Yey! Finally, AOl stopped dragging it's feet and have finally given editors access to begin editing in the Dmoz directory again! Some things aren't the same, but hey, I cam begin adding sites to the directory again.
So, you know what that means, right? Yep, you can finally submit sites again, too! So, what are you waiting for? Get to submittin'.
I have all my categories that I've had since before the outage. And, the very first thing I've done is to add something to my profile. Now, I'm going to play around with some of the editing features to see there are any bugs present, oh, and I might add a few sites - maybe.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Hey, Dmoz, DELETE MY SITE!!!!!!
Okay, so you're in the minority if you have a site listed in Dmoz and want it removed. You're also wondering how to get it removed, right? I'm sure you've sent in one or more update requests asking for removal or e-mailed one or more editors asking them to remove it and have either been completely ignored or received a response to the effect of No, your site will not be removed. So, how do you get your site removed from Dmoz?
Okay, from different editors you'll hear different things. Some will tell you that Dmoz doesn't remove sites upon requests, while other editors will remove sites when asked. Well, it all comes down to that thing called Editor Discretion. Unfortunately, I've gotten more than my fair share to remove sites. Most I ignore because they lack one very important ingredient: A Very Good Reason. That's right. If you have a very compelling reason for your site to be removed from Dmoz then I don't have a problem with using my editor discretion and removing it. But, you can't send an update request or send me an e-mail saying only "please remove my site from Dmoz," because chances are I'm not.
Firstly, that's not a compelling reason! Secondly, how do I know it's your site? That's something you'll have to convince me of. And, thirdly, depending on the category your site is listed in you might have a lot of convincing to do before someone will just delete your site, or shall I say that if I edited in some parts of the directory I would no honor requests from people who want a site removed.
Now, if you are listed in a non-competitive part of the directory, then you have a shot at getting your site removed. Firstly, when you send the editor an e-mail or use the Update Listing feature then be sure that you give very specific reasons for wanting your site removed from the directory; even if being specific means being long-winded in your request. From that point it is up to the editor's discretion on whether or not to remove your site based on your reasons.
Unfortunately, I haven't gotten many requests that have convinced me to removed their site. Only saying things like "Remove my site because I don't want it in the directory anymore" isn't convincing. And, being especially nasty about it doesn't help your cause because that means the editor will probably ignore it, because most editors don't want anything to do with angry responses. To ask for your site to be removed start with something along the lines of "Please remove my site because...." and give a very good reason for why you want it removed. I don't think most editors will remove it regardless, but it's worth a try; an editor with a sympathetic ear might end up reviewing your removal request. However you decide to phrase your removal request just make sure to be nice about it, because being mean will most likely get it ignored.
For example, I reviewed a request where someone wrote "Remove my site! I'm the owner of it and I don't want it listed anymore..." This was probably his second or third removal request but the other requests had been deleted without any action taken. Even after I got the request of him demanding to be removed, because that's what he wanted and, by golly, it's his site and what he wants goes, I ended up deleting it mainly because of his tone. Finally, he sends in another update request asking to be removed and finally gives a reason why. Which, in my opinion was quite compelling. But, instead of removing it, I listed it in a similar category. I guess if the guy does a search for back-links to his site he'll see that it's still listed in Dmoz, but in a different category. Of course, the much wiser editor I am today, I would have deleted his site instead of moving it to another category. If there is anything to remember regarding removal requests it's that 1) most requests aren't acted upon, 2) Dmoz is under no obligation to remove sites from its directory, and 3) Be nice with your request. Being nice will lead me into my next post about communication etiquette when conversing with Dmoz editors and asking for favors at the same time, so stay tuned...
OTHER RAMBLINGS
Okay, who actually believes Dmoz is still having server problems, or is still trying to figure out how to fix it? Come on, if something seems too bad to be true, then chances are it is. Editors could have been editing a very long time ago, but unfortunately, editors are waiting on a slow poke called AOL to get some Dmoz-related tasks done that will let us edit again, and AOL is like a snail at getting things done. I assume that the same people who are working on Dmoz related tasks are also working on AOL related tasks and the AOL-related tasks come first; so it's probably a priority issue. Now, don't take this as word that AOL is ready to shut down Dmoz, it's quite the contrary, and editors have gotten some-what regular updates regarding what's going on.
