11 replies to this topic

[dlouise]

How do these come to be? I see many many subject specific directories, or listings of links, that are from DMOZ (?) (have the dmoz info at bottom of page).

Can anyone enlighten me?

[Jill]

Yes, dmoz allows anyone to have their own directory by using all or parts of dmoz. They have a special "dump" where you can download the parts you want to your server.

It's been like this since nearly the beginning, and one of the things that really made dmoz great!

[dlouise]

Aha! I figured it was something like that, but I haven't seen my sites listed in any of the smaller directories, so wasn't certain. My sites have only recently been added to dmoz, and perhaps there was a 'heyday' for dmoz directory dumping (?) that I missed, lol, or maybe over the long haul I will see more dmoz originated links.

Anyway, just curious. Thanks!

[Randy]

The RDF dumps from DMOZ are not something which are set up to automatically update those clone sites dlouise. The webmaster using the dumps has to actually go grab the new version and install it into their directory.

Some do this on a regular schedule when a new RDF is available, many do it on their own schedule, and some only use the DMOZ dumps as seed data when they're starting a directory and never grab another one after that.

Those that do update with new DMOZ data dumps will eventually start counting as backlinks for you.

[dlouise]

Thanks for the further explanation, Randy -- very helpful.

[cbp]

There is ~ > 4000 of them.

[Debra]

Are there 4000 of them using the entire DMOZ or some using parts and others the whole thing?

[cbp]

I not sure --- but there are 360 listed here:
http://dmoz.org/Comp...full-index.html

There are 3000 or so listed somewhere else (secret editor business ;-)

Add on another 1000 or so for the ones not listed above, that makes it just over 4000

I get a daily paid Google Alert for my sites - everyday Google is picking up one of my sites in another DMOZ clone

....so the total could be even higher

[sweimh]

If over 4000 sites are serving up the same links and same description, does duplicated content comes in to play in this case? (as in DMOZ is not providing original/unique resources any more..)

Also, this may be off the original, but can you (cbp) or anyone else elaborate on the paid Google Alert? Curious...

[OldWelshGuy]

I have recently used DMOZ to seed a directory, then cleaned it up, combined the duplicate stuff, removed the spam, and added loads of my own stuff. When it is released, it will not be identical, so there will be no chance of a dup filter kicking in.

[cbp]

If over 4000 sites are serving up the same links and same description, does duplicated content comes in to play in this case? (as in DMOZ is not providing original/unique resources any more..)

I know a lot of people like to believe it does - but Google show backlinks from a lot of them for my site (given they only show a sample) - that does not mean that Google counts them etc etc --- the template used by the DMOZ clones may make the page sufficiently different to avoid the alleged "duplicate content" issue

Also, this may be off the original, but can you (cbp) or anyone else elaborate on the paid Google Alert?

This is a paid comerical service not associated with Google (mod please delete if not appropriate) - they do a daily search of top 100 sites in Google for a keyword(s) and you get a daily email when a new site appears - I get several: for my main keywords, for my site's names , for the keyword of the DMOZ category I edit

eg I get daily lists of all the new scarper sites and DMOZ clones that are new in the top 100 of Google results. etc etc - I can see any new competitors; i also have a forum related to one of my sites and new sites appearing are often sources to start threads; also picked up some new sites good enough to list in DMOZ -- it is a nice tool

The url is www.googlealerts dot com

[Debra]

It's fine to post the URL cbp, we only ask that you have at least 20 posts before you add a live link.

I not sure --- but there are 360 listed here:

Last I looked, which was March 2005, there were 321 listed at the link you provided. 40 new directories in what - 4 months? Someone is busy.

the template used by the DMOZ clones may make the page sufficiently different to avoid the alleged "duplicate content" issue

Interesting comment, probably more true than we know. Wonder if it's that or just the fact it's directory driven.

There are 3000 or so listed somewhere else (secret editor business ;-)

Secrets at the DMOZ? No way!