Open Directory Project (dmoz.org)
In principal ODP is very good, but...
Since Yahoo converted to paid listings (with just a few exceptions), the ODP is the only major free directory. Sadly we believe their editorial policy is flawed, confused and inconsistently applied. The category editors are all amateurs, entry to this exclusive club appears to be jealously guarded and is not easy. There appears to be an anti-business bias. An amateur may have unlimited sites listed if they involve different topics, but a business is lucky to get more than one listing no matter how many different and unique sites it operates.

"Fortunately, the answer is very short. We generally only list one site per business. We generally do not list deeplinks for specific products (even if the deeplinks have their own domain)."

Directory Spamming
We can understand that most website owners want to get their site noticed. A small percentage of website operators undoubtedly have created multiple sites each containing the same or very similar information. This creates problems for operators of web directories and search engines. It is similar to e-mail spam in that it makes it harder to find the information you want because of the proliferation of junk.
The ODP quite rightly has a policy which aims to eliminate or severely restrict the inclusion of multiple "spam" websites. Some categories seem prone to spamming, and we gather that these include porn sites, generic and prescription drug sites, "fake" sites selling fake branded goods, other sites selling products of little intrinsic value with high profit margins. These types of site are often run by shady individuals and organisations. Unfortunately the internet is probably a near-perfect sales medium for them.

Baby and Bathwater
Unfortunately the ODP's struggle against this proliferation of mediocrity also militates against legitimate businesses which may have very good and valid reasons for operating more than one site. Although there are probably editors who believe it can be reasonable to have multiple sites, there appears to be a general guideline of "one business - one listing", so the ODP throw out the baby along with the bathwater. We believe this is due to poor editorial direction and control.

Exclusive Clique
Any commercial website operator is unlikely to have the time or the inclination to work unpaid as an ODP editor. If any commercial operators apply to become an editor, it is almost certainly because they are unhappy with their listing or lack of it. They are unlikely to be accepted in their preferred category. Anybody applying has to submit three sample sites in one category. It's no good if you have 20 brilliant sites which happen to fit into 20 different categories, no matter how good your reviews, you need to find three sites not already listed. All three sites have to be pretty worthwhile as do your reviews. If you apply and are rejected you are unlikely to be told why, or receive any training in how to do better next time.
We believe that most of the editors are good genuine people trying hard to maintain a valuable resource, but the near exclusion of commercial interests creates an unbalance and gives a rather socialistic anti-commercial feeling to the project.

Arrogance
It must be very easy as an ODP editor to slip into an arrogant frame of mind. The ODP public forum, hosted at resource-zone.com is full of people asking, many politely, when if ever their websites will be reviewed, why they have been rejected, and almost as full of answers, many of which sound rather superior and condescending. If anyone tries to question a policy or guideline, the answer tends to be like saying "because" as an answer to a child's insistent "why", it does nothing to relieve the sense of frustration.

Deprives Internet Users
Failure to list a worthwhile site for whatever reason in not only unfair to the website operator, it is also unfair to any internet user who wishes to find good sources. Such user is denied easy access to information about the best sites for his purpose.

Unique Content & Specialisation
Let's just assume that one business owns and operates two websites, one is the only website to specialise in gold sovereigns, the other is the only website to specialise in pink diamonds. The two topics are not closely related (they are both small and valuable, and diamonds sometimes get mounted in gold). If the two sites were operated by two different companies, two different people, or perhaps one large company with two subsidiary companies trading under different names, then they would both get listed. ( I make the assumption that they are of sufficient quality and content to deserve listing.
This would mean that web searchers would easily be able to find each site if it offered what they wanted to find.
Now assume that one company owns both sites. Why should it have to accept only one listing, which presumably would have to be in a compromise category such as "Regional, etc." Such a listing would not be easy for the web searcher to find, because it would not be listed under diamonds, and it would not be listed under coins. Clearly an absurd situation. Clearly each website should stand on its own merits. the criteria should be the same as for any other site, mainly quality quantity and uniqueness of content. It would be perfectly sensible correct and desirable to limit the number of very similar sites listed, particularly if they were operated by the same owners, but this should not be allowed to compromise or debar the listing of multiple sites by the same operator where the content of each is substantially different from each other.

Under Construction
The ODP listing guidelines state that they will not include sites which are still under construction or incomplete. While we have all seen sites, usually with a single page, which remain under construction and dormant for years, we think ODP editors sometimes confuse under construction with "not yet finished". Almost all good websites are unfinished because they are live, and receiving edits, changes, additions and updates on a regular basis. This website for example will only be finished, if incomplete, when I am dead, by which time it may be rather too late to submit it to the ODP.

Axe to Grind?
Yes of course I have!
We operate a number of commercial websites. They do have a connecting thread to them apart from their common ownership, but a number of them deal with substantially different elements and contain a large amount of "unique" content. By unique I mean as opposed to duplicated and shared between the other sites.
I will give a list of our main commercial sites, together with a description and a suggested ODP category and description. Most of our websites don't just advertise things for sale, we try to make them a valuable resource with information and opinion.

Site	Description	Suggested Category	Suggested ODP Description
chards.co.uk	Simple "umbrella" site set up so that we could give out just one web address to callers. Acts rather like a business card, and saves us listing every one of our web sites separately.	Regional: Europe: United Kingdom: England: Lancashire: Blackpool: Business and Economy Which is where we are listed.	Coin & bullion dealer, jeweller, diamond ring designer. Mail order worldwide or visit showroom. (Currently: Diamond ring designer, coin dealer. Mail order or visit showroom.)
Tax Free Gold www.taxfreegold.co.uk	Contains over 600 pages of information about gold coins. Also offers gold coins for sale. Over 1,300 high quality photographic images of gold coins and gold bars.	Business: Investing: Commodities, Futures: Precious Metals: Gold	Bullion dealer dealing in investment gold, particularly gold coins and bars.
Gold Sovereigns goldsovereigns.co.uk	About 200 pages about British gold sovereigns, probably the world's most famous coin.Over 700 high quality images.	Shopping: Antiques and Collectibles: Coins: Gold Coins or	(Previous listing used to say) Shop that sells gold sovereigns. Would prefer Dealer with showroom who sells gold sovereigns internationally by mail order.
Chard's Original Website 24carat.co.uk	A fairly esoteric mixture of coins and jewellery, with other subjects and personal opinion scattered here and there.	Coins Until such time as we finish splitting the site into smaller specialities.	Coin dealer, jeweller.
Pink Diamonds pinkdiamonds.co.uk	The only website which deals exclusively with pink diamonds	Shopping: Jewelry: Diamonds	UK based jeweller selling pink diamond rings & other jewellery in gold or platinum.