DMOZ and SEO Chat, Forum Hall of Shame-2

Aquarium Forums Hall of Shame; Part Two- DMOZ and SEO Chat forums

This hall of shame post actually diverts from Aquarium/pond forums to an SEO forum as it relates to DMOZ (SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization).
I am writing this post after being flamed and attacked on SeoChat Forums about my comment as to DMOZ and as it relates to Google Searches. DMOZ is a human edited directory, staffed by volunteers usually from similar fields to which they edit (which may or may not be a conflict of interest, but I will not question the integrity of those in fields I do not know). However in the field I have spent a life’s work (and of which I have been prodded to publish it for more than a decade before I finally did with my many articles), I know that many of the articles that are listed are of poor quality or worse.

To set the stage, let me point out that a quick search of the DMOZ directory under Home, then Pets, then Fish/Aquaria will yield several at best spammy sites “The Baily fish”. Many of these sites give not necessarily incorrect information, however it is often anecdotal which can not give a newbie to advanced aquarist the full picture. I know from the many emails, aquarium forums posts, and my old maintenance business questions posed that even simply incomplete information can lead to confusion as to correct procedures of fish care, often with disastrous results.
Another problem is that Google give a lot of weight to its searches to sites that are listed in the DMOZ directory, so often searches can be skewed as well here.
An example of a recent email question led me to this Google Search: “freshwater aquarium calcium” which yielded some reasonable sites as to Marine Aquarium Calcium, of which the need is better understood, yet for the less understood but still important subject of freshwater aquarium calcium, the search came up dry. This is unfortunately an important subject as correct fish osmoregulation depends on calcium and other electrolytes as well.

Now, back to Seo Chat Forums; I posted on a thread about “shutting down DMOZ” with this comment:
“I do not claim to be an expert in DMOZ or its editors, and maybe 90% are ethical and do the right thing.
However what I can say after 30 plus years in the aquarium industry in research, maintenance and sales is this hobby/industry is extremely anecdotal, passing around the same tired information over and over, never using research from much better funded industries (such as Horticulture, marine research, human drug studies, etc, etc.) to back up what is stated. For instance I see this in aquarium lighting, where the newer technology T2 and SHO lights are nowhere to be found except in use by aquarium professionals that have to use and stand by their choices on a daily basis..
Another point is a person that worked at an Aquarium Supply distributor as a manager near the end of his career told me a few years back: “I have worked in management for the past 30 years of my life and never have I seen a more back stabbing, dishonest and corrupt industry until I took this job”
My point is unfortunately Google gives weight to DMOZ, and even though many editors may well be good, honest persons, I know from my past three years of submissions that this is not true based on what I do know to be true.”

See:
http://forums.seochat.com/open-directory-project-13/shutdown-dmoz-190038.html
http://forums.seochat.com/open-directory-project-13/dmoz-and-google-199094.html

I am not sure how this stated got twisted that I am stating that the editors are corrupt, or how ended up with me being accused of being a liar (& worse) multiple times, however I will state from my own submissions to a very low volume category (fish/aquaria) that my aquatic information site is still sitting there. At the least the fact that so many so-so sites exist while mine and other more current research sites are not added makes the point that this is a poor source for viable aquatic information. At worst it is possible that other sites are being “sat on” (or even rejected although mine is not) based on an editor who is trying to keep his/her agenda in there and block other information that has mores facts that would make their favorites look bad. Read whatever you want into this or my statement on the forum, but this is not a lie, nor is this a charge that all editors at DMOZ are corrupt.
One of the more vicious posters (as per his attacks on me and often others as well) in this forums stated that he is “passionate about this subject”, well he has that right, but I too have a right to be passionate about the subject of aquatic misinformation that often makes new aquarists quit and often even frustrates advanced aquarists when information they are seeking is either anecdotal, corrupt, or simply cannot be found and DMOZ along with Google often do not make this easy. Also this same person suggested that I get a job on the board at Google which is a ludicrous statement, when all I was stating is that either DMOZ changes some procedures or (better) Google gives less weight to DMOZ directory sites (or other so called “authority sites”) and more to content (which includes links within this content to other research, often of university level to back up the content). This is a simple matter of “doing what’s right” rather than lame statements such as were directed at me.

I will admit that I finally stood up for myself with an attack back after his comments about getting a job on the board of directors at Google or an editor at DMOZ with this statement”
“But what is really troubling to me now, is this is almost the exact answer I got from children's services when asking them to do the right thing after several reports to them about my kids after my daughter’s molester was trying to turn the tables by redirecting this corrupt organization against me.
What a sad world we live in when this is the answer to doing what is right.”

I am sorry, but I was told similar (to get a job, run for county commissioner) if I did not like what was being done and this hit a raw nerve, especially in light of recent problems with this persons and my daughter’ nightmares.
My admittedly harsh response brought out the real venom from two individuals and a childish response to remove ALL credibility I had gained over two years of being on this forum (which is a silly system IMO besides that allows this).

This forum still publishes some good articles and has some good people posting there (such as Egol), however the moderation there is poor or non existent (IMO) and this guy along with others often will attack others that due not agree with their world view. In fact I have since gone back and looked the category that this thread was under and this guy in his so-called passion (which I have no right to according to this horrible monster of a human being) still uses the same tired line of "why don't you become an editor if you do not like it. This is the most lame argument IMO when all others ask for is more honesty in DMOZ, however the system is set up with the Fox guarding the Hen House in possibly many categories with areas of conflict of interest that would be thrown out in a court of law is all good and proper at DMOZ.
I will however point out that even with the down right evil statements this person directed at me (and was backed up by other mean spirited persons), I am in NO way saying he does not look at all admissions in his category through an unbiased eye, in fact I know for a fact that my Brothers Toffee Company Web site got added very quickly by DMOZ. However this also proves my original point that the way the system is set up at DMOZ (which includes way to much authority given by Google, but with many at SEO Chat, Google IS GOD so no argument can be made on this subject either), that it allows either anecdotal or worse; dishonest editors to run amuck is at the very least the Aquarium Pets: Fish and Aquaria Category. The bottom line is just because the Candy Category (Shopping: Food: Confectionery: Taffy and Toffee) may all happy and honest, does not mean others are.

Finally, despite comments made in defense of this guy in SEO Chat that he is passionate about this subject so he often gets hostile due to this, I too am passionate about aquarium keeping, as I have sacrificed MUCH (better pay and more) to spend time in research and more on this subject as I know how much MANY care about their finned friends and that so much of the bad information that permeates the internet passes through Google and DMOZ and I feel this is simply WRONG. This is simply my passion for which many who honestly know me will attest to the fact that I will often go an extra mile to help other here!
Why should I give even more of my free time (of which I have NONE) editing DMOZ simply because this guy says I have no credibility unless I do when I already give much of my free time objectively helping other with their aquariums navigate around the myriad of bad information that Google and DMOZ seem to happily provide?

Here are just a few of the sites where many 1000s of hours worth of research, hands on experience, and yes even corrections to my own mistakes have gone into (I have MANY more):


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