Thread: How to have my site listed in DMOZ?

Originally Posted by Anonymously

If you don't like what is listed, then push the "I want to be an editor" button, pass the tests and then help us by spending a few hours every day editing. It is great fun.

I applied to be an editor. I wrote a lengthy application listing my considerable professional qualifications in the field and my years of experience in administrative roles of various online services.

Rejected.

They suggested that I reapply for the geographic category where I lived. As if I had some special insider knowledge about Parker, Colorado just because I happened to live there.

DMOZ is a clique.

Why is Wikipedia run so well and DMOZ run so poorly? I think that transparency is a big part of that answer.

Have you not noticed that Wiki is having real problems with vandalism and spam and is rapidly making only registered users able to edit there?

Sadly we are very vulnerable to spam and if we were not very careful with selection of editors then the whole project would have collapsed years ago.

I am sorry that you were not accepted, many editors find they have to apply more than once to be accepted. I see no new editor applications because I am not senior enough to deal with them, so I can only offer advice from my own applications and what I have read. But often rejection is because one chooses too large a category. Between about 30 and 80 listed sites in that category and in any sub categories in TOTAL. Also if one picks a category susceptible to spam, then one might be rejected. However highly skilled in the area that the category represents new editors are just that and have no experience in editing. The advice to apply for a regional category was good advice. It is based on the idea that you can learn the basics on developing a category where you certainly have some local and invaluable knowledge because you live there. But that one category is not the end of the story, if you show that you grasp the elements of editing, and you probably would quickly (some really don't) then one can apply for larger and more complex categories. I don't know what you applied for, but I guess from what you say that it was fairly high up a tree and had many sites in it and its sub categories. An editor can edit anywhere down the tree from where they are listed as editors.

The other main issues are be honest about any sites one is affiliated with, and also about reasons for wanting to edit, applications are monitored to ensure that the applicant is not JUST trying to become an editor to list their own sites, though listing ones own site and competitors sites is permitted.

Then ensure that the three sites suggested really do fit the category and are unique content. Show you have read the guidelines with the title and description, we don't want people who ignore what the community want done. They are also looking to make sure that the applicant has a basic grasp of grammar.

Many of these will, likely, not apply to you I added them so that others might see some tips if they want to apply.

But please apply again, if they really had not liked your application they would have said don't contact us, we will contact you if there ever is another vacancy. Yes, we do tell people not to bother applying again!

Whilst we need editors and whilst we need them with knowledge and the sort of esperience you seem to have, we also have to ensure that we have criteria to ensure that we get the right type of editor with those skills. The application form is a sort of test as we have to try and protect the directory. That may mean that we miss some people who would be brilliant, but hopefully it also weeds out the people who would be disasters.

Hope that helps

My opinions are my own and do not represent DMOZ, staff or any other editor.

Originally Posted by tetrapak

Actually it is not, I've been an editor, and most editors just don't give a damn about DMOZ.

I have been an editor now for close on 10 years and I have only met up with dedicated committed editors, willing to spend their free time trying to improve the directory. Using their skills to build tools to help editors, using their time in quality control, spending time discussing how to list a site or how to divide a category. In fact sometimes it's almost tedious the way that editors try and tease out what we can do for improvement.

I would not have given thousands of hours if I had not believed that it was given as part of a team effort, and at times I was by far one of the weak embers despite spending a great deal of my spare time editing. Yes we have some editors who do not spend much time editing, but what they give improves the directory and unless you believe that editors spend most of their time sabotaging competitors sites or promoting only their own sites, and that takes a lot of believing when people have tens of thousands of edits that they have done in their editing career. If they did not care why would they put in so much time?

I repeat I have worked hard in that ten years, but many editors put me to shame.

Does Dmoz Still Have a Place in Search?

www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/05/13/does-dmoz-still-have-a-place-in-search

I think that this says it all
By Umraz (WPN reader) - Fri, 05/15/2009 - 05:56
DMOZ is an arrogant, out dated, irrelevant, self serving dinosaur of the internet world.

