XODP™ - Frequently Asked Questions

XODP
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: What does "XODP" stand for?

The term was originally coined by David F. Prenatt, Jr. (aka XODP Editall netesq), and there are many hidden meanings. However, the term is most frequently used as a shorthand reference to former (i.e., "X") editors of Netscape's Open Directory Project, commonly known as "ODP."

Q: How can I contact the people behind the scenes at XODP?

Complete contact information for XODP can be found here.

Q: Who compiles the XODP Web Guides™?

Good question. However, we are of the opinion that authorship of the XODP Web Guides should remain a mystery. Quality speaks for itself.

Q: How many volunteers are there working on the XODP Web Guides?

There are NO volunteers working on the XODP Web Guides. Rather, all of the XODP Web Guides are "works for hire" that have been compiled and edited by XODP employees or independent contractors who have been compensated for their work. However, volunteer opportunities are available through various open source projects that XODP is sponsoring at SourceForge.Net.

Q: How does XODP decide which search terms should be indexed in the XODP Web Guides?

The XODP Web Guides database was originally seeded with the search terms that were the most popular with the users of the major search engines. Beyond that, it was simply a matter of compiling guides to the search terms that are most frequently "not found" when end users search the XODP Web Guides database.

Q: Can I submit my Web site for inclusion in one of the XODP Web Guides?

Not as such. As a general rule, the XODP Web Guides are compiled from search results which are very similar to those which any knowledgeable end user might obtain by using his or her favorite search engine. As such, the best way to get your Web site included in an XODP Web Guide is to increase its relevancy and/or ranking for the search term that you are targeting on the search engines which sends you the most traffic. Even so, feedback on the XODP Web Guides is always welcome, and (alternatively) you can simply exchange links with XODP or pay for one of the clearly labeled sponsor links which appear on each of the XODP Web Guides.

Q: How can I join XODP?

Membership in the XODP eGroup is open to anyone, and XODP is sponsoring some very innovative projects at SourceForge with open membership. However, all of the people who work behind the scenes at the XODP Web sites have been hand picked.

Q: Can I link to XODP?

Absolutely! We are in the process of creating a set of XODP banners and buttons for just this purpose. In the meantime, please feel free to link to XODP in any way that pleases you, and be sure send an e-mail to links@xodp.org to let us know that you have done so, so that we can reciprocate. For more information about linking to XODP, please click here.

Q: What about the XODP Search Engine™? Can I include a link to it on my Web site?

But of course! And here's the HTML code for doing so:

<P><FORM METHOD="POST" ACTION="http://www.picosearch.com/cgi-bin/ts.pl"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="index" VALUE="154085"> <TABLE BGCOLOR="WHITE" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 BORDER=0><TR><TD> <TABLE BGCOLOR="WHITE" CELLSPACING=2 CELLPADDING=0 BORDER=0><A HREF="http://www.xodp.org/"> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="http://www.xodp.org/xodp_search.gif" ALT="XODP.org"></A></TR><TR><TD><A HREF="http://www.picosearch.com/"> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="http://www.picosearch.com/picosmall.gif" ALT="PicoSearch"></A></TD> <TD><INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="query" VALUE="" SIZE="20"></TD> <TD><INPUT TYPE="SUBMIT" VALUE="Search"></TD></TR> </TABLE></TD></TR></TABLE></FORM>

Please be advised that if you use this method of linking to XODP content, you must abide by the terms and conditions of the agreement under which Pico Search offers its search engine hosting services to XODP.

Q: Is XODP "open source" and/or "open content"?

Not as such. While XODP is a strong supporter of the open source/free software movement, most of XODP's software and systems are licensed from proprietary vendors, the glaring exception being XODP's Tigershark Web server, which runs on FreeBSD. Even so, XODP's long term business strategy involves sponsoring the development of open source/free software to replace all of the proprietary software which currently powers the XODP Web sites.

As for XODP data, it is freely distributed through "co-branding," but it is most certainly NOT open content. The difference between these two methods of free content distribution is very sublime, but the bottom line is that the value of co-branded data cannot be corrupted or compromised as easily as the value of open content data can be. For more information about co-branding XODP data, please click here.

If you are interested in participitating in the development of an open content resource, XODP strongly recommends Wikipedia. Wikipedia is an online community-built encyclopedia that is being built from scratch, and the content of Wikipedia is covered by the GNU Free Documentation License, which means that it is free and will remain so forever. Many XODPers have contributed to different parts of Wikipedia, and anyone can do so.

Q: What if I have a question that isn't answered here?

If you haven't found the answer to your question above, please feel free to contact XODP with your concerns. Due to the heavy volume of correspondence that XODP receives, we cannot promise you an individualized response, but rest assured that we will make every effort to respond to any concerns that you bring to our attention.

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