A Web directory staffed primarily by unpaid volunteer editors.
Information
The first large-scale volunteer directory, NewHoo, now the Open Directory
Project, capitalized on the growing perception that existing directories
were not keeping pace with the growth of the Web. Volunteer directories
operate under the premise that a little time added by a large number
of editors will provide more hours and a greater range of expertise
than a relatively small group of paid editors.
The Open Directory is still the most prominent volunteer directory.
The free usage license makes it an attractive directory provider for
many other Web sites. However, just as the Open Directory Project (OPD) was created in response
to perceived problems with Yahoo, several directories have emerged in
response to the perceived problems with the ODP.
Zeal launched a directory that was innovative in several respects.
Member's efforts were initially rewarded with donations to charities,
gaining some of the goodwill needed to attract an unpaid staff. Zeal
has also made openness a priority. All listing decisions and discussions
are available for anyone to see. However, Zeal was bough by Looksmart
and appears to be subservient to the parent directory.
The volunteer directory model has been proven successful for gathering a large listing of
sites. The biggest challenge is the ongoing maintenance and refinement
needed to achieve cohesive results. Volunteer directories have often
been charged with lacking organization and consistency, and internal
bickering and politics are also cited as major problems.
Despite the challenges, volunteer directories remain vital resources,
especially with the trend towards paid inclusion at the the professional
directories. A listing in dmoz.org is arguably the most important link
money can't buy.
