DMOZ (ODP – Open Directory Project) is closing down their site submission status request forum.
Our feedback indicates that the information we are giving out really is not a practical help in the vast majority of cases.
Huh. So finding out if your submission has been moved to a different category, lost, misplaced or rejected is not a practical help?
Unfortunately, this means that when there are fewer editors who are active here they naturally feel obliged to do even more work than we should expect of volunteers who ought to be spending their time editing anyway.
That’s a bunch of hooey. If editors want to review sites they will. If that want to play in a forum, then they’ll spend their time doing that.
I find it unfortunate that ODP has removed just about the ONLY method of communicating with them about a submitted URL. Of course, I would be just fine about this if they simply instituted an automated system that lets people know if their site has been reviewed and/or rejected. A simple form email would do.
Personally I don’t see the need for the forum outside of the status request. If they want to spend more time on the directory then get rid of the forum altogether. If they want to “put a better light on the ODP” all they need to do is improve their communications with the submitters. Seems pretty easy to me.