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Submitting a couple of sites to DMOZ just now, in unrelated categories, in both cases the process stalled (failed) at step 2 when DMOZ decided that these URL's already exist in the directory.
In both cases, the URLs are brand-new and do not already exist in the ODP.
Surely DMOZ are seeming more incompetent and less valid with each day. Already the irony is that the ODP has become worse than Yahoo was way back when it inspired the creation of dmoz.
The ODP has NEVER been MORE important than it is right now. It's use by Google makes it the most important directory since Yahoo. I think it that it is more important to have a good ODP listing right now, than a Yahoo (by far).
I assume those that complain about the ODP fall into three categories:
- spammers who can't get their trashed out affiliate site listed.
- net newbies who've not taken the time to understand the ODP.
- editors at competing directories.
- the directory cluless who don't understand directories don't add all sites.
don't forget the ever popular "deep linker" folks
and
multiple mirror domain guys/gals
That could be, but why would they want to do that? Most quality sites are built by professional companies with fixed IPs. Most such sites are submitted either by the same agency that makes the site, or else by another agency that handles promotions.
Blocking the habitual submitters would hit the better companies long before the amatuers and lusers. That would be just plain stupid. If that *is* what they have done, it only doubles my claim of incompetence.
Just got two others from different corners of the UK to do the same check, and they got the same errors. It's an error with dmoz.
Unless of course you think perhaps they blocked all UK IP addresses just in case I was really determined? :)
I think they might be tracking IP's and have identified you as a habitual submitter.
That's not the problem in this case. It looks like a bug, it walks and talks like a bug, and reading some other search engine forum it seems to be reported as a bug. ;)
>> I assume those that complain about the ODP fall into three categories: <<
You forgot the one's who list four bullet points for those three categories. :)
On a slightly more serious note though, making assumptions is never a wise move in SEO. I did check the IP thing no matter how impossible it sounded, (I'm hardly a spammer, I know the guidelines, and have experience as an editor at dmoz, etc), for exactly that reason - to check my initial assumption.
Note that the benefit of this feature (once it works, of course ;)) will be on your side. It has great potential to reduce the massive amounts of redundant submissions that the editors are currently facing, which improves the chances that the legitimate submissions will actually get seen and listed in a reasonable amount of time.
So, other than you're assuming, this temporary glitch is not a sign of the ODP becoming less valid, but rather a sign that things will improve significantly in the near future.
Btw: While you indeed can get blocked from submitting to the ODP, it takes a lot more than just being a "habitual submitter". If you have never submitted the same listing to a multitude of different categories at a time, or a multitude of deeplinks of the same site (or mirror sites) to the same category, then your chances of being blocked are very small. There are no hard limits, but you need to seriously annoy more than one person before a meta will have a closer look at your "habitual" activities.
If you "habitually" submit valid sites with unique content and useful descriptions, then some editors will even remember you and nod respectfully when they happen to come across your next submission. :)
So in future someone will remember to temporarily remove the add-url link while this is being done, or maybe add a note about it somewhere? That would indeed be a significant improvement and be far more useful.
Adding (and updating) URLs is the primary business of any directory. This is like an eCommerce site having a broken orders form, yet doing nothing to inform customers or ensure they were not losing business. That's why I find this a very bad sign for dmoz.
Ammon Johns
Knowing the system is no proof that you aren't attempting to abuse it. As you have pointed out, many of those who follow these threads are ex-ODP.
You can spot them by the constant whingeing about how much worse it is since they were thrown out.
Nine out of ten were removed for self (or client) promotion. They find spamming more difficult from the outside, hence the whines.
What amuses me is the 'holier-than-thou' attitude of people who not only tried to abuse a 'free service' - but got caught too!
Actually, Quadrille, I was mainly pointing out how many are not *Ex*, but current, highly regarded editors.
> You can spot them by the constant whingeing about how much worse it is since they were thrown out. <
Actually you can spot most of them by the way they claim ODP was bad *before* their expulsion (that badness being the real reason for their expulsion of course).
For an example you ought to look at the Ex-ODP forum at SearchEngineDiscussion.com - it is quite amusing. It also may disabuse you of some foolish notions about who I am, my practicalities, and my motives.
Ammon Johns (ex-editor TheKnight who simply stopped editing when he lost faith and interest).
(edited by: engine at 3:35 pm (utc) on Feb. 28, 2002)
For an example you ought to look at the Ex-ODP forum at SearchEngineDiscussion.com...
Actually, that board has been closed down for some time now.
BLACK KNIGHT!!!!
How ya been bro? Long time no talk d00d.
That Knight is indeed respected, and does know his stuff where SEO is concerned.
Been a long time my friend. I really enjoyed meeting you guys in that quaint pub.
I'm in Boulder Colorado these days, and yes SED was taken down along with my other primary SEO discussion site.
I needed to move the server due to a buy-out of the host I was co-lo'd with.
I will have them back up sometime soon, just not too sure where as I was just presented with the fact that I needed to find ANOTHER new host.
So what do ya do. Find a new host and be done with it. That Ex-ODP Fora was awfully interesting and always provided for good restroom reading material. :)
Lots of squaking and defending of ones self and actions after being booted.
Hey, It Happens! When you can't keep your ethics in line!
Nothing but luv peeps!
SEGuru!!
Wondered what had happened to you pal. Thought maybe the family had finally nailed you to the floor to stop you being on the road all the time. :)
Hope to see more of you around here.
> interesting "discussions"
Mike, that was a beautiful piece of understatement. ;) I remember some of the 'interesting discussions' putting me in the Voltaire position - I disagreed with everything some of them said, but would defend to the death their right to say it. :)
No....All that data is still intact on the site. There's was just no DNS done for the site at the latest host. Now that it needs to be moved again, it won't be up for a little while. But when I have it back up, I'll flag ya down.
Definitely some great banter in that forum. hehehe
