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Would it interest you to know that a very content-rich website with over 200 ODP deeplinks to unique high-quality content has just posted in some other forum to say that his site has totally tanked in Google for the last three months?
The ODP is not a listing service.
An editor is not a submission processor.
An editor is there to build a category and can use or ignore what ever sources of website URLs they want to.
An editor will use the resource that gets the most sites listed into the public side in the most efficient way.
Very few editors sit there reviewing obvious spam when they know there is a better way to find good sites to list.
1) Make sure there aren't dead links, hijacked links to porno sites in the kids section, etc.
2) Make sure every category has got at least 3-5 good sites in it that will give the user what he was looking for when he clicked on it.
3) Add categories for topics we didn't have categories on before, so that users will be able to find at good sites about it where they couldn't before.
4) Improve the directory structure so that it's easier for users to find sites they're looking for.
5) Add new sites that will enrich already-existing categories.
There are MILLIONS of websites out there that might be interesting to our users. Yours may be one of them. Let's say for the sake of the argument that it is.
We are going to link to, I don't know, let's say 50,000 of them, this month.
Except for websites that fall into category #2 or #3, WE DON'T CARE WHICH ONES THEY ARE. If we hired people to add an additional 50,000 sites this month, we still wouldn't care which ones they were. In fact, if we hired people to add sites (which is a moot point, but for the sake of the argument, assume we did,) we would then be able to tell them what to do, since we were paying them. And so they would end up working on our VERY TOP PRIORITIES for us. Rooting out spam, filling in categories with only a few sites in them, and building new categories. When we did ask them to do #5, which is the only one that would benefit your site, we would want them to add the MAXIMUM POSSIBLE NUMBER of quality sites for the money, so we wouldn't send them to work in spam-clogged site suggestion inboxes. The only people who would go near the category you want them to go near would be volunteers anyway.
So the best possible result you could hope for is you'd have a 100,000/125,000,000 chance of your site being reviewed, instead of a 50,000/125,000,000 chance. We wouldn't send paid volunteers to address your site or your category specifically. Any more than Stanford would hire a new secretary specifically to handle email requests for link exchanges. If they got a new secretary, they'd use them for university business. And if we got a new editor... well, I'm sure you get the point by now.
Good lord, no! I think you're still misunderstanding. This spam isn't LISTED in the ODP! This is spam that people SUBMIT to the ODP. It wouldn't tidy up anything at all if I spent the rest of my life deleting it. No one but editors can ever see this spam.
Whereas all our users can see the 'good stuff.' So yeah, we're like 10,000 times more interested in that.
The only time we care about spam is when it's actually been published on our directory pages for someone. Then we want to get rid of it pronto. If it's just sitting in our inbox it can sit there all decade for all we care.
I'm not too familiar with the Topix links, but I think that add was automated, and therefore didn't take any of the editors' time.
But this is really starting to get off-topic. And I don't know much about RSS feeds, so I can't help you with that question.
Report that site. Send an update request for that site right into the applicable category. Include the the URL of the government site in the description field. We would probably rather list the authorative original source than the content copier.
You said:
>> ...they can't cater to someone that wants a listing just so they have a marketing advantage...
>> That is what my competitors have. I just want a level playing field. I would like to have this site listed in odp too.
>> Who says I don't have other strategies. But to run to catch up to my competitors that are already listed means 100's of hours of manpower that they don't have to do.
It seems clear to me that you expect an ODP listing to suddently bring you many advantages and a boost for your site.
So what? Does it mean they didn't get busted on a tos violation? Do you think only white hat is in the dmoz? Don't be so naive. Sounds like they got caught for something.
Now tell me g...is there anyone not listed in the dmoz that is listed in the google directory?
I just got thru looking thru the serps in my sector. Not one of the top 20 listed is NOT in the dmoz. Like I said. I am not looking for a magic bullet. Just a level playing field.
I am only suggesting that a paid staff at the odp could take care of those boooorrring cats volunteers don't want to.
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Why do you specifically think that a link from the ODP is what you need to "level the field" with others that are listed already?
If a link from "elsewhere" isn't good enough, then you are implyimg that you believe a link from the ODP to be "special", ergo that it is a link that is "worth more" than some other link from some other site.
Er, yup indeed - just a bit I would have thought lol.
Perhaps you should assume a little less. I know EXACTLY what dmoz is and am learning bit by bit how it operates.
It's the submissions that need sorting - and you know it yourself, just like every editor, I suspect. But it's been pointed out that editors don't care, and clearly dmoz won't address that. No one but editors can see this spam - well fine, then the editors are in a perfect position to deal with it.
But getting back to the topic, just because editors are appointed and there is a secondary place to put the spam doesn't solve the problem of 'blacklisting'.
Blacklisting is about seperating a site for personal reasons, it could be and more than likely IS the editors/reviewers doing it - and who's to say that the sites being deleted/refused aren't 'quality'.
I don't think there is any kind of monitoring, grade or way to judge to see if a site fits a category. I just think it's reviewer opinion, and opinion that's not based on anything. This is where the dmoz editors/reviewers play at God, and what blacklisting is. I can't see an editor letting in a competitors site and I'm right in saying that this is what webmasters hate most of all. Ok dmoz isn't a listing service, I don't have a problem with that - but I think it would solve a lot of problems if dmoz ensured that the world knows this once and for all, as people quite clearly aren't getting the message - judging by all the forum discussions and so on.
The only way to solve the spam submittals is to just erase them when they ARE submitted - straight away, and not when it's 10 days later with more sites to deal with.
Before you state the age-old excuse of "it won't work",
it would and does work wonderfully, as I do it before it becomes a problem regularly. CMS are great and work very well at this. Excuses not to do it are just unwillingness to not do a job properly.
I don't think dmoz is effective at dealing with the number of submissions or this blacklisting/bullying problem. Dmoz needs a crystal clear message on it's homepage saying what is does, can do and what it's not willing to do. At least then webmasters will get the message.
If a link from "elsewhere" isn't good enough, then you are implyimg that you believe a link from the ODP to be "special", ergo that it is a link that is "worth more" than some other link from some other site. <<<<
Why do you think I don't have ibl's? Have lots. But it doesn't catch me up to the amount all those directories and clones give my competition.
And again, those other links don't get me into the google directory. And the serps use snippets frbetter?om the odp that show my competitors. Why wouldn't I want one of those? Why wouldn't I think that the odp link is "special".
Come on g...are you turning a blind eye to the value of an odp link?
I know exactly how human motivation works thanks very much and I'd advise you to not take the mickey until you have a grasp of the subject. Basic motivation is the same for all upto a certain point then people choose their path, which is what I think you were trying to convey. You are saying that Video Games are on the same excitement level as Data Inputting of websites.
I never said that. And I never mentioned video games. Looks like you are having a converstion with yourself here, cos nothing I said got mentioned in your reply to me.
Make up your mind.
