Is DMOZ Defunct?

its been seen since a month that DMOZ search functions are not operational

[tecnovate]

Hey!
Have all of you noticed that DMOZ search function is down fro a month? Even Google also not showing its results in its rankings.
can anybody help on this?
what are your viewpoints on this. Please reply.

[mat]

Search is down - new hardware is being added as I write. The Google issue is unrelated - there are a lot of threads about this, but to sum it up, the Google ODP results are still there - behind the 'more' link - it's just that they decided to remove the category links from the main SERP's.

Googleguy posted to the effect that this was under-utilised screen real estate. Not everyone agrees. Oh, and welcome to WebmasterWorld!

[tecnovate]

Hey thanks matt!
Do you have any idea about time-frame? when it would be back with its normal features.
moreover I have found that now-a-days "description and content placement is playing major role and surpassing the DMOZ rankings too.
anyways thatnks for the update.

[tschild]

Also the seach functionality is considered a secondary function of the ODP, the primary functions being (in approximately that order) reviewing and rereviewing sites, publishing the RDF dump and publishing the directory pages.

[kctipton]

Poor search function has nothing to do with a directory being defunct.

[hutcheson]

I think teknovate was assuming there was some relationship between DMOZ search and Google search results (or perhaps Google directory search.)

There is none whatsoever. They are completely different implementations of search, running on different data.

The ODP search has been down before; when there are major system changes at the ODP (such as the recent charset conversion), search is usually one of the last things to be tested and debugged.

And ODP editors have always had a longer list of wishes than AOL had programmers--that's not "defunct", it's a sign of vitality. When nobody CARES whether a system works or whether it should do more, then it's time for its wake.

[Callanish]

Two more weeks pass and still no functioning search on DMOZ.

Is there anyone in the know who can give us a progress report?

[kctipton]

You've done it -- search still not working right.

[victor]

To do a search on the ODP, try these things:

1. Use the Google directory search. Not as up-to-date as the current OPD, but may be usable for what you want. If it isn't usable for what you want, send Google an email to their "how can we improve search?" feedback address.

2. use any other clone of the ODP that is more recent and has a search facility:
[dmoz.org...]

3. Download a copy of the DMOZ RDF and search on that:
[rdf.dmoz.org...]

[stever]

Or of course use your favourite search engine and type in "your words site: dmoz.org"

(Similar to the way people search WebmasterWorld, really.)