Less than 2.71% of DMOZ has active editors but...

tbarr · 08-24-2007, 12:01 AM

I did a little work and found less than 16,000 of 590,000 categories in DMOZ.org had editors with recent edits. That's less than 2.71%. So now we know why so many good sites sit waiting for a listing.

I would like to see DMOZ do a little better so I built a tool that will help individuals find a category to submit to and have a chance of getting in.

[link removed]

Before any one gets upset this is public information as there is a last updated stamp on the bottom of each directory, I am just getting you to the most recently maintained sites.

DebbieV · 08-24-2007, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbarr

I would like to see DMOZ do a little better so I built a tool that will help individuals find a category to submit to and have a chance of getting in.

Your best chance of "getting in" is submitting a site that meets the guidelines in the proper category.

I take it your tool will only show where an editor has supposedly been and not where they're going?

A recently updated category may not have had any new additions, I understand that there are a number of reasons why that date on the bottom of the page would change.

And why should we assume that because a category was recently updated it will be on a regular basis?

Birdie · 08-24-2007, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbarr

I, I am just getting you to the most recently maintained sites.

That is really dumb! Shows how little you know about how DMOZ works. Following your advice is a guaranteed way to increase the time before an editor reviews a site!

Quote:

help individuals find a category to submit to and have a chance of getting in.

It wil actually decrease there chance of getting in!

tbarr · 08-24-2007, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieV

Your best chance of "getting in" is submitting a site that meets the guidelines in the proper category.

There is not one proper category for each submission.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieV

I take it your tool will only show where an editor has supposedly been and not where they're going?

Not necessarily where he's been and only where he might go.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieV

A recently updated category may not have had any new additions, I understand that there are a number of reasons why that date on the bottom of the page would change.

I actually didn't use that date to create the list, it only was a check on my process.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieV

And why should we assume that because a category was recently updated it will be on a regular basis?

I am only saying that this group of 16,000 show signs that there is a better chance than the other 574,000.

Birdie · 08-24-2007, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbarr

I am only saying that this group of 16,000 show signs that there is a better chance than the other 574,000.

Not even close to being true. If anyone follows your advice there will be a decreased chance of a review.

tbarr · 08-24-2007, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdie

That is really dumb! Shows how little you know about how DMOZ works. Following your advice is a guaranteed way to increase the time before an editor reviews a site!It wil actually decrease there chance of getting in!

Here's how DMOZ edits works:
1. Editor logs out.
2. He adds and/or edits listings.
3. Listings are live seconds later.
4. Editor logs out.
5. Time elapses before he returns to edit again.

The big variable is #5 which is anywhere from minutes to infinity.

tbarr · 08-24-2007, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdie

Not even close to being true. If anyone follows your advice there will be a decreased chance of a review.

If they have a good site and there are 2 different categories that it would fit well in and they chose the one that shows some life, their chances will be better.

Please explain yourself.

Birdie · 08-24-2007, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbarr

Here's how DMOZ edits works:
1. Editor logs out.
2. He adds and/or edits listings.
3. Listings are live seconds later.
4. Editor logs out.
5. Time elapses before he returns to edit again.

The big variable is #5 which is anywhere from minutes to infinity.

Nope.
1. Submitter follows your advice.
2. Editors logs in
3. Editors decides what source to use for new sites to use today (the suggested pool is just one of many sources)
4. At some stage they may decide to use the suggested sites.
5. They look at the pool of suggested sites - deletes the easy ones and does some other things; maybe review a few with guideline compliant descriptions (they always stand out). Eventually gets to the one the submitter suggested after its waited for a while - as its not the correct category, moves it over to the category to wait all over again
6. Starts to get annoyed at the miss-submitted sites and the crap submitted, so goes to Google to search for some better sites
7. Much for fun at Google and several good sites that were not even submitted were added.

The submitter that followed your advice has waited for an editor to review the site; contributed to annoying the editor; and now is waiting all over again in another category for an editor to get to review the sites there.

If they had suggested to the correct category in the first place, they would be reviewed quicker.

I used to be an editor. I had ~40 categories - only one higher level category was I named as the editor. It was ovious when submitters chose to deliberatly break the guidelines and submit to the higher category. I just moved them to the lower one and left them there for a review later when in the mood --- rarely was I in the mood for those who deliberatly flouted the guidelines.

How do you think any directory (DMOZ or other) should treat those who deliberatly flout the guidelines?

So, hopefully no one will follow your advice unless they want to put themselves at a disadvantage.

tbarr · 08-24-2007, 06:28 AM

Birdie,
Do you understand that there may be one or more categories that a site will fit into? The tool doesn't make a site bad, it only helps them find which one might show better potential for listing. I checked for youth soccer and found 4 different categories where my daughters team or their competitors are listed. Luckily her team is listed but if it wasn't I would have wanted to put it in the one that is being maintained.

Quote:

How do you think any directory (DMOZ or other) should treat those who deliberatly flout the guidelines?

Without getting moody, click on delete radio button and then hit Update + Next button.