The_Contractor - 4:41 pm on Jul 12, 2007 (gmt 0)

What explains the absence of a real alternative?

The amount of manpower to accomplish a large scale human reviewed/edited "general" directory is a huge task. To actually review a site, check to make sure it does not have mirrors that are already listed, and actually write a proper description showing "no" favoritism and properly done will take you 15 minutes a submission, 7-10 if you are really good and it's not a spammy category.... That adds up to a huge amount of time.

Besides, not knocking dmoz as it's the best at what it does, but general directories with a title, short description, and url are not that helpful to the masses ....

I think the next large directory will have to do more...a lot more, to attract the masses.

Maybe it's easier to criticize the ODP than it is to build a better version?

Yep, it sure is ;)