Okay, from different editors you'll hear different things. Some will tell you that Dmoz doesn't remove sites upon requests, while other editors will remove sites when asked. Well, it all comes down to that thing called Editor Discretion. Unfortunately, I've gotten more than my fair share to remove sites. Most I ignore because they lack one very important ingredient: A Very Good Reason. That's right. If you have a very compelling reason for your site to be removed from Dmoz then I don't have a problem with using my editor discretion and removing it. But, you can't send an update request or send me an e-mail saying only "please remove my site from Dmoz," because chances are I'm not.
Firstly, that's not a compelling reason! Secondly, how do I know it's your site? That's something you'll have to convince me of. And, thirdly, depending on the category your site is listed in you might have a lot of convincing to do before someone will just delete your site, or shall I say that if I edited in some parts of the directory I would no honor requests from people who want a site removed.
Now, if you are listed in a non-competitive part of the directory, then you have a shot at getting your site removed. Firstly, when you send the editor an e-mail or use the Update Listing feature then be sure that you give very specific reasons for wanting your site removed from the directory; even if being specific means being long-winded in your request. From that point it is up to the editor's discretion on whether or not to remove your site based on your reasons.
Unfortunately, I haven't gotten many requests that have convinced me to removed their site. Only saying things like "Remove my site because I don't want it in the directory anymore" isn't convincing. And, being especially nasty about it doesn't help your cause because that means the editor will probably ignore it, because most editors don't want anything to do with angry responses. To ask for your site to be removed start with something along the lines of "Please remove my site because...." and give a very good reason for why you want it removed. I don't think most editors will remove it regardless, but it's worth a try; an editor with a sympathetic ear might end up reviewing your removal request. However you decide to phrase your removal request just make sure to be nice about it, because being mean will most likely get it ignored.
For example, I reviewed a request where someone wrote "Remove my site! I'm the owner of it and I don't want it listed anymore..." This was probably his second or third removal request but the other requests had been deleted without any action taken. Even after I got the request of him demanding to be removed, because that's what he wanted and, by golly, it's his site and what he wants goes, I ended up deleting it mainly because of his tone. Finally, he sends in another update request asking to be removed and finally gives a reason why. Which, in my opinion was quite compelling. But, instead of removing it, I listed it in a similar category. I guess if the guy does a search for back-links to his site he'll see that it's still listed in Dmoz, but in a different category. Of course, the much wiser editor I am today, I would have deleted his site instead of moving it to another category. If there is anything to remember regarding removal requests it's that 1) most requests aren't acted upon, 2) Dmoz is under no obligation to remove sites from its directory, and 3) Be nice with your request. Being nice will lead me into my next post about communication etiquette when conversing with Dmoz editors and asking for favors at the same time, so stay tuned...
OTHER RAMBLINGS
Okay, who actually believes Dmoz is still having server problems, or is still trying to figure out how to fix it? Come on, if something seems too bad to be true, then chances are it is. Editors could have been editing a very long time ago, but unfortunately, editors are waiting on a slow poke called AOL to get some Dmoz-related tasks done that will let us edit again, and AOL is like a snail at getting things done. I assume that the same people who are working on Dmoz related tasks are also working on AOL related tasks and the AOL-related tasks come first; so it's probably a priority issue. Now, don't take this as word that AOL is ready to shut down Dmoz, it's quite the contrary, and editors have gotten some-what regular updates regarding what's going on.
Monday, December 04, 2006
OMG! More Late Breaking News From DMOZ!
OMG! You guys are not, and I mean NOT, gonna believe what breaking news there is about Dmoz now! This will absolutely blow your minds away. I mean it's so crazy that your hair will stand up like Don King's! That's how crazy it is. Read more below about this late breaking important Dmoz news...but, first, here's a whoa-is-me, self-pity speech from yours truely.
Whoa is me. How could I get fired from an Internet directory? Maybe I should resign before they have a chance to remove me? Think of it this way. Say you went to work at your usual time in the morning, but your boss calls you into his office to tell you that you're fired at the end of the day. Would you stay? Of course not. Wait, wait. Wrong analogy. Okay how about this one?
Say you went to work and stayed all day but before your shift is over your boss calls you into his office to tell you you're fired. Would you stay? Ah, forget the analogies. I wonder if my situation would be analagous to getting fired on your day off? Nah.
Well, I'll look on the bright side. Who wants to work some where where you are constantly berated everyday; have people become beligerant as soon as they get into contact with you, then ask for your phone number so they can call you back and chew you out some more, and if they had your e-mail address they'd not only call you, but also e-mail you to tell you what they think about you; call you all kinds of names; and say things like "I've been waiting for forever and I'm not gonna wait anymore! That's unacceptable!" No, silly, I'm not talking about Dmoz. I'm talking about my real job! Whoa is me.
