lmocr, but what is the point of having that forum, IRC and all that stuff if there doesn;t seem to be anyone that can actually change things? Its like if me and 10 other members start talking about ways on how to improve this forum. Unless we get to speak with Shawn and share our points of views we would just be wasting our time.
If they really wanted it "fixed" they would treat it like a coin appraisal. One person reviews the site, and they accept/reject/modify it - then it goes to a second RANDOM editor in the same category and they accept/reject it - then it goes to a third RANDOM editor who accepts/rejects it. If all three aren't in agreement - the accept/reject/modify request would not go into effect. I know, I know - it would make submissions take FOREVER... They could easily make it so that if a site is not accepted/rejected/reviewed by one of the three people within a three day period it is moved to someone elses queue.(random editor of same category if possible - but if not enough editors of that category exist, it would go to an outside related category) And lets face it - not every site deserves to be given extra weight in Google. This would make it so that only the best of the best would be approved. The quality of the sites listed in DMOZ is increasingly worse.
Obviously Shawn reads this forum (otherwise he wouldn't have posted here ). The same thing happens in the editor forums. There are changes being made - some very very minor, some not so minor. Are they the changes every one wants to see? I don't know - I don't know what everyone wants. Are they changes most editors want to see - probably, since a lot of the changes are discussed in the forums. Are they changes I can live with? Yes - I still edit. Are the changes not coming fast enough for others - or not significant enough for others? Yes - that's why some editors don't edit any longer. Added - if the changes you want to see are not changes that Shawn wants, what do you think the chances of them happening are?
There can be dozens of possible solutions, the problem is... who is in charge of putting them into practice?
It depends on the size of the solution/problem. If only one small category is affected - say it needs to be split into two because it's grown so much (unless it's really minor - the editor will post to let others know what's planned) - then the editor for that category will put the solution into practice. What if it's slightly larger - say it involves two branches. Then a discussion ensues and if a consensus is reached about what to do, the solution is put into practice by whichever editor(s) volunteer to do that. And if it's directory wide? Then there are a branch of editors called Admins who shoulder that responsibility. Most changes require discussion and consensus.
How many years will it take to reach a concensus? Is there really no one there that notices the huge problem they have in their hands? The thousands of pending sites? Don't care about it at all? Sure sounds like what many times has been posted here: people are accepted to be an editor, add all their sites, maybe edit a few pending ones, and never return again.
Sure there's interest to "fix" dmoz. I'm not a very active editor (I don't need to be as there are very little submissions in my cat), and I don't read a lot on the dmoz editor forums. But I believe the problem to be that dmoz has that many editors, they all have opinions and want to be listened to. Bottom line:
It isn't a serious problem since editors get sites from a dozen or more sources - sites submitted for review are but one source and generally a poor one. The number of "pending" sites numbers hundreds of millions of eligible sites. Therefore editors are highly selective. If people can grasp it is not a listing service and they are not customers of a listing service then they stand a chance of understanding the DMOZ concept. Webmasters are speculative suppliers of materials for inclusion and there is a big difference between being a supplier and being a customer. Trouble is the guidelines for submission don't make that crystal clear and it leads to expectations of service that simply don't exist and were never intended to exist.
The site should belong to them or friends / family or pay the editor. I agree they are very selective.
Is this the Post where you tell DMOZ editors you will pay them for inclusion? PM me the amount. O DMOZ editors dont do that?
a little offtopic. Anyone has any idea whats the story with the lizard and how's it connected to dmoz?
From the ODP Glossary: Mozilla A green lizard image which Netscape Corp. use as their mascot, as does the ODP. Derivative versions of the image are used on various items of official documentation. Related terms: Mozzie Mozzie 1. Images derived from ODP's Mozilla mascot. Used for customizing category pages. 2. Short form of "Mozzie Award" Related terms: Mozilla, Mozzie Awards
Red reps so far : 1) "donkey turds > DMOZ" Originality 3/10 Technical merit 2/10 Having the balls to sign name with red rep 0/10 2) "I don't get the repping system here~ it works like this" Originality 5/10 ( for being kind enough to supply working example of red repping) Technical merit 1/10 Having the balls to sign name with red rep 0/10 Looks like rep-reppers have no balls between them so far ??? Any more ???