Catch-22

Hi Everyone,

I would like to become an editor, however I am caught in a catch-22 situation. Maybe someone could help.

I am applying to edit the Real Estate section in Malta. I have submitted a different application twice, each time with new websites.

1. Since there aren't any other new sites to add on for now, do I reapply with an identical submission? In this case it will be refused again.....

2. .....This is because I am offering to edit this section because some companies are categorized in the mistaken section. So I am submitting websites in my application, to which I have local knowledge of, and know 100% are in the wrong category.

My first refusal was because I submitted CompanyX under estate agents, and the reply was that CompanyX is already listed. This is true, but under Business and Economy, and not furhter down in Real Estate were it should be. The link will take any editor to a real estate website, full stop.

The second refusal was because a website I submitted in the application was deemed to be a mirror site. It is not. The design is not the same, there is no redirecting, and the content is different. The only connection is that one company states that it has connections with another.

So we are saying that CNN cannot be listed because Time-Warner is already listed. Both are connected, both are in the news industry, but the content and style of presentation is different.

Bottom line is that I am applying as an editor because local knowledge is needed in the section. However I am being refused for reasons such as "Real Estate CompanyX cannot be submitted here as it is already listed under a Business category"

I can provide all the links to the above companies and categories to any admin or editor who wants to look into this.

...and I'm sure that one of the sites