Open Directory of WWW Links, DMOZ Like Websites or Similar Sites
The Open Directory Project (ODP), also known as DMOZ, was one of the largest, human-edited directory services of websites, but it was officially closed in 2017. Its legacy, however, has inspired various alternatives and mirror projects. Below are some DMOZ-like websites and alternatives where curated lists of links or organized directories are available:
1. DMOZ-Related Projects
- DMOZ-ODP Mirror/Clone Sites:
- DMOZ Live: A functional mirror of the original DMOZ directory.
- Curlie: A community-maintained successor to DMOZ, offering an organized collection of links by categories.
2. General Web Directories
- Best of the Web (BOTW): A premium directory that curates high-quality websites in various categories.
- Jasmine Directory: A handpicked web directory with categories like business, health, and more.
- Directory World: A searchable directory categorized by topics.
3. Academic and Professional Directories
- Infomine: Focused on academic resources (less active recently).
- WorldWideScience: An international science portal.
- Intute: Archive of academic web resources.
4. Community and Open-Content Directories
- Yahoo Directory (Archived): Although no longer operational, some sites provide static archives of Yahoo’s earlier directory.
- Zeal: A community-built web directory, though also inactive now, had its concepts adopted by newer sites.
5. Regional and Specialized Directories
- Euroseek Directory: Focused on European websites and resources.
- BOTW Local: Focused on business directories by region.
6. Niche or Curated Link Lists
- Wikidata Directory: A structured database that links to reputable information sources.
- Hacker News Link Lists: Often curated and hosted on sites like GitHub, containing tech-focused links.
Open Directory-like websites are platforms that categorize websites into various topics, often maintained by human editors. These directories are especially useful for finding curated lists of resources on a wide range of subjects. Below are some directories and resources similar to the now-defunct DMOZ (Open Directory Project):
1. Curlie
- Website: https://curlie.org
- Overview: Curlie is considered the successor to DMOZ. It is a human-edited web directory that uses the same principles as the Open Directory Project.
- Features: Organized into categories and subcategories; focuses on quality over quantity.
2. BOTW (Best of the Web)
- Website: https://botw.org
- Overview: BOTW is a paid directory for websites, offering free and premium listings. It has a reputation for being well-curated.
- Features: Searchable and categorized by industry, geography, and other topics.
3. JoeAnt
- Website: https://www.joeant.com
- Overview: A volunteer-edited web directory, similar to DMOZ. Submissions can be free or paid for expedited reviews.
- Features: Focuses on quality resources with human reviews.
4. Skaffe
- Website: https://www.skaffe.com
- Overview: Another directory built on the same principles as DMOZ. Skaffe includes categorized web links, updated by editors.
- Features: Clean and organized structure with free and premium listing options.
5. A1WebDirectory
- Website: https://www.a1webdirectory.org
- Overview: A global web directory organized by categories and regions. It features a mix of user-submitted and editor-reviewed content.
- Features: Useful for discovering niche topics or businesses.
6. Jayde
- Website: https://www.jayde.com
- Overview: Focuses primarily on business-related websites. It’s a searchable directory organized by categories.
- Features: Simple interface aimed at professionals and businesses.
7. EatonWeb
- Website: https://www.eatonweb.com
- Overview: A paid directory that emphasizes blog and website indexing, offering detailed reviews for submissions.
- Features: Primarily targets blogs and modern digital platforms.
8. Directory World
- Website: http://www.directoryworld.net
- Overview: Offers a vast range of categories, from business and education to arts and entertainment.
- Features: One of the oldest active directories on the web.
9. AbiLogic
- Website: https://www.abilogic.com
- Overview: A general web directory offering both free and premium listing options, categorized for easy browsing.
- Features: Regularly updated content with a global reach.
10. WebWorld Directory
- Website: https://www.webworldindex.com
- Overview: A comprehensive web directory with listings organized by theme and region.
- Features: Focused on usability and resourcefulness.
Why Use These Directories?
- SEO Benefits: Inclusion in these directories can boost a website’s visibility.
- Curated Content: Directories often list high-quality, reliable websites.
- Ease of Discovery: Useful for finding niche or less-publicized content.
