Is Google planning to drop the DMOZ directory? This search-shattering rumor came to my attention yesterday in this post from Minstrel, one of our moderators in WebProWorld.
After a day of calling and researching I’ve concluded the rumors are false.
There are two facts that started this rumor:
Google’s “new-look” test front page doesn’t have a directory link.
Google hasn’t updated their ODP data in several months.
The rumor gained credence from its source: a DMOZ editor’s weblog.
I contacted this editor who said “The only evidence I have at present is the screenshots, and the fact that Google has not updated their version of the directory for some months now, despite there being data available. I’m afraid I cannot cite any further evidence.”
Then cbp, a level-headed forum participant, busted up the first bit of evidence, which cited the disappearance of the directory listings from the “new look” home page.
“The Directory is still there on the speculated new home page at Google. Just click – the Directory and a whole lot of other things are linked from the page.”
Then, to disqualify the second bit of evidence, he added that, “Google updated from DMOZ/ODP 8 times in 2002 and 2 times in 2003. There was heaps of speculation last year that they were going to drop the directory because they had not updated… then they updated in November.”
A Google spokesperson, in typical Google style, said he had, “nothing to announce at this time.”
Cbp’s handy dismissal of the assembled evidence along with the fact that this same rumor surfaced last year leads me to dump this one in the “false rumor” trash can. Do not recycle this one, please.
Garrett French is the editor of Murdok’s eBusiness channel. You can talk to him directly at WebProWorld, the eBusiness Community Forum.