Dmoz Late Breaking News
S U C K E R S!
Hey, if I can't laugh at myself then who will?
[Edit] Editing for more unintentional breaking news. OH MY GOD! I think Oprah Winfrey has something to do with it! I think she's angry over how her category is being kept up. Did she really cause the Dmoz blackout? Word has it that AOL is looking into it.
Whoa is me. How could I get fired from an Internet directory? Maybe I should resign before they have a chance to remove me? Think of it this way. Say you went to work at your usual time in the morning, but your boss calls you into his office to tell you that you're fired at the end of the day. Would you stay? Of course not. Wait, wait. Wrong analogy. Okay how about this one?
Say you went to work and stayed all day but before your shift is over your boss calls you into his office to tell you you're fired. Would you stay? Ah, forget the analogies. I wonder if my situation would be analagous to getting fired on your day off? Nah.
Well, I'll look on the bright side. Who wants to work some where where you are constantly berated everyday; have people become beligerant as soon as they get into contact with you, then ask for your phone number so they can call you back and chew you out some more, and if they had your e-mail address they'd not only call you, but also e-mail you to tell you what they think about you; call you all kinds of names; and say things like "I've been waiting for forever and I'm not gonna wait anymore! That's unacceptable!" No, silly, I'm not talking about Dmoz. I'm talking about my real job! Whoa is me.
Dmoz Late Breaking News
S U C K E R S!
Hey, if I can't laugh at myself then who will?
[Edit] Editing for more unintentional breaking news. OH MY GOD! I think Oprah Winfrey has something to do with it! I think she's angry over how her category is being kept up. Did she really cause the Dmoz blackout? Word has it that AOL is looking into it.
What would the competent Dmoz editor say?
Okay, while I'm waiting on my Dmoz pink-slip why don't we play a little game? I'll have a series of questions with multiple choice answers. Your job is to pick the answer that a competent Dmoz editor would say. Hey, what a great way to increase your Dmoz knowledge!
1. How long will it take for my site to be reviewed?
A. Whenever I feel like getting to it.
B. When hell freezes over.
C. I don't know.
D. When Oprah Winfrey dies and gives me all her money. Hey, we secretly married!
E. All the above.
2. Why are all my competitors listed and I'm not?
A. What is a "competitors?"
B. Because your business sucks!
C. Because I'm your competitor, MUHAHAHAHAH!
D. Because no one's gotten around to reviewing it, yet.
E. All the above.
3. Why is Dmoz slower than a dinosaur when listing sites?
A. We're proudly a Web 1.0 production, so get lost.
B. We're all senior citizens just getting used to the Internet.
C. You're wrong. We're faster than a speeding bullet!
D. Because all the editors went on strike 3 years ago. You didn't know that?
E. The number of sites submitted to the directory VS the number of active editors. You do the math.
4. Can I contact the editor?
A. Only if you want to die.
B. Hell no!
C. Editors have e-mail addresses?
D. Yes.
E. All the above.
5. Why aren't editors required to edit every day?
A. Because they have real lives.
B. Because webmasters don't want them to.
C. Because Dmoz is only open on a seasonal basis.
D. What is an "editors?"
E. All the above.
6. Why do editors rarely respond to my e-mails?
A. Because they're too busy stealing your identity, beginning with your e-mail address and name.
B. They are busy creating an account on myspace.com hoping to give you a bad reputation.
C. They know you're ugly and they don't respond to ugly people.
D. Because they're tired of mean responses sent by mean people.
E. All the above.
7. Why isn't Dmoz dead yet?
A. Dead? I didn't know Dmoz was living.
B. It refuses to die because it wants to annoy you.
C. Because all the editors have no life so they need something to do.
D. Because it wants to kill the Yahoo directory first.
E. One word: AOL.
8. Why doesn't my site get many hits from Dmoz?
A. Because editors are too busy shopping at your competitors site.
B. Because your site is ugly.
C. Because Dmoz is like a graveyard; people only visit it when they have to.
D. You have many sites you are competing with.
E. All the above.
9. Is Dmoz affiliated with Google?
A. Yes.
B. No.
C. No and yes.
D. Maybe.
E. All the above.
10. What do I need to do to become an editor?
A. Start doing drugs and smoking cigarettes.
B. Create a website of your own and submit it to the directory.
C. Fill out an editor application.
D. Pray and throw a penny in a wishing well.
E. You? An editor? Bwahahahah, that's so funny.
The next quiz will be on what an incompetent Dmoz editor would say. So, brush up on your Dmoz knowledge! Scroll to the end for the answers.