It might if the link worked.

Interesting, I was always taught that you only bothered to insult something that you really admired, but had a grudge against.

Did you try to become an editor? Get booted as an editor or just not get your site listed?

If it is that outdated, why do people bother to talk about it? And what is outdated about it?

I use DMOZ to further my hobby of collecting, collating and categorising web sites. I just enjoy collecting ones for the categories that i am interested in and I hope that it helps people who want to search for grouped sites. I really do not have any interest in being a listing service for webmasters or furthering their page rank, not even bothered if DMOZ is seen as irelevant.

The only thing we are arrgant about is the fact that we have the largest edited human directoty and we do, it is in fact a statement of fact.

I enjoy my hobby and I hope that surfers find the directory of interest.

Hi guys,

two and half months back I have submitted the site NewGenre Software and BPO Solutions to DMOZ with all the required details.

But still it is not showing updated there. Do you have any such problems? Or got listed?

Could you please give me some advice about this? and is it a minus if one site is not listed in the DMOZ listing?

Cannot comment on the minus if not listed, but as a DMOZ editor I have to tell you that site suggestions to DMOZ can take from a few days to a few years before getting a review for a possible listing.

DMOZ is not a listing service and it does not set itself up to look at suggestions in good time. All editors are volunteers working in their spare time. Their job is not to list sites but to build categories for end users and as such they have many resources and the suggestions pool is only one of those resources. An editor in chosing to work on a category does not have to use the suggestions pool at all and some never do.

Sorry if that is not what you want to hear, but it is how we work. You will not be told if a review has taken place and if the site does not meet up to our guidelines, mostly, but not exclusively, that it should be stuffed with original or unique content, you will not be listed or advised that it has been rejected.

You have made the suggestion, thank you, but it will now have to wait until an editor reviews it and there is nothing more that you can do to promote the site at DMOZ. Especially do not keep re-submitting thinking it will bring it to someones attention, you are likely to be tagged and banned as a spammer and if you do not manage that the new suggestion overwrites the old and some editoirs when they work the suggestions pool do so in date order and under those circumstances you put yourself at the bottom of the list.

I am a volunteer DMOZ editor but my opinions are my own and do not represent staff or the directory.

Suggest and forget.

Hi,

thanks for the information. Actually I was thinking to submit it again, thought there might be some errors while I submitted it. I saw that many other popular sites also not listed yet. I hope that they will list my site soon .

Originally Posted by hendricius

Hi,

I saw that many other popular sites also not listed yet. I hope that they will list my site soon .

I am sure that there are plenty of sites that we should have listed, but whatever resources an editor uses to build the category, they are still human and have limited time. We wish we had many more 'competent' editors. In that we don't just take everyone and anyone who offers, but most people who have a reasonable grasp of grammar, can spell and can read and follow guidelines and are honest on the application form will have a good chance of acceptance. Motivation for wanting to be an editor is also a consideration. But if you or anyone else fancies offering
1. Don't be surprised if you get rejected at the first attempt
2. Make sure you have three sites, one can be your own, that fit the category
3. Read the guidelines on titles and descriptions and look at the sites already listed to see how they are titled and described and that the three sites really fit.
4. Be honest about your affiliations.
5. If looking at the category you have chosen you see that there are more than 100 sites listed, including any sub categories, don't bother applying! It will be too big for a new editor, chose a category with from 65 - 95 sites listed. It can be easier to apply for a Regional category, say your home town, even if an editor or two is already listed, learn the trade there and then move on to other categories that you are interested in.

And yes you can list your own site, provided that you do not want to become an editor just to do that or fail to list any competitrs, that would be seen as abusive editing.

And at the end of that, good luck with your site, but you will now just have to wait

Why isn't DMOZ accepting more editors than? Since from what I've read there are a lot of editors who just don't accept a lot of sites because they don't have time for it etc.. Accepting a hole bunch of new guys in the team seems like a good solution IMO. And it looks like you're one of the main people in the DMOZ team so maybe you can give me an answer on that one?