DMOZ Blog

Hi Everyone,

DMOZ can sometimes be tough to navigate because of the many designations used to categorize the site. In this post, editor glippit has prepared an explanation to help clear up the confusion about when and where each is used. Enjoy!

Emily

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Although we're one Directory in name, we're multiple directories in fact. Thanks to our large volunteer base from all over the world, we can organize sites by age group, language, location and topic - and we do. Our goal is to ensure that anyone, wherever they are and whatever languages they know, can find good sites selected by human editors.

On the downside, all these directories can sometimes confuse submitters and users.

Let's start with the names of these directories. World is our directory by language. Regional is our directory by location. Kids_and_Teens is our directory by age group. Arts, Business, Computers, Games, Health, Home, News, Recreation, Reference, Science, Shopping, Society and Sports comprise our directory by topic.

So how do you know where to begin looking? Or submitting a site for review?

The first division is age group, and the second is language. If the intended audience is young people (not their parents and educators, but young people themselves), start with Kids_and_Teens. If the site is in a language other than English, move to Kids_and_Teens/International and select the appropriate language. If the intended audience is adults, start with the root directory for English sites, otherwise move to World and select a language.

The next division is by geographic location (place) or by topic (subject). Sites connected with a particular location are found in Regional. Sites connected with a particular topic are found in the remaining top-level categories. Remember: these divisions are within World for non-English language sites.

As you can see, these multiple directories can intersect and overlap. Sites related to mathematics and science generally have no connection with any specific location but belong only in a topic category. Sites of a village's local library or movie theater will have a strong connection with a specific location but aren't likely to be of interest to those looking for information about the topics of libraries or movie theaters. Some sites, such as major companies or sports teams, may be of interest in both the location and topic areas. And don't forget - any of these sites might be in multiple languages.

Let's use the example of a site written in the Italian language about a major publishing company in Italy. It might be listed within both World/Italiano/Affari/Editoria_e_Stampa/Editori and World/Italiano/Regionale/Europa/Italia/Lazio/Provincia_di_Roma/Localit à/Roma/Affari_e_Economia (topic and location for the Italian language directory).

If the site were also in English, add Business/Publishing_and_Printing/Publishing and Regional/Europe/Italy/Regions/Lazio/Localities/Rome/Business_and_Econo my (topic and location for the English language directory).

If they also offer a French version of their site: World/Français/Commerce_et_économie/Imprimerie_et_édition/Editeurs and World/Français/Régional/Europe/Italie/Commerce_et_économie/Imprimer ie_et_édition or perhaps World/Français/Régional/Europe/Italie/Emilie-Romagne/Commerce_et_éc onomie (still topic and location, this time for the French language directory).

It's not difficult as long as you keep in mind the different ways people might look for sites.

Are you wondering about the size of each of these directories relative to each other? We're growing all the time, but we currently have over 2.5 million English-language sites listed and close to 2 million sites in other languages. How many other languages? 80 non-English languages in World, with many more in the Test/World incubator. The ratio is about the same within the Kids_and_Teens directory, with 34 non-English languages represented. Within the English-language directory, roughly half are listed by location and half by topic. Each of the World directories vary, but that seems to be the general ratio.

We all live in an increasingly globalized world, and ODP is here to help.

One of the things we want to accomplish with this blog is to improve transparency and open the lines of communications to all of the groups who care about and support DMOZ.

With that in mind, we asked editors to submit questions to us and then posted a selection of questions (with our responses) in our Ask AOL post last October. Now we'd like to provide similar opportunities to both the webmaster community and to the general public. What do you want from the ODP as a user? As a webmaster? What would make the directory easier to use? A resource that better suits your needs? Easier to navigate? What are we currently doing well that you'd like to see us do more of in the future?

While we can't address every question that we receive, your input gives us valuable insights on what our stakeholders view as interesting, frustrating, valuable, etc. We'll pick a sample of questions from each group and answer these on the blog in a couple of weeks.

