Open Linking Project

not buddy links, but maybe a good idea

[stcrim]

Brett,

Cindy and I want to develope a linking project. WE have gained a great deal from inner linking, but not sure what the benefit from link popularity has been. It does seem to have made difference with ink.msn. We are now equaling our traffic from ink.yahoo -(hope that doesn't all turn to GOO)

What kind of software (scripts, etc) would we need to manage the project and where could we find it/them?

More on the project later

Steve

[Brett_Tabke]

There isn't anything available that I have run into Steve. You could use one of the directory programs. They can be quite pricey, but that is the route I'd go if I weren't a programmer.

[rcjordan]

Steve, take a look at Links2 from Gossamer-Threads [gossamer-threads.com]. I believe it could be the tool to use to allow users to post their info (you can make it subject to editorial review). The admin launches a "build" script which builds static directory pages. There is also an integral email subscription system for members. It seems to me that link project members could be notified after a build and simply come and copy source from their respective category.

Today's price: $150 US for commercial use, and free for non-profit and individual use. Non-profit and individual users must register the program.

[stcrim]

Thanks rcjordan,

I'll check it out...

Steve

[rcjordan]

another directory program: Hyperseek [hyperseek.com]

I'm not personally familiar with it, but I'm told that it is like Links2. Today's price: $749 US.

[octobersky]

Also, take a look at Hyperseeks little brother, ILink its *free* & not to bad. [ccs.net...]

Edited by: octobersky

[BK]

Steve, if you remember the discussion of Zeus - the spider tool that builds vertical directories - that may be able to do what you wish.

Since it spiders sites, it may even help the link program to grow by finding qualified members for you ...

Its the one we chose over-all when finding programs to recommend for the AIM-pro site. The standard model is free to any user (including commercial users) while the Pro version allows for greater customization and removes the ads.

BK

[oldtimer]

Maybe like me, you've had requests via Zeus for reciprocal links to sites that you wouldn't want to link to?

[Ross]

Poor old Zeus....he tends to get a very bad press, which is a shame because it's a very powerful tool that, when used responsibly can be extremely useful to a webmaster looking for reciprocal links. Used properly, it takes a great deal of time to look through all of the sites that Zeus has found, to ensure that you are emailing relevant sites.

I too have received emails from Zeus users looking for links. In one particular case it was from a site selling fine art reproductions (mine is a fishing site in the UK). When I emailed the authors of Zeus to ask if they could better control new users they blamed the users of the free version for not using the software in a responsible manner. My email had actually come from a registered, paid-up user !!.

But....I think that I've used it responsibly, and I've now got 168 extremely relevant reciprocal links that I just couldn't have got without Zeus. I had one irate e-mail from a person who didn't like Zeus and wouldn't consider linking to anyone who hadn't found his site by surfing. On the other hand I've had 20 or 30 very nice emails from sites all over the world, offering a reciprocal link and thanking me for explaining about the importance of link popularity, which I did in the initial email when asking for a link.

In conclusion you should compare Zeus to Cloaking....it's a very useful tool which can be used for good or evil, but don't blame the software, blame the user !!.

[BK]

I have to agree with you Ross - Zeus is not to blame for spam any more than e-mail client software is. What is to blame is tacky marketeers who just never think about what they do.

Zeus is a tool that is eminently suited for building for the new joint criteria of Links and Themes. Its use can assist webmasters who are trying to make their site into a hub, but of course it requires responsible, intelligent use for best results.

I certainly wouldn't complain to the developer at CR about a spammy mail any more than I would complain to Microsoft that yet another moron had made a FrontPage site about their pet cat, or complain to Ford that a driver of their vehicles had scratched my car.

Likewise, just because the first user you encounter is an idiot, don't discount the tool itself too quickly.

BK

[cre8pc]

I was a harsh critic of Zeus at first, especially after I received reciprocal link requests from sites I couldn't possibly link to.

I gave Cyber-Robotics a pretty hard time in a public forum. As an SE opt specialist and a QA/UI Engineer, I had issues with the website, the claims, Zeus, the presentation, sheesh, you name it <g>

David took my critical remarks seriously and cleaned up several areas of his site that I, and others, pointed out needed work.
In the months to come I saw many changes on the website, and read overwhelmingly positive feedback from Zeus users.

My main concern was over unsolicited email (SPAM) coming from Zeus to sites that simply aren't links type portal sites. In addition, I feared some of the myths about reciprocal linking (such as quantity vs quality of site) were being overlooked by Zeus users.

I had researched recip linking and posted the article on my website. There was a section of it that was written with Zeus in mind, and I sent the article to David to see. He liked it and felt it supported his feelings for how he preferred Zeus to be used. In fact, he links to the article from his email FAQ

[cyber-robotics.com...]

I came away from the whole Cyber-Robotics site experience as a supporter of both David, his hard work, and Zeus. His product comes under scrutiny often, but he stays balanced and does listen to constructive criticism. Zeus is the sort of software that, like cloaking, and doorways, is easily abused or mis-used.