DMOZ

DMOZ, also known as the Open Directory Project, was a multilingual open-content directory of the World Wide Web. It was owned by AOL but managed by a community of volunteer editors. DMOZ aimed to categorize websites into a hierarchical structure, making it easier for users to find relevant information.

The directory was launched in 1998 and quickly grew to become one of the largest and most comprehensive human-edited directories online. Websites were submitted by their owners and then reviewed and categorized by volunteer editors. These editors were responsible for maintaining the quality and accuracy of their assigned sections.

DMOZ was once a significant factor in search engine optimization (SEO). Inclusion in DMOZ was seen as a mark of credibility, and search engines like Google often used its directory as a source for ranking websites. However, as search engine algorithms became more sophisticated, the direct SEO impact of a DMOZ listing diminished.

Over the years, the volunteer base for DMOZ began to shrink, and the pace of updates slowed considerably. In 2017, AOL announced that DMOZ would be closing down. The directory officially ceased operations on March 17, 2017, marking the end of an era for web directories. While DMOZ is no longer active, its legacy as a massive, community-driven effort to organize the web remains.