Do you have something you'd like to ask? If you are a webmaster, you can email us here. If you are a member of the public, you can email us here. Please keep in mind that we can't respond to individual questions (for example, status requests for URL suggestions) and that we can only consider questions for the post that are submitted via the above email links.

One of the most confusing steps in the site suggestion process is often the very first one: selecting the category to which you will suggest your site. Editor hiraeth has provided an excellent overview of how to decide.

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This post attempts to provide some help to anyone intending to suggest their website to the Open Directory for possible inclusion. To give your site a good chance of prompt attention by an editor, you should do your best to find the correct category to which to propose it. Many editors have permission to review sites in strictly limited areas of the directory. This means that incorrectly suggested sites may get passed from one editor to another, encountering delay on each occasion. Editors may also be inclined to review correctly submitted sites more speedily, in preference to those where the person submitting the site has not bothered to make an effort, though these will be sent somewhere more appropriate in due course. Here are some tips:

What language is your site in?
The English language part of the directory only includes sites in English or with an English version. For sites in other languages try World. Or look for the "This category in other languages" facility below the main headings.

Is your site of interest only to people living in one area or country?
The Open Directory has extensive cover of local and national sites under Regional. You can navigate in Regional to find the most appropriate geographic region for your site before looking for topical sub-categories. Do not worry if your locality doesn't have the perfect topical sub-category, it will still be the correct place for your site. You can try putting the name of your town or locality into the search box.

Is your site a business site?
Many categories in the Open Directory are for informational sites only. Most categories will have descriptions providing details of the kind of sites accepted. If business sites are not allowed, there is usually a list of related categories that may help, under the heading "See also". Shopping sites should be listed in the correct category in Regional if there is a physical outlet. Online retailers should be listed in the topical category for the area they cover.

Does your site resemble those already listed in the category?
When you think you have found the correct category, check the sites already listed. If they are quite dis-similar to yours, you may be in the wrong place. Read the "Description" of the category. Look at the list of related categories under the heading "See also". These may guide you to a better location.

Can your site be listed in more than one category?
In general, the answer is "No" but there are some exceptions to this rule. Some sites may be included in the main topical category as well as in the Regional category for the locality served. A site with versions in more than one language may be listed in several appropriate categories in World. Please do not suggest your site to multiple categories just because you have difficulty finding the right one.

Stumped?
It's not too surprising, the Open Directory has such a vast array of categories that finding your way around it is difficult, even for editors. Try the excellent DMOZ search facility, entering one or two key words. If you are sure the category you are looking for will be in a particular branch of the Directory, you can search while in that category, restricting the results to its subcategories.

Last Fall, we introduced you to Mozzie, the little green monster you see at the bottom of category pages. But did you know that Mozzie has an award named in his honor? For this post, editor hiraeth has provided an overview of the awards process.

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The beginning of the year traditionally marks the awards season as well, when we recognize the most outstanding achievements of the previous year. For the ODP community, this means it's time for the annual Mozzie Awards which recognize editor achievements and commitment to the project in a light-hearted way.

Nominations happen in the forums, and as voting gets under way, campaigning takes place in the editor forums as well.

This year, winners from around the globe were recognized in over 100 categories. These include awards for a wide range of topics ranging from the most dedicated and the laziest editors to the best quality control specialist, as well as the best topical editors in the many branches of the directory. New editors who have joined the project in the last year have their own separate awards. There is also recognition for the best categories of various sizes and awards for editors from around the world in the many languages in which the directory exists.

Many editors have permission to edit in only a limited area of the directory and being nominated for an award is an honor in itself and demonstrates that their efforts have been noticed by other editors.

In the recent Mozzies, the most hotly contested award was for the most "evil" senior editor! Success in this and other awards means that a banner can be added to the editor's profile. Some awards are for the best categories rather than individual editors. Here the winner is the Open Directory itself and the wider Internet community.

Congratulations to everyone involved!