Answers:
1. C
2. D
3. E
4. D
5. A
6. D
7. E
8. D
9. B
10. C
1. How long will it take for my site to be reviewed?
A. Whenever I feel like getting to it.
B. When hell freezes over.
C. I don't know.
D. When Oprah Winfrey dies and gives me all her money. Hey, we secretly married!
E. All the above.
2. Why are all my competitors listed and I'm not?
A. What is a "competitors?"
B. Because your business sucks!
C. Because I'm your competitor, MUHAHAHAHAH!
D. Because no one's gotten around to reviewing it, yet.
E. All the above.
3. Why is Dmoz slower than a dinosaur when listing sites?
A. We're proudly a Web 1.0 production, so get lost.
B. We're all senior citizens just getting used to the Internet.
C. You're wrong. We're faster than a speeding bullet!
D. Because all the editors went on strike 3 years ago. You didn't know that?
E. The number of sites submitted to the directory VS the number of active editors. You do the math.
4. Can I contact the editor?
A. Only if you want to die.
B. Hell no!
C. Editors have e-mail addresses?
D. Yes.
E. All the above.
5. Why aren't editors required to edit every day?
A. Because they have real lives.
B. Because webmasters don't want them to.
C. Because Dmoz is only open on a seasonal basis.
D. What is an "editors?"
E. All the above.
6. Why do editors rarely respond to my e-mails?
A. Because they're too busy stealing your identity, beginning with your e-mail address and name.
B. They are busy creating an account on myspace.com hoping to give you a bad reputation.
C. They know you're ugly and they don't respond to ugly people.
D. Because they're tired of mean responses sent by mean people.
E. All the above.
7. Why isn't Dmoz dead yet?
A. Dead? I didn't know Dmoz was living.
B. It refuses to die because it wants to annoy you.
C. Because all the editors have no life so they need something to do.
D. Because it wants to kill the Yahoo directory first.
E. One word: AOL.
8. Why doesn't my site get many hits from Dmoz?
A. Because editors are too busy shopping at your competitors site.
B. Because your site is ugly.
C. Because Dmoz is like a graveyard; people only visit it when they have to.
D. You have many sites you are competing with.
E. All the above.
9. Is Dmoz affiliated with Google?
A. Yes.
B. No.
C. No and yes.
D. Maybe.
E. All the above.
10. What do I need to do to become an editor?
A. Start doing drugs and smoking cigarettes.
B. Create a website of your own and submit it to the directory.
C. Fill out an editor application.
D. Pray and throw a penny in a wishing well.
E. You? An editor? Bwahahahah, that's so funny.
The next quiz will be on what an incompetent Dmoz editor would say. So, brush up on your Dmoz knowledge! Scroll to the end for the answers.
Answers:
1. C
2. D
3. E
4. D
5. A
6. D
7. E
8. D
9. B
10. C
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Major news from this Dmoz editor!
Okay, so to all two non-Dmoz editors that have read my blog, lol. Of course I've done a lot of blog editing lately. It seems that I might have breeched ODP communication guidelines during Dmoz's server break. Of course that wasn't my intention, but a few bad choices on my part. Information that I thought wouldn't harm Dmoz or that people couldn't use in a malicious way against it I thought was okay to post. Wrong choice, and I accept full responsibility for it and the consequences that comes along with it. I didn't realize I was breeching ODP guidelines until Dec. 1st and I edited my posts accordingly. Thing is that I didn't re-read all my post to make sure they were guidelines complaint. Probably wouldn't have mattered anyway since my fate had most likely already been sealed. Yep! You've gotten the right impression. I'm currently planning my ODP funeral.
Like my other posts, I'm going to be honest in how I feel. I realized on Dec. 1st that my editor account would be in danger when I realized that I had potentially posted some information that shouldn't have been posted. I quickly deleted it and even drafted a good-bye post for when I get the official news from Dmoz. What? You haven't been officially removed from Dmoz, yet? Nope. Not yet, but I'm fully expecting it when Dmoz is up and running again. I'm sure if they could lock me out of my account now they would have done so already, or maybe they're waiting for more votes to remove me.
