DMOZ submission status

[Foamcow]

I thought I'd amuse myself and check the status of a site I submitted, ooh I think 18 months ago.

I noticed that DMOZ no longer offer status updates with all the useful information they gave. Actually one of the reasons they give is that the info they gave out wasn't very useful so that's fair point I guess.

In the 18 months since I submitted this particular site I've managed to get 3 or 4 other sites listed in DMOZ (in competitive categories), some without even submitting.
So why are we 18 months down the line with no idea whatsoever if the site has been or ever will be looked at?

Admitedly the site in question is in the real estate category which is highly competitive. The editor must get many, many submission each day. Is there just the one editor? Could he use a hand?

I really cannot beleive that with current technology that there is no way to show an indication of "queue" length and a submission's position in the queue. I don't even know if the editor is looking at any sites at all and there is no way to find out.
Actually, when I think back, I don't think there IS a queue. I think they just pull the sites out of a pot randomly. Which surely means that it's possible to NEVER get a site reviewed as it will never be drawn. The more sites in the pot, the less chance there is.

Ahhh, this is in danger of turning into a DMOZ rant.
It just amused me that's all.

DMOZ isn't the "be all and end all", but for an "Open" project they are very, very secretive. I'd just love some straight answers.

Foamcow Heavy Industries - Web design and ranting
Target Marketing Communications - Advertising, Direct Marketing and Public Relations
I wonder what possesses people to make those animated gifs. Do you just get up in the morning and think, "You know what web design r

 

[ChrisHunt]

Putting my (occasional) dmoz editor's hat on, and taking some of your questions out of order...

Actually, when I think back, I don't think there IS a queue. I think they just pull the sites out of a pot randomly...

No that's not the case. When you are working through the unreviewed sites in a category, they are presented in the order in which they were submitted. However, there are different ways of interacting with this list - you can scan through the list and decide to edit the sites that look easy - i.e. they have a good description and proper title - and leave keyword-stuffed ones for later (if "later" ever comes). I'm not saying that that's your problem, but it's something to bear in mind when submitting sites.

The editor must get many, many submission each day. Is there just the one editor?

You'll be able to see, at the bottom of the category page, how many editors have been specifically allocated that category. In addition, editors higher up the tree can edit there too: If I'm the editor of "Widgets", I can edit in "Widgets > Blue" even if I'm not explicitly listed as an editor of that category. The listed editors will be doing most of the work though.

Could he use a hand?

Undoubtably. They're always looking for editors in dmoz, just be prepared to do more than add your own sites! I'd suggest that anybody interested in SEO should try dmoz editing, though be warned it's almost as addictive as Tek-tips...

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd

 

[Foamcow]

I never knew that you were an (occassional) editor... actually when I think of it, perhaps I did but forgot

Hmm, Ok the editor thing might be the issue...

This is the category

http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/Spa...cia/Almeria/Business_and_Economy/Real_Estate/

looking up the tree I see that there are no editors until I hit "Spain" and then, there is just 1 editor.

The problem is, if I volunteer to edit the category the chances are I will get refused as it's a real estate category. From my understanding first timers are encouraged to go for non-spammy categories.


Foamcow Heavy Industries - Web design and ranting
Target Marketing Communications - Advertising, Direct Marketing and Public Relations
I wonder what possesses people to make those animated gifs. Do you just get up in the morning and think, "You know what web design r

 

[ChrisHunt]

Yeah, and you're expected to have some expertise in the cat you volunteer for. You could go for

http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/Spain/Autonomous_Communities/Andalucia/Almeria

if you lived there.

-- Chris Hunt
Webmaster & Tragedian
Extra Connections Ltd