At this moment last quality checks are being performed. We hope that editors will be able to login within a few days. It is not known yet if we also will be opening the new server at the same time for the public (site suggestion, editor application etc.).

Thanks for the update pagode.

I think its a poor show that a webmaster can not either submit a site to the directory or request an update to an existing listing - not that the editors act on it anyway, but the point is IF DMOZ wishes to be considered as an authority in the directory sector it should be delivering to a much higher standard.

This problem they have plus all the others just confirms why imo its time for google to drop using its data to power its own dirctory and build its own like both Yahoo and MSN

Folks, if you haven't done so recently please read the recently revised Directory Forum Charter [webmasterworld.com], particularly the section dealing with the Open Directory Project, also known as DMOZ.

Thank you.

[edited by: Webwork at 5:30 pm (utc) on Nov. 12, 2006]

DMOZ seems to be completely down now.

I have a backlog of sites to be submitted for review - any news on what's happening?

Sorry to say, but there is no schedule when the system will be back online. The problems are worked on, and the engineers do make a progress. But I can't predict when it will be ready to allow the editors and the public back in.

(Opening the system with a malfunctional server would not be in anybodies interest, I think. So they better fix it first and reopen it afterwards :-) )

To be precise, "is completely offline" is not completely true. The category pages are still working, only the cgi's aren't. So you can still browse the ODP, only site suggestions, update suggestions and editor applications can't be done.

For those who wonder why we can show you the pages while our server is down: The public pages are situated on our public servers (which normally just act as a cache to reduce the load on the main machine), everything else needs the main server though, ehich is still not back in working condition.

No schedule for when the directory is back up for editing? Can anyone else at Dmoz provide even a rough guestimate of how long its likely to remain down for?

Like the earlier poster said, i also have clients that want to submit their websites.

Also in the meantime, its not very good for visitors using a directory with out of date data? I would have though that fixing this issue would have been more of a priority.

Rich

It has the highest priority with our technical people and the people involved with testing the new server. But as windharp wrote we will only open the server after we are completely sure it is OK.
We have no schedule and no rough guestimate.

There are no guesstimates or more detailed information available in the internal fora, because staff is unable to give any estimate yet. Of course everybody is free to guess, but currently nobody posting here (including me) has enough information to name you a date.

So my advice is to relax and don't bother until the system is back online. Simply because there is nothing else we (which is including everybody reading this) can do about it.

And believe me: For me as an editing addict the outage is much more frustrating than it is for you. But I strongly believe that doing things properly is better than doing things to quick.

Please take note of the following revised language in the Directory Forum Charter, effective August 2006:

Open Directory Project (ODP, DMOZ): Although some WebmasterWorld members are also ODP editors their comments may not be binding on, nor authoratative for, the ODP. In most cases questions about ODP policy and procedures should be submitted directly to the ODP, through ODP designated channels, for an official response. Issues that are best resolved within the ODP system will either not leave pre-moderation status or may be removed from active threads.

Examples of issues best addressed directly to the ODP include:

• Why is it taking so long for my website to be listed?
  
• Why won't the ODP accept my website?
  
• Why is BadSiteX listed but my site can't get listed?
  
• EditorX is playing favorites!
  
• BadSiteX has more than 1 listing and I want that too!
  
• The ODP is slow, inefficient, bad, wrong, unimportant, etc.

Please avail yourself to the ODP assistance and guidance framework, which includes the following helpful resources:

• Feedback Form For ODP Issues or Complaints [dmoz.org]
  
• ODP "Resource Zone" (General ODP Information Links) [dmoz.org]
  
• ODP Editing Guidelines [dmoz.org]
  
• ODP Site Selection Criteria [dmoz.org]
  
• ODP Site Submission Guidelines [dmoz.org]
  
• ODP Guidelines for Becoming an Editor [dmoz.org]
  

Complaints, Grievances or Comments Disparaging the ODP and Rebuttal Posts: The Directory Forum is neither the ODP Policing Forum nor the ODP Complaint Center. Complaints, reports of wrongdoing, and all other grievances should be filed with, and only with, the ODP. Posts that do not comply with this provision will either be edited or removed.

Whilst we are willing to be host to threads that offer reasoned critical analysis or commentary about the ODP the days of members injecting pejorative comments into any available ODP thread, and thereby obscuring whatever value the thread had up to that point, are now over.

Likewise, if you are an ODP volunteer or supporter please refrain from "countering attacks" and allow time for a moderator to edit or remove inappropriate posts. Please help focus the WebmasterWorld-DMOZ dialogue on positive, pro-active solutions and advice, such as "best practices", "effective procedure" and the like.

Thank-you for your cooperation in improving the quality and the utility of the ODP dialogue.

If you have something more to add to this thread than grousing about the ODP / DMOZ - such as the status of repairs - please feel free to do so. The fact that the usual ODP channels may not be working is not cause for exceptions to the Charter. Complaints and grousing will be removed.

If you want to discuss other DMOZ issues, besides the status of all DMOZ functions coming online, please start a new thread.

Thank you.

[edited by: Webwork at 6:07 pm (utc) on Nov. 26, 2006]

The following 4 messages were cut out to new thread by webwork. New thread at: directories/3171321.htm [webmasterworld.com]
6:13 pm on Nov. 28, 2006 (utc -5)

I read on the DMOZ bugs forum that the editor system is nearly up again.

It looks as though a set of circumstances conspired to make it very tricky to bring the system back to life (regarless of who people blame, it was an amazing set of circumstances).

Let's see how things pan out.