There are several alternatives to DMOZ, which was a popular web directory that ceased operations in 2017. Here are some notable directories that serve similar purposes:
Notable DMOZ Alternatives
Curlie (curlie.org)
- Originally known as DMOZ, Curlie is a comprehensive human-edited directory that continues the legacy of the Open Directory Project. It features over 3.4 million sites organized into more than a million categories, maintained by a community of volunteer editors.
Best of the Web (BOTW.org)
- Established in 1994, Best of the Web is one of the oldest editor-curated web directories. It offers a wide range of categories, including business, health, and shopping, and focuses on providing verified listings to ensure quality and relevance.
Jasmine Directory (jasminedirectory.com)
- This directory specializes in business websites, categorizing them by topic and region. It aims to provide a comprehensive resource for users looking for specific business-related information.
Other Alternatives
- 1WebDirectory: A general web directory that lists various business and informative websites under numerous categories.
- idmoz: A community-driven directory that focuses on human-reviewed listings similar to DMOZ.
- W3DIR: A web directory powered by human editors, offering a different approach to website categorization.
These directories provide users with organized access to a wide range of websites across various topics and industries, maintaining the spirit of DMOZ while adapting to contemporary needs.
While the original Open Directory of WWW Links (DMOZ) is no longer actively maintained, there are a few alternatives and similar websites that you might find useful:
Alternatives to DMOZ:
- Curlie: This is a community-driven human-edited directory that aims to be a successor to DMOZ. It offers a hierarchical structure of websites, similar to DMOZ, and relies on volunteer editors to maintain its quality.
- Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine: While not a directory in the traditional sense, the Wayback Machine archives the web and can be used to find old versions of websites, including those that were once listed in DMOZ.
Similar Websites:
- Google Search: While not a directory, Google’s search engine is incredibly powerful and can be used to find websites on a wide range of topics. You can use advanced search operators to refine your search results.
- DuckDuckGo: This privacy-focused search engine also offers a robust search function and can be used to find websites on various topics.
- Yahoo! Directory: Yahoo! still maintains a directory of websites, although it’s not as comprehensive as DMOZ once was.
It’s important to note that the landscape of online directories has changed significantly since the peak of DMOZ. While these alternatives may not offer the same level of depth and detail as DMOZ, they can still be useful for finding information and resources on the web.
- DMOZ (Directory Mozilla): Also known as the Open Directory Project (ODP), this was a human-edited directory of websites organized into categories and subcategories. It was a trusted source for assessing the quality of online content and played a crucial role in how search engines indexed and rated web content. DMOZ closed in 2017, but was succeeded by Curlie.org in 2018.
- Jasmine Directory: Lists websites by topic and region, specializing in business websites.
- Sources: A general subject web portal for journalists, freelance writers, editors, authors, and researchers. It includes a subject-based directory and a search engine.
- Starting Point Directory: Founded in 1995, relaunched in 2006, and charges a fee.
- World Wide Web Virtual Library (VLIB): The oldest directory of the Web, created by Tim Berners-Lee.
- Curlie Directory: This is the largest human-edited directory of the web, serving as a direct successor to DMOZ. It maintains a similar structure and allows users to submit their websites for inclusion.
- Best of the Web (BOTW): A well-established directory that categorizes websites by topic. It offers a mix of free and paid listings, ensuring a curated selection of quality sites.
- Yahoo Directory: Although it has scaled back its operations, Yahoo still offers a directory service that lists websites across various categories.
- JoeAnt: A human-edited directory that focuses on providing quality listings. Users can submit their sites for review, making it a community-driven platform.
- Idmoz: This directory aims to replicate the DMOZ experience by offering a comprehensive, human-reviewed listing of websites across multiple categories.
- Skaffe: A free web directory that allows users to submit their sites and browse through categorized listings.
- W3DIR: Another human-edited directory that focuses on quality over quantity, providing a straightforward interface for users to find relevant sites.
- MoreOfIt: This site provides a subject-based directory listing with a wide range of topics, offering an alternative approach to finding web resources.
- Open Directory Project (ODP): While DMOZ itself is defunct, the ODP was its original name and some archives still exist online for reference.
- A1WebDirectory: A SEO-friendly directory that allows users to find well-curated sites sorted by category, with options for both free and paid submissions.
These directories offer various features and categorizations, making them suitable alternatives for users looking for structured web link resources similar to what DMOZ provided.