Robozilla and 301's

does it need a 200?

[Finder]

When I updated my site in DMOZ it was in the form www.mysite.com/mydir/

But when the editor actually posted the site, it was in the form www.mysite.com/mydir

I just noticed a visit from Robozilla in the logs -- with a 301. Will the bot take this to mean my site is unavailable?

I'd hate to have to bother the editor again since he was two cats above mine and was nice enough to update my listing after my request had languished for two months untouched.

[Laisha]

I'd hate to have to bother the editor again since he was two cats above mine and was nice enough to update my listing after my request had languished for two months untouched.

I've asked 4 high-level (read "busy") editors their opinion on this, and they all say "bother him". It has long been published at ODP that trailing slashes, when needed for resolution, need to be fixed.

Furthermore, what good is updating a listing if it's not valid?

[Finder]

Hmm... not sure if the editor hangs out here, but the trailing slash has miraculously appeared in my DMOZ listing all by itself. Cool. :)

[theseeker]

I read this, wanted to look at it to satisfy my curiosty, and while I was there figured it wouldn't hurt to add the trailing slash. As for the original question:

"I just noticed a visit from Robozilla in the logs -- with a 301. Will the bot take this to mean my site is unavailable?"

I don't think Robozilla report 301 errors. It may or may not follow the redirect to check the final page. I'm hoping to find the answer to that if--and when--I can.

[choster]

A 301 error is a permanent redirect; it should not be flagged as "unavailable" according to [dmoz.org...] .

That said, I know that Robozilla does report permanent redirects, but I cannot recall any specific instance where it reported a temporary one and I corrected it.

301/302 boo-boo

[edited by: choster at 4:21 am (utc) on Nov. 16, 2002]

[jdMorgan]

Just to clarify:

A 301 (Moved Permanently) indicates a permanent redirect; A 302 (Moved Temporarily) is temporary. A 410 (Gone) means the page is gone, a 303 (See Other) means the page has been replaced (hopefully by an on-topic, similar page), and a 404 (Not Found) means the site needs some work with attention to usability. This last comment means that steps should be taken - where feasible - to return one of the other codes for at least a few months to give search engines and users a chance to update their listings, links and bookmarks.

Jim

[Finder]

So does anyone know if a site that repeatedly returns a 301 to Robozilla will eventually be removed from the directory? Or is it just logged in case an editor wants to check it out?

Are sites that 404 automatically removed?

theseeker: thank you for fixing my listing.

[theseeker]

There are a *lot* of sites in the directory that are missing a trailing slash, and return a 301. Since Robozilla has never marked any of these, I think it's safe to say it ignores a 301 if all that changes is a trailing slash.

Finder: You're welcome. :)