Either way, I fully expect to be removed as an editor for some of the things I said, but shouldn't have said, in this blog, and I hold no grudges against Dmoz. It's nothing personal against me (hopefully), it's just business, and I understand fully the consequences of my actions. At least I know I'm being removed for being ignorant of Dmoz communication guidelines and not being removed for being corrupt like some past Dmoz editors. How ironic that I mentioned in my previous post that new editors should know the communication guidelines inside-out.
It's my own fault, so I'm not making excuses or blaming anyone else because what I posted could have easily never been posted. So, I guess my evil plan for Dmoz take-over, err, moving up in the organization will have to come to an end. It was fun while it lasted. And, now it's just a waiting game. I wish they could remove me now and just get the agonizing wait over with. Also, I will take the knowledge of knowing what an affiliate is with me, lol. I don't know how else I'll use that knowledge, but it is good to know - I guess. Anyway, I'll post here again when it becomes official.
P.S. you're probably wondering how they are going to identify me since I don't use my editor name in my blog. Well, I did declare the blog in my affiliations, so it shouldn't be hard for them to identify me. So, I knew from the very beginning that Dmoz knew I was the editor behind this blog, since it was something I've never tried to hide.
Like my other posts, I'm going to be honest in how I feel. I realized on Dec. 1st that my editor account would be in danger when I realized that I had potentially posted some information that shouldn't have been posted. I quickly deleted it and even drafted a good-bye post for when I get the official news from Dmoz. What? You haven't been officially removed from Dmoz, yet? Nope. Not yet, but I'm fully expecting it when Dmoz is up and running again. I'm sure if they could lock me out of my account now they would have done so already, or maybe they're waiting for more votes to remove me.
Either way, I fully expect to be removed as an editor for some of the things I said, but shouldn't have said, in this blog, and I hold no grudges against Dmoz. It's nothing personal against me (hopefully), it's just business, and I understand fully the consequences of my actions. At least I know I'm being removed for being ignorant of Dmoz communication guidelines and not being removed for being corrupt like some past Dmoz editors. How ironic that I mentioned in my previous post that new editors should know the communication guidelines inside-out.
It's my own fault, so I'm not making excuses or blaming anyone else because what I posted could have easily never been posted. So, I guess my evil plan for Dmoz take-over, err, moving up in the organization will have to come to an end. It was fun while it lasted. And, now it's just a waiting game. I wish they could remove me now and just get the agonizing wait over with. Also, I will take the knowledge of knowing what an affiliate is with me, lol. I don't know how else I'll use that knowledge, but it is good to know - I guess. Anyway, I'll post here again when it becomes official.
P.S. you're probably wondering how they are going to identify me since I don't use my editor name in my blog. Well, I did declare the blog in my affiliations, so it shouldn't be hard for them to identify me. So, I knew from the very beginning that Dmoz knew I was the editor behind this blog, since it was something I've never tried to hide.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
What to expect when you become a Dmoz editor. Pt. 2
So, now that I've given you the low down on the very first things you should do once you become an editor in Pt. 1 I will now tell you some of the things you should expect also.
Firstly, you definitely should expect your mistakes to be corrected for you. Each editor has their own way of correcting another editor's mistakes. Some will send you an e-mail, others will unreview the site with a note to you to correct the problem, and others will fix it themselves, for instance, if you titled a site incorrectly, then the editor who corrects it will fix the mistake, but won't notify you about it. Expect your work to be corrected during your very first edits and until you've gotten the hang of editing that the senior editor feels he/she no longer needs to constantly review your work. Also, if you disagree with how another editor corrected your mistakes then you can always e-mail that editor with your concerns or bring it up on the Internal forum to get other editors' opinions. A lot of your first few corrected mistakes will probably come from the editor who approved your editor application; either a CatMod, Meta, or Admin., but most likely a Meta editor.
Secondly, you should expect random editors to come into the category where you're the listed editor and make changes. Sometimes editors will add sites to your category, delete sites, add sites to unreviewed, make changes to already listed sites, and so on. And, even though it's easy to claim a category as yours since you are listed, but technically, no editor owns a category because any editor with priviliges, whether listed or not, can come into the category and make changes. So, don't expect that you will be the only one editing in the category, because other editors will also. Once you're an editor you can see all the activity that has happened in the category, such as which editors added which sites and so on. So, if you feel up to the task, you can go through the category logs to see which editors have corrected your mistakes without telling you, as well as which editor(s) has made changes to the category since you've been listed editor. Most editors will try not to make any major changes if there is a listed editors, for instance they won't process the unreviewed because there is a listed editor who will most likely take care of it.
