Quadrille - 5:44 am on Dec 1, 2006 (gmt 0)

But in the case of directories ...

They've always been a minority interest, and (as a genre) they've shot themselves in the foot, bigtime.

The average 'seeker after info' who does not know that the much maligned, designer-challenged ODP is actually pretty good in many, many areas - while the smooth designed spam-filled charnel house that promotes itself as a directory often has nothing to offer, except adsense and 'sponsored listings' - which have zero place in a Quality Directory in my book.

Quality Directories are rare; that's why it's important to drive home the distinction between good and bad - and the damage done by the boring ODP bashing 'game'.

Directories have a niche role - just like they ever did. But they need to reclaim the name and assert the Quality angle.

[edited by: Quadrille at 5:45 am (utc) on Dec. 1, 2006]