So, you want to know what the Dmoz dashboard looks like?

Ahh, the Dmoz dashboard. The first thing editors see when they log in. For the curious I have attatched a snapshot of it in this post, and I'll explain to you what all the different parts mean for the editors.

Firstly, the dashboard allows editors quick access to where they need to go, whether its the internal forums, a quick reference to the guidelines via links, or to a certain category in which they have permissions. What also appears on editor dashboard are notes to editors. Hahah, that's why they call it a dashboard, right? For example, if the forums are temporarily down, then they'll notify everyone via a dashboard note. Dashboard notes editors can either hide or keep displayed. I hide mine. There is a pesky "tip of the week" thing going on that annoys me to no end...nevermind, I'm getting off topic. No offense to the editors who took the time to put it together, but it's not something I'm interested in.

Alright, lets get to the part you have all been waiting for. You want to see a quick snapshot I took of the editor dashboard, correct? Well, here ya go.



I'll explain the different parts of it. The dashboard will display the name of the editor (real name, maybe), but you can't see the editor's real name unless they put it in their profile, but only Meta editors can. Below the editor's name will be all the categories in which they are a listed editor. In this case, our "editor" is the listed editor of only one, very large category. The first, very large number in black type is the total number of listed sites for the Arts/People category and all of its sub-categories. This number is available to the public. Just go to a category and the number in parenthesis is the total number of sites listed, including those of its sub-categories.

What editors commonly refer to as "greens" are the number of submissions waiting for a review. That number varies by category, and, as editors gain higher permissions in a category, they'll often see the number of greens increase, because that number will represent the number of sites waiting for review in all of its categories added together.

The next number, the purple one, refers to update requests. You will often read editors say that update requests, on average, are handled quicker than site submissions. Generally, that's true. Update requests will appear on our dashboard in a certain color that differentiates it from the greens. When editors go to a category with an update request waiting and looks into the unreviewed queue the update request, itself, will stick out amongst all the other types of sites, so that it'll catch the editor's attention.

Another color, which is not displayed on our annonymous editor's dashboard are the reds. Reds are links that the Dmoz link checker, Robozilla, tags as being broken links, or pages containing errors that makes the link checker thinks the site is down. On the dashboard, next to all the other numbers, will appear the total number of reds for the category. Reds are sites that editors have to recheck to see if the site is dead or if it was just having temporary problems and can be re-listed. I hate dealing with reds, so I don't bother with them, but there are some editors who really love the challenge of finding out if the reds have moved to a new web address.

Also on the dashboard will appear quick links for editors, new and old. Those links could include anything from links to specific topics in the internal forums, links to guidelines, or links to some of the editor tools and resources. There is, of course, a link to the internal forums. How else would editors get there without having to remember the address?

There are more things on the editor dashboard, like a way for editors to update their affiliations, which only Meta editors can see. Editors can also choose to make their affiliations list public if they want, some do, some don't. And, there are other things that are on the editor dashboard, but I've covered the major things.

Since you've read this far I'll give you a nice little Dmoz tid-bit that you probably didn't know about. Sometimes by looking at editors' profiles you might be able to see the total number of unreviewed sites in a category. Through permissions called "Greenbuster" Dmoz lets editors who might not have experience to edit in a large category gain that experience by being a Greenbuster. Greenbusters are not listed as the category editor. Instead, only editors can see who is Greenbusting a category. You'll be lucky to view the profile of an editor who is also Greenbusting a category you want your site listed in, then you can see how many sites are actually waiting for review along with yours. Remember what I said about Greens ealier? Well, editors who are Greenbusting a category will have "Unreviewed" next to a link to the category and a number in green. If you see "Unreviewed" and a number in green next to it, then that's the number of sites waiting for review in that particular category. For example:

Regional/United_States Unreviewed (23,204).

That's an example of what it will look like. That means that in the Reginal category and under the United States sub-category there are approximately 23,000 sites waiting for review. Now remember, that includes all the unreviewed sites for each of the United States sub-categories. But, finding an editor who's profile contains this information will have you reviewing profiles for a very long time, especially if you want to find an editor who's Greenbusting the category where you want your site listed. That editor could be the listed editor of some teeny, tiny category in the Games/ section of the directory.

Here are my current edits at the time of this posting:

1937 / 563 unique adds / 507 deletes / 331 unreviewed

Summary

I haven't edited much in the last two weeks. I've been taking a break from editing, and sometimes have went 2-3 days without making an edit. Usually, I try to make at least one edit per day, but I don't think I've went this long without having made an edit, but I could be wrong. I probably won't get back to editing regularly until sometime next week.

Also, I applied for antother small category and got accepted. Too easy. Next time, I'm applying for something bigger and different. Maybe if I stick with my current theme of websites then I'll make editall quickly. Muahahahahh. But, you can compare my current edits to the edits from my last post and see that I've made very few edits since. I'm kinda worn out, since I do edit so much, so I'm going to keep on track with this little break I'm taking.

