Talk:Zeal (web)

Votes for deletion

how does it differ from dmoz.org? Helix84 00:01, 2 Mar 2005 (UTC)

• Zeal - Looks like an ad for zeal.com. Darkcore 05:14, 23 Feb 2004 (UTC)
  • Delete: advert. Wile E. Heresiarch 06:11, 23 Feb 2004 (UTC)
    • 1000's of people where members of the Zeal community building a very large Website Directory, it was very interactive compared to others.
    • What utter nonsense, you two! - I'm one of several thousand volunteers who have been profiling non-commercial websites on Zeal for several years. The page I wrote was no more an ad (for something that sells nothing!) than would be any article written by a keen member of any organisation. robinp 00:12, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)
  • No vote, but google search for "zeal" brings up zeal.com as the first entry. How major is the site? Isomorphic 09:51, 23 Feb 2004 (UTC)
    • Thanks for a reasoned approach, Isomorphic. Until MSN pulled out, Zeal profiles appeared on a claimed 77% of all web searches conducted in the USA (and probably similar percentages in other countries). Over 3,000 of the profiles are of Wikipedia pages. :robinp 00:12, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)
    • 2665 on alexa.
  • Delete. I haven't heard of it, and I'm pretty sure that I'm aware of the major internet sites. Oberiko 12:50, 23 Feb 2004 (UTC)
    • The reason you haven't heard of it, Oberiko, is that its profiles are purchased by other search organisations and used without needing acknowledgment. Despite the loss of MSN, Zeal says it is still used by "Lycos, InfoSpace, RoadRunner, CNET, Inktomi, and LookSmart.com." robinp 00:12, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. 2665 on alexa. Famous. "I haven't heard of it" as a reason for deletion? You've gotta be kidding. Anthony DiPierro 14:45, 23 Feb 2004 (UTC)
    • Thank you, Anthony.:robinp 00:12, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)
  • Those voting delete should consider merge with LookSmart. Anthony DiPierro 14:59, 23 Feb 2004 (UTC)
  • Still no vote on whether it stays, but if the vote goes to "delete", then merge with and redirect to LookSmart. Isomorphic 21:06, 23 Feb 2004 (UTC)
    • Anthony and Isomorphic: I'm a bit new here and don't know what is the minimum size needed before a stub becomes a respectable article. If its smallness is the only problem, I can expand it greatly! :robinp 00:12, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)
  • No vote -- people PLEASE follow the format of VfD -- NO bars, please. Davodd 00:35, Feb 24, 2004 (UTC)
    • I don't understand, what does this mean? RickK 01:38, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)
    • Same here, neither do I. Keep OR Merge AY 05:25, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)
      • Sorry. See this version of VfD for the Zeal that was out of control on fmt. Davodd 05:26, Feb 24, 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. If this goes, others, such as Open Directory Project must also go. I'm not a Zeal editor, but it's the main competition to the ODP, and a fairly major directory, with a large body of editors. If it being short is a problem, I'm happy to work on it to ensure that it stays. Ambivalenthysteria Feb 24, 2004 (UTC)

Vote to keep. Sure the page needs work. They all did at one time. But it is as valid an entry as any of the other search engine entries here. Vote against attaching it to Looksmart at this time given the heavy anti bias in that listing.--Jlo45 22:25, 24 Feb 2004 (UTC)

• • Keep. Because I agree with ambi, except the last sentence. Markalexander100 04:35, 26 Feb 2004 (UTC)
  • Keep. Helix84 00:01, 2 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Closing, March 2006

Zealots and other visitors on and after 21 March 2006 were presented with the following message, added to all six community messageboards by a previously unknown "editor" who had apparently been "created" to write those six messages:

• Zeal to shut down on March 28
  • Dear Valued Zealots and Contributors,

• • Thank you for being a part of the Zeal community and contributing your time and knowledge to the Directory. After trying to put the deserved resources behind Zeal, we have made the conscious decision to shut down Zeal.com. On March 28, 2006 Zeal will no longer be available. We are not selling Zeal.com and have no future plans for it at this time.

• • We think that avid Zeal users will appreciate the large, interesting and vital community at Furl.net (www.furl.net). Furl is an online book marking service that helps you save information that’s important to you, share it with others and see what others are saving and find important.

• • With Furl you can:
    • Save Web pages to a personal, permanent archive with 5GB of storage
    • Revisit the full text of your favorite Web pages
    • Share articles and information with friends and family members with simple email pass-along tools
    • Use Furl as a platform for social networking and discovering useful information
    • Share articles and information with people that share common interests using RSS feeds
    • See what other Furl members are saving and sharing
    • Save your favorite Zeal content

• • Whether you are browsing the Web, travel planning, recipe sharing, house hunting or researching, Furl is a wonderful tool. Join the thousands of people that are using Furl every day to find, save and share information that is important to them.

• • >>Go to Furl.net now

Some of us took up the offer and stored our favourite categories and/or list of contributed profiles.

Now this page can serve as a reunion point for sad ex-contributors.

Robin Patterson 22:22, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

After 28 March (UTC) a message similar to the above was what a former Zeal bookmark/favorite (or not yet reworded LookSmart link such as "Help build the best search") led us to. Zeal Web pages that had been FURLed were still available for display under "My copy" and could be emailed to other people. I had done all of my list of 2315 contributed profiles, about 100 of my favourite categories (mostly New Zealand, Scotland, and Washington), and the user pages of the top 10 point-earners and about 10 other friends. Maybe we can assemble a list of who saved what, for exchanging? Maybe we can do it automatically through FURL categories?? (Caution: "tramage" can't find everything she FURLed.)

Profiles and categories are still on LookSmart; eg several profiles I wrote at http://www.looksmart.com/r_search?key=plimmerton and a link to the corresponding category, including its description. But for how long?

Robin Patterson 01:03, 29 March 2006 (UTC)

Where contributors can use their skills

1. Wikipedia
2. Open Directory Project
3. http://www.sitelibrary.net/community/viewnews/725#topcomment