted my site to DMOZ few months ago. I saw in my web reports that dmoz visited our website. The months of waiting is exhausting me. I read on the internet that I can contact editors but not sure how to do so. Please bear with me regarding this post. Once a DMOZ editor visited a website, how long does it take for the listing to be accepted in the directory? Is the decision made right away? So, if I dont see my website in dmoz directory soon after the DMOZ editors visited our website, I should start the submission process again?

[spectregunner]

Ok, let's start at the beginning.

I submitted my site to DMOZ few months ago.

Thank you for your suggestion.

I saw in my web reports that dmoz visited our website.

That may or may not have been an editor, it could have been an automated process that verifies links in the suggestion pool are still valid.

Once a DMOZ editor visited a website, how long does it take for the listing to be accepted in the directory?

If it was an editor (see above) there is no telling why the visit was made and there is no direct cause and effect. There is no guarantee that if an editor visits and reviews a site that it will be listed. We really encourage people not to get their hopes or expectations up based on log entries because they really do not tell you anything, and any guesses one makes are invariably incorrect.

So, if I dont see my website in dmoz directory soon after the DMOZ editors visited our website, I should start the submission process again?

In a word: NO.

I read on the internet that I can contact editors but not sure how to do so.

You can, but I can almost guarantee that the process will not be satisfactory or fulfilling for you. There are more than 200 editors who can edit anywhere in the directory, and editors are strongly discouraged from discussing the status unreviewed site.

The months of waiting is exhausting me.

There is no reason for that, and you might want to adjust your priorities. There are only two possible outcomes: we will list your site or we will not. Beyond making the suggestion and making sure that your site complies with our listing guidelines, there is nothing you can do to influence or manage the process. It will or it will not happen and that will take place when it takes place.

Relax, enjoy life, add more content, suggest it to some other directories. Don't lose a minute's wort of sleep over it.

[pchaparala]

Submission

 

If my site is not accepted, I can update my site according to the guidelines and submit it again right? It is an editor that visited my site because when I click the webpage in the log entry, it asks for a username and password.

[chaos127]

If my site is not accepted, I can update my site according to the guidelines and submit it again right?

I thought you were supposed to check that your site meets our inclusion criteria before you suggested it the first time... But yes, if you realise that there's something about your site that means we wouldn't list it, and you're able to fix that thing, by all means re-suggest it.

 

However, there's no reason to wait until you're site is rejected (you won't receive any notification of this even anyway). Our criteria are there to ensure the sites we list are useful for our users, who in turn are potentially your users. So if you know of a way to make your site more useful to your users, what are you waiting for?

 

Obviously we won't tell you exactly how many, but it takes more than two repeat suggestions to be blacklisted as a spammer.

[gimmster]

It is an editor that visited my site because when I click the webpage in the log entry, it asks for a username and password.

Actually that is not the case. Any access to the editor side requires an editor name/ password including the automated tools that are used. You can't assume it was an editor.

 

You also can't assume it got more than a cursory glance if it was by an editor. As an example if I'm working at higher category levels in Regional, and am primarily in 'sort mode', I'll open the contact page to see if it is in the right level, and move it down if it is not. I won't review the site, so even though it's been visited and an action has been performed on it, the site has not been reviewed.

 

So from your logs, you see it has been accessed, but you can't know why. This is why using the logs to interpret editor action is problematic. Log analysis has many uses, but this isn't one of them.

[pchaparala]

If I am not listed, it does not really matter if I am listed as a spammer does it?

 

I already submitted twice as I submitted my website in the wrong category the first time and changed it to the right category the second time.

 

It seems arbitrary to me that someone can be labeled as a spammer just because they tried their best to get into the best directory on the internet.

 

I have followed all the guidelines but I also update our website every few days. So it is bound to have some problems. I dont know when DMOZ visits my site and cant just have my site stand still without making changes. And when I make changes, there is bound to be a chance for one or two links not working. Even before I realize that, DMOZ visits my site and decides it is not a good site, what can I do?

 

I have few pages that say webpage under maintenance. Does that count as a negative? How do I get feedback regarding my site because ultimately it is the editors discretion and if the editor does not follow his guidelines I am just left standing in the rain. Even if the editor is disciplined later, it does not matter to me because I did not get the listing. And if I submit again, I will be listed as a spammer. So, I dont get listed and I get the spammer label.

[shadow575]

If I am not listed, it does not really matter if I am listed as a spammer does it?

Well that depends on whether or not you every want to be included. If you become a spammer, you won't ever be. That you haven't as of yet been listed, doesn't mean you never will be. The most probable reason a listable site is not included is simply no one has looked at it yet.

 

It seems arbitrary to me that someone can be labeled as a spammer just because they tried their best to get into the best directory on the internet.

Trying to get their site listed by reading and following the instructions for doing so will not result in a site being labled as spam. Ignoring the directions and spamming the directory anyway will though.

 

I have followed all the guidelines but I also update our website every few days. So it is bound to have some problems. I dont know when DMOZ visits my site and cant just have my site stand still without making changes. And when I make changes, there is bound to be a chance for one or two links not working. Even before I realize that, DMOZ visits my site and decides it is not a good site, what can I do?

Editors look at the site in its entirety, they try and block out the problems and look for reasons to list the site vs. reason to reject it. A couple of bad links amongst a couple dozen good ones won't result in a rejection. Ample amounts of bad links my result in the editor saving the suggestion to check back on later.

 

I have few pages that say webpage under maintenance. Does that count as a negative? How do I get feedback regarding my site because ultimately it is the editors discretion and if the editor does not follow his guidelines I am just left standing in the rain.

If the majority of your links contain no content, only "Under Construction" messages then yes, an editor isn't going to list it. Unless the site has been held for a while waiting to see completion of the under construction pages, it will like be put back in the pool of sites waiting review to check back on later.

 

<takes off editor hat>As a visitor, I always hate visiting a site where I click on many pages that bring up an 'under construction' message. It's better IMO opinion as a visitor to see a list of pages that actually have content, not a list of pages that are content coming soon. <puts editor hat back on> Thats just my .