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Directories classify items in different topics and subtopics.
Usually this classification is made using human intervention, due to the fact that computer programs and algorithms haven't evolved until now to the extend where they are able to classify a page into topics and subtopics based only on its content.
Due to human intervention, the page is actually evaluated by a human, so unlike search engines, the possibility of including "garbage-like" resources is reduced to a minimum. Also due to human intervention, it is possible to introduce for each resource a short title, a description of the resource, and a specific topic to which it is related.
In this way, the queries can get more advanced. The surfers will be able to restrict the query to specific topics, and they will be able to see for each resource a short accurate description, that will help them decide whether the resource itself is relevant or not for its purpose.
The disadvantage of this approach is the relatively slow speed of indexing resources. Due to the fact that human intervention is required, either a lot of time or a lot of people are required. Sites have solved this in two ways. Some have added a lot of advertisement on result pages, in order to generate enough income to hire a large editorial staff. Others use the power of volunteer editors.
Lately another usage for directories has arose. They are mostly used for link exchanges and search engine optimization (or SEO ). The reason this happened is that is a lot easier to get free and paid links from directories, which do this almost automatically, than go and make link exchanges with other webmaster that will or will not accept your site.
The increase of directory sites and directory popularity has also been facilitated by the development of a few very powerful directory scripts. One of the most widely used is PhpLinkDirectory, it is a directory script that has been under development for quite a long time and it has the benefit of having numerous mods and templates made by users. Another directory script would be Esyndicate, again highly developed and supported by it's community.
Currently there are a few dozen directories made each day, they are usually announced on forums and most of them don't last very long due to the fact that most webmasters loose interest after a period of constantly reviewing links.
The increase in the number of directories has had a few other side effects as well. New services like "Directory Submission" are offered, top of directories and sites dedicated to list them have appeared.
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