Thirdly, don't expect all editors to agree on things. You will quickly find out that all of Dmoz's editor don't think alike, but, instead, have their own opinions. Editors hold a lot of discretion when it comes to listing sites, so you'll sometimes see editors debating the merits of listing a site or a group of sites. Most will have their own opinions about why they think a certain action should be taken on a site. Which leads me to my next Dmoz editor expectation.
Don't take it too personally if most editors don't take well to your proposal. There are always proposals for some kind of change within Dmoz. There are some topics discussed within Dmoz that are very controversial, and if you happen to have an opinion on a very hot topic then don't be surprised if other, and sometimes most, editors don't agree with your opinion. It's very easy to get frustrated when you don't have any support for a topic you care about, but remember that with Dmoz it comes down to having a majority of editors who have an interest in the topic agreeing with you before any action is taken. If you don't, then nothing will be done, but you're always free to bring it up at a much later date.
Don't be surprised when you get access to a category that you have sites that have been waiting to be reviewed for years. Some people claim that they've submitted their sites years ago. That's always a possibility, especially since submissions aren't deleted unless they are done so manually by an editor. With Dmoz, no one will take care of a category unless they are interested in the topic, so it's only natural that the average site will have to wait, and sometimes that wait will be for years.
Lastly, but not least, if you decide to apply for more categories in which to edit don't be surprised that you have to fill out another editor application just like you did when you first applied. But, this time you'll apply for the category a little differently. You'll have to apply to the category while you are logged into Dmoz. If you don't then you'll be applying for a new editor position. Editors can only have one editor account so it's best that you avoid accidentally applying for another account and instead use the internal ways to apply for more privileges.
These are just some of the things that you can expect when you become a part of the Dmoz editor community.
Firstly, you definitely should expect your mistakes to be corrected for you. Each editor has their own way of correcting another editor's mistakes. Some will send you an e-mail, others will unreview the site with a note to you to correct the problem, and others will fix it themselves, for instance, if you titled a site incorrectly, then the editor who corrects it will fix the mistake, but won't notify you about it. Expect your work to be corrected during your very first edits and until you've gotten the hang of editing that the senior editor feels he/she no longer needs to constantly review your work. Also, if you disagree with how another editor corrected your mistakes then you can always e-mail that editor with your concerns or bring it up on the Internal forum to get other editors' opinions. A lot of your first few corrected mistakes will probably come from the editor who approved your editor application; either a CatMod, Meta, or Admin., but most likely a Meta editor.
Secondly, you should expect random editors to come into the category where you're the listed editor and make changes. Sometimes editors will add sites to your category, delete sites, add sites to unreviewed, make changes to already listed sites, and so on. And, even though it's easy to claim a category as yours since you are listed, but technically, no editor owns a category because any editor with priviliges, whether listed or not, can come into the category and make changes. So, don't expect that you will be the only one editing in the category, because other editors will also. Once you're an editor you can see all the activity that has happened in the category, such as which editors added which sites and so on. So, if you feel up to the task, you can go through the category logs to see which editors have corrected your mistakes without telling you, as well as which editor(s) has made changes to the category since you've been listed editor. Most editors will try not to make any major changes if there is a listed editors, for instance they won't process the unreviewed because there is a listed editor who will most likely take care of it.
Thirdly, don't expect all editors to agree on things. You will quickly find out that all of Dmoz's editor don't think alike, but, instead, have their own opinions. Editors hold a lot of discretion when it comes to listing sites, so you'll sometimes see editors debating the merits of listing a site or a group of sites. Most will have their own opinions about why they think a certain action should be taken on a site. Which leads me to my next Dmoz editor expectation.
Don't take it too personally if most editors don't take well to your proposal. There are always proposals for some kind of change within Dmoz. There are some topics discussed within Dmoz that are very controversial, and if you happen to have an opinion on a very hot topic then don't be surprised if other, and sometimes most, editors don't agree with your opinion. It's very easy to get frustrated when you don't have any support for a topic you care about, but remember that with Dmoz it comes down to having a majority of editors who have an interest in the topic agreeing with you before any action is taken. If you don't, then nothing will be done, but you're always free to bring it up at a much later date.