*The category figures in this post are fake and are used only for example purposes. They do not represent real category figures. The rendition of the editor dashboard was creatively made to look like the real thing. If it does resemble the real thing then it's by coincidence only.*

WTH!! Another New Category! Already???!!!

I was so bored last night, that I decided, for the heck of it, to apply for another category in an area that I'd classify my editing skills as better than decent. To my surprise, I was quickly accepted! I wasn't expecting it so quickly, so that's why I was surprised by it. I thought it would take a few days before someone got to it, especially because of the holiday; I figured a lot of editors (Meta) would be spending time with family that they'd not have time to check in with Dmoz. Plus, this is probably the quickest I've gotten accepted into a category. My application was approved only a few short hours after I applied for it. Now, I'm rethinking my plan about where to request permissions from here.

I'm having unexpected problems with classifying a few websites in one of my categories, so I'm going to hold off for awhile, not too long though, I still want to edit more categories in that section because it's fun. I'm asking a few questions on the Internal forums, but getting answers is like pulling teeth. Maybe if I e-mailed 50 editors, two might respond with answers. I'm not too worried about the category I'm greenbusting; I'll get to it when I feel competent enough to handle it. The Business part of the directory isn't the easiest section for me to edit, but I'm going to give it a shot, just not right now.

I'll change my editing plans now. I'll stick with, for now, the part of the directory I know best - the section I first started out in as an editor, and I'll take it from there. It's very easy for me to edit in that part, because I know what kind of sites belong in the categories.

Now, back to my new category. There weren't any sites in the category's unreviewed, but those types of sites are easy to find. I've already added a few in the short time I've been the listed editor. I'll add a lot more in the coming days. I've even bookmarked a site that has some promising links on it. I even took the time to e-mail two site owners telling them I liked their site and that I was adding it to the Dmoz directory; they never suggested their sites.

All this being said, I still have this bugging "itch" to apply for another category. Maybe in Arts this time? Or, maybe in the section I edit most in? Maybe even in a section where I've never edited. If I feel like it, I might even apply tonight.

Current editor stats at the time of this post:

1850 / 522 unique adds / 490 deletes / 308 unreviewed

Summary

Since my last post, about 3 days ago, I've added over 20 more sites to the directory. I've been focusing lately on adding sites. I've been reviewing sites that were submitted within the last few days, up to 1 year ago, than those that were submitted over a year ago, mainly because my experience with reviewing sites that were submitted over 1 year ago are more likely to be dead links, especially in the part of the directory in which I edit. Plus, my two latest categories gives me the opportunity to add more sites because I'm trying to build up my experience in those areas, so adding sites to those categories is what I have to do.

500 unique Dmoz adds!!!

Whooo! I just looked at my edits and see I have finally accomplished 500 unique adds! What does this mean? Nothing really, but hey, I'm increasing the number of sites I add to the directory. I've slowed down my editing because I've edited so much lately that I've grown tired of it. But, I'm slowly picking back up speed. Now, with my 500 unique adds, I'm inspired to go on adding more sites to the directory! I've been sluggishly plowing the unreviewed in different categories. I'm mostly trying to hit the categories , er letters, I haven't edited in yet. There's still so much to do as far as editing goes. I haven't run a link checker in awhile to check for dead links. I'm still trying to delete the categories that have 0-1 site listed. And, I'm trying to go through some of the categories listed sites to make sure the content is still relevant. That's so much to do in a category with 9,000 to 10,000 listed sites. I've also been trying to review sites in categories that have only one or two listed sites, but more waiting for review. It's a pet peeve of mine to see categories with only 1-2 listed sites, so I'll try to review the unreviewed to bump up the number of listed sites.

As far as my new greenbusting category goes. I haven't made one edit in that category, yet. I'm kind of running on scared right now. I might greenbust sites for the category that don't belong there. It's not the most simple category to edit, so I think I'll hold off for awhile before I dig into it; I need to learn a lot more about that part of the directory and the category's surround categories before I begin plowing in. It might be tomorrow, or it might be a few weeks or months from now.

I'm getting closer to applying for another category. As soon as I finish looking over the un-reviewed in another category, then I'll apply for a sister cat. Hopefully, I'll be editing all the letters in the category in a few months. That's assuming my real life doesn't prevent me from getting on the Internet 16 hours a day, hahahahhahah; 8 hours of sleep, and the rest on the Interent editing for Dmoz or playing some obscure computer game. Anyway, I'm slowly but surly getting ready to apply for another category. As soon as I finish look at all the unreviewed, then I'll ask for a category check, and if things go well, I'll apply for a sister category, then put my editor plan in motion to move up to more privileges, Muhahahahah.

Editor stats at the time of this post:

1788 [total edits] / 501 unique adds / 477 deletes / 290 unreviewed