I read this blog entry about Yahoo allowing web masters to dis-associate themselves with their entry in Y's directory, if the web master has one.

Is it just me, or is this a sign even Yahoo doesn't have much faith in Yahoo?

All the search engines will use directory descriptions at times to show as the abstract under your link. Most use a DMOZ description if there is one, but Yahoo naturally uses their own directory. A few months back Microsoft created the NOODP tag to opt of of getting the DMOZ description and now Yahoo is finally getting the NOYDIR one out.

seems odd considering the size of the fee for the listing

Yahoo often used the descriptions, but a lot of webmasters prefer they don't since the Yahoo editors might change something or because the site has changed focus since being accepted into the directory.

In some cases people have purchased old domains and used them for a different topic, but the description from Yahoo still shows up even though it's for essentially a different company.

Eh, just to please the masses. The directory submission is definitely worth it (especially if you get in free). My specific category gives a few visits from the directory a few times a day, then a huge boost when it comes to the 'season', sometimes a few hundred/day. Not to mention the link juice the directory provides and authority juice.

The NOYDIR tag is just so your own descriptions/titles will be shown in the search, not really saying anything about their directory.

Gary I agree with everything you said. I think the Yahoo directory is one of the few good ones and especially if you can get in for free like you say.

And how did you get in there free? Probably you got in there few years ago before Y implements the service fee?

No, both were within the past year and a half. One was because I submitted it and the other because they found it themselves and put it in there.

Yahoo still accepts non-commercial sites for free. Most of us don't have non-commercial sites, but you could start a blog and get in the directory and then after you're in you could monetize it with ads.

It's possible in time Yahoo editors will discover the ads and remove your site, but by that time you might not need the links(s) from the directory.

Ah finally NOYDIR, which was promised by Tim Boy in the last nov. update. Now He is working for PowerSet then who is matt cutts of yahoo?