SevenCubed - 12:53 am on Aug 28, 2012 (gmt 0)

Since DMOZ requires the anchor text in a link to match the domain, based on what I have seen

At one point I was a DMOZ editor and I don't recall that requirement -- unless it's a recent development within last 3 years.

I'll also add this comment to the OP question as to whether or not there is a DMOZ effect on SERPs -- in my opinion it is partially influenced by the individual editors and their ability (or lack of) to understand search engine algorithms.

Case in point: I had been in care of a segment that I optimized to the best of my abilities and within a few weeks of taking over the category I managed to get that category ranking on page one results for given search terms. Everyone was a winner, DMOZ got its due, the sites that were listed in that category got their due and collectively DMOZ and the sites listed moved above other commercial sites on page one -- and rightly so because they were legit businesses.

I SEO'd the category -- not from inbound link nonsense but by properly placing the correct link text for each site listed after I applied my own algorithm to their sites to determine what a search engine perceived them as being as compared to the keyword stuffed text that a previous editor had obviously just accepted as submitted by the site owners. I also rewrote many of the site descriptions, again after carefully analyzing the site.

So, at some later point I was content that I had done all I could to fairly maximize the category effectiveness and got bored. So, me thinks it would be good to then apply to become the editor of another category, and did.

That's when some "edit-all" (on an egotistical power trip no doubt) reviewed my request and low and behold -- stripped much of my 6 months of dedicated work to the bone then replied back to me that there was much more I could do with my current category before applying for a new one.

When I reviewed what he/she had done I was speechless. I had the current google version to compare it with compared to what the "edit-all" person had changed it back to. Mostly keyword stuffing had been placed back into effect. Over the coming weeks the DMOZ category drifted back into oblivion for those search terms. The only saving grace was that the sites listed within the category remained unaffected and continued to perform well. From that day onward I didn't change a single letter and didn't even bother to login so as to allow my editor privileges to expire -- I simply didn't want anything more to do with it.