The Open Directory adds thumbnails

(January 8 2004) The Open Directory -- also know as dmoz and the ODP-- is the largest web directory in the world.

By a directory we mean an index edited by human beings, and not gathered and systematized by automated software.

The most popular access point to the ODP is actually Google, which uses the Open Directory as the basis for the Google directory. However, you may also explore the Open Directory at the dmoz.org site itself.

dmoz has now added a thumbnail view alternative to its regular lay out. By clicking on the red ball in the lower right hand corner of a result page, the directory will give you thumbnails -- i.e. small pictures -- of each and every one of the sites or pages presented in that particular category.

You can see an example of a thumbshot to the right. This thumbshot points to Pandia Plus, our own version of the ODP.

The Thumbshots.org is a charitable initiative made by Smartdevil.com. There are over 3 Million pictures or the equivalent of 10 GB worth of data available that can be used free of charge.

Since the official launch of the thumbshots.org in December 2003, several Web sites have already integrated thumbshots into their search engine, directory and content pages.

"I’m surprised by the rapid adoption of thumbshots. Our traffic has shot up through the roof. We have sites using thumbshots for their search engines and content sites even though we originally intended them for the Open Directory, but we are pleased to welcome them all", said Stephen Lim from thumbshots.org.

So what's the point? Presenting images for each search result will slow down downloads, won't it?

Yes, but the images are very small, and with a broadband connection you won't be hampered by the additional bits and bytes.

Normally searchers will use the thumbnails to judge the "seriousness" of a page. If it looks professional they will deem it more trustworthy than a amateurishly designed site.

By the way, ODP has also added a green ball to its pages. That one points to the Google version of the directory.

More search engine news...