What are editors doing now that Dmoz is temporarily down?

Well, I don't know much about what other editors are doing, but I can tell you what this lowly editor is doing. Right now, I'm doing what I was doing since before I became an editor, with the only exception being that I've been logging into the Dmoz internal forum everyday since the outtage. In fact, I've logged into the internal forums everyday since I became an editor.

While some editors are itching to get to editing, and, don't get me wrong, I'm also itching to add a few sites and modify a few descriptions and get rid of some of the dead links and correct some URLs, but I'm not itching enough to do it while Dmoz is having its data restored. Unlike some editors, I haven't had the desire to go out and find sites to add to the directory once it's up and running again. In fact, I'm thinking why should I? I have plenty of sites to choose from that have been submitted. And, don't get me wrong, when I find sites that should be listed in the categories in which I have priviliges I'll add them. I've added quite a few sites that way.

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Now that I've mentioned that when I find sites that aren't from the submission "pool" (do they swim laps?) where do I find them? Well, I have one tried and true place of finding listable sites that aren't submitted to the directory. And, you probably won't believe your eyes when you read this: I find sites to list in the Dmoz directory by scouring web development forums where people are asking for reviews of their sites. That's right! Well, there is actually only one forum that I've been visiting and posting to regularly since eons before I became a Dmoz editor, and it's strictly a web development forum for help on building websites. <off-off-topic> What a relief now that I've become a Dmoz editor, because posts about Dmoz crop up once in every blue moon, and I certainly hate all the Dmoz drama that goes on on other "web master forums." At least on the forum I visit often I don't have to deal with people ranting about Dmoz on a regular basis. In fact, some of the other regulars there are Dmoz editors themselves, but Dmoz rarely comes up. </off-off-topic> Okay, so now back to the off-topic point I'm making. Since I do like reviewing sites, I'm often on the look-out in this web development forum for sites that are listable. This, of course, has its disadvantages: the site might not be complete, or it might radically change after I've added it. So, what I sometimes do when I see someone asking for a review of a site I would like to add to Dmoz is to send them a PM and ask them if the site is complete. Sometimes they'll respond with yes, and other times they'll say they still have some work to do on it. Then, I'll PM them back and tell them that I'd like to add it to the Dmoz directory when it's finish and if they would like me to add it then to let me know. From that response I've usually gotten something along the lines of "what's Dmoz?" or "I've taken a look at your directory [emphasis mine] and I'd like to be added." And, I've also gotten some responses along the lines of "would you like a recipricol link on my websites?" or "do I have to pay, because I don't have any money?" And, just to clear up any confusion they have I send them yet another PM to tell them that Dmoz is a 100% free directory that doesn't require them to pay and doesn't require a recipricol link on their sites, and that I'll add their site to the directory. Although, I'm still waiting on one guy to finish up his site so I can add it, and I have to say that it's a pretty nice site.
</OFF-TOPIC>

Then, there are some sites I review that I want to add, but don't yet have the ability to add so I add them to my editor bookmarks instead. I'm just waiting for the opportunity to add them to the directory or use them on my editor application when I request more permissions. I'd have to say that the bad thing about only reviewing suggested sites is that you miss out on finding some really good sites created by people who don't know anything about the Dmoz directory so those sites are less likely to be submitted. But, when I'm looking for sites to add to the directory, I usually find them on the one web developer forum I frequent.

So, to recap, I'm not doing anything right now for Dmoz. Unlike some editors, I'm not looking for sites to add when the Dmoz servers are back up. In fact, I have plenty of sites to choose from once Dmoz is up and running. If I run across a site in another place while Dmoz is still down, then I'll make a mental note of it and add it, if I remember, when editors are able to edit again. And, just to clear up something, we often hear editors say that site suggestions aren't the best place to find listable sites and they'd rather not look at the unreviewed, but, instead, find listable sites on their own. Well, I'd have to say that most of the site suggestions I've reviewed have been listable and that site suggestions are a viable pool for this editor to swim in. ;-) It really depends on the category and which part of the directory those editors are editing in, but they don't speak for all editors when say that suggested sites aren't the best possible source of listable sites.

[Double post time! Read the next post to see what I'm going to do once the editor servers are back up and running!]