Don't be surprised when you get access to a category that you have sites that have been waiting to be reviewed for years. Some people claim that they've submitted their sites years ago. That's always a possibility, especially since submissions aren't deleted unless they are done so manually by an editor. With Dmoz, no one will take care of a category unless they are interested in the topic, so it's only natural that the average site will have to wait, and sometimes that wait will be for years.
Lastly, but not least, if you decide to apply for more categories in which to edit don't be surprised that you have to fill out another editor application just like you did when you first applied. But, this time you'll apply for the category a little differently. You'll have to apply to the category while you are logged into Dmoz. If you don't then you'll be applying for a new editor position. Editors can only have one editor account so it's best that you avoid accidentally applying for another account and instead use the internal ways to apply for more privileges.
These are just some of the things that you can expect when you become a part of the Dmoz editor community.
What to expect when you become a Dmoz editor. Pt. 1
So, you want to become a Dmoz editor and you have either already applied, or applied and have been rejected for whatever reasons and have applied again. The good thing about Dmoz is that as soon as you've been notified of your rejection you're able to apply again immediately. Sometimes with a more improved application, and other times for a different category. But, what should you expect once you become a Dmoz editor? Is it a complete culture shock from other editing communities? Well, I can't answer the last question because I've never been privileged to work in other virtual communities where volunteers are utilized. There used to be Zeal before it was shut down, but there are a lot of other editing communities that benefit from the hard work of Internet volunteers. Unfortunately, I can't speak on how those communities work, but I can comment on what you should expect once you become a Dmoz volunteer editor.
The first thing you should do once you get the acceptance letter is to visit the links in the e-mail you get. It'll have valuable information that you as an editor must know and go over. If you are like me when I had visions of becoming a Dmoz editor then you will have already read much of the important information when you filled out the editor application. It's important to know not only the Dmoz editor communication guidelines, but also category guidelines. You must know the guidelines for the category in which you were accepted and the guidelines for that branch of the directory, for example the guidelines for the topical Sports/ category. Know those guidelines inside-out because it's with your understanding and interpretation of those guidelines, and the help of more senior editors, that you will decide upon which sites to list or which sites to send to another category. Besides getting acquainted with the category guidelines there will also be other protocol that you'll need to be familiar with regarding the directory, some are presented helpfully on the Internal forum, and others might be in editor protected areas, which means that you can only access them if you are an editor. It's also a good idea to periodically re-review the guidelines because they do change from time-to-time. How often? I have no idea, but it's a good idea to keep up with editor discussion on the Internal forum because that's where they will sometimes discuss changes in the guidelines, and if you are an editor where the changes are being proposed, then you have every right to get your two cents in regarding it; I'd advise you to take advantage of it.
The second thing you need to do once you become an editor is to log in and make an edit within 30 days. If you are accepted as an editor and don't make an edit within 30 days then you will be automatically locked out of your editor account. The keyword in that sentence is "automatically," which means no one can get around it and there isn't some heartless editor who decides to lock certain people out of their account after 30 days - it happens to every new editor who fails to make an edit (don't confuse it with logging-in) within 30 days of acceptance. After you've made your initial edit you will now have a period of four months between edits. What that means is you will now be able to go up to 120 days, or four months, between edits. If you don't make an edit within a four month period then you will again be automatically locked out of your account. Being auto-locked out is something that happens. If you're locked out then you have the chance to apply for reinstatement. It's known and widely accepted in the editor community that editors have real lives. That means that if you go on vacation, have to work more often, decide to spend more time with your family and friends, or simply decide to take some time off from editing that you'll probably end up being automatically locked out of your account, and, if you were doing a decent job as an editor, then they'll welcome you back with open arms once you fill out the reinstatement application. So, if you ever fall into the situation where you find yourself automatically locked out of your account for lack of editing then don't feel to intimidated by the reinstatement form because that is an editor's best friend when real life takes over.
Don't worry about messing up during your first few edits. That's where the senior editors come in. Once you're a new editor you'll be kindly taken care of. If a senior editor sees a mistake you've made while editing, whether it's an inaccurate description or a site that shouldn't be listed, then they'll give you the help you need to help you make those mistakes less often. Editing for the first few times will be difficult and can be intimidating, but most editors know that a new editor will make a lot of mistakes while they learn the ropes. For some editors it might take a while before they catch on, while for other they might catch on pretty quickly. But, don't take offense to someone who's kindly giving you advice and helping you along the way. It doesn't mean you are incompetent as an editor, it just means that you don't fully understand the listing/editing guidelines and need a little help. Plus, it's part of being an editor - helping those editors that need that extra help.
Okay, so now to recap on the very first things you should do when you first become an editor: make sure to log in and make at least one edit within your first 30 days, and read the editing guidelines and internal forum because the forum is where editors will be available to try to help you with your editing problems and answer your questions and give you some great advice. It's also important to read the Internal forum because that's where editors will propose changes to Dmoz or category guidelines, some of which might affect you as an editor, so you'll want to put in your two cents regarding the issues, or even propose your own changes and let other editors weigh-in on them. And, lastly, but certainly not least, don't be intimidated, or get angry at an editor who sees you need help and wants to help you.
Read Pt. 2 for more information about what to expect, yes, I'm getting there!
The first thing you should do once you get the acceptance letter is to visit the links in the e-mail you get. It'll have valuable information that you as an editor must know and go over. If you are like me when I had visions of becoming a Dmoz editor then you will have already read much of the important information when you filled out the editor application. It's important to know not only the Dmoz editor communication guidelines, but also category guidelines. You must know the guidelines for the category in which you were accepted and the guidelines for that branch of the directory, for example the guidelines for the topical Sports/ category. Know those guidelines inside-out because it's with your understanding and interpretation of those guidelines, and the help of more senior editors, that you will decide upon which sites to list or which sites to send to another category. Besides getting acquainted with the category guidelines there will also be other protocol that you'll need to be familiar with regarding the directory, some are presented helpfully on the Internal forum, and others might be in editor protected areas, which means that you can only access them if you are an editor. It's also a good idea to periodically re-review the guidelines because they do change from time-to-time. How often? I have no idea, but it's a good idea to keep up with editor discussion on the Internal forum because that's where they will sometimes discuss changes in the guidelines, and if you are an editor where the changes are being proposed, then you have every right to get your two cents in regarding it; I'd advise you to take advantage of it.
The second thing you need to do once you become an editor is to log in and make an edit within 30 days. If you are accepted as an editor and don't make an edit within 30 days then you will be automatically locked out of your editor account. The keyword in that sentence is "automatically," which means no one can get around it and there isn't some heartless editor who decides to lock certain people out of their account after 30 days - it happens to every new editor who fails to make an edit (don't confuse it with logging-in) within 30 days of acceptance. After you've made your initial edit you will now have a period of four months between edits. What that means is you will now be able to go up to 120 days, or four months, between edits. If you don't make an edit within a four month period then you will again be automatically locked out of your account. Being auto-locked out is something that happens. If you're locked out then you have the chance to apply for reinstatement. It's known and widely accepted in the editor community that editors have real lives. That means that if you go on vacation, have to work more often, decide to spend more time with your family and friends, or simply decide to take some time off from editing that you'll probably end up being automatically locked out of your account, and, if you were doing a decent job as an editor, then they'll welcome you back with open arms once you fill out the reinstatement application. So, if you ever fall into the situation where you find yourself automatically locked out of your account for lack of editing then don't feel to intimidated by the reinstatement form because that is an editor's best friend when real life takes over.
Don't worry about messing up during your first few edits. That's where the senior editors come in. Once you're a new editor you'll be kindly taken care of. If a senior editor sees a mistake you've made while editing, whether it's an inaccurate description or a site that shouldn't be listed, then they'll give you the help you need to help you make those mistakes less often. Editing for the first few times will be difficult and can be intimidating, but most editors know that a new editor will make a lot of mistakes while they learn the ropes. For some editors it might take a while before they catch on, while for other they might catch on pretty quickly. But, don't take offense to someone who's kindly giving you advice and helping you along the way. It doesn't mean you are incompetent as an editor, it just means that you don't fully understand the listing/editing guidelines and need a little help. Plus, it's part of being an editor - helping those editors that need that extra help.
Okay, so now to recap on the very first things you should do when you first become an editor: make sure to log in and make at least one edit within your first 30 days, and read the editing guidelines and internal forum because the forum is where editors will be available to try to help you with your editing problems and answer your questions and give you some great advice. It's also important to read the Internal forum because that's where editors will propose changes to Dmoz or category guidelines, some of which might affect you as an editor, so you'll want to put in your two cents regarding the issues, or even propose your own changes and let other editors weigh-in on them. And, lastly, but certainly not least, don't be intimidated, or get angry at an editor who sees you need help and wants to help you.
Read Pt. 2 for more information about what to expect, yes, I'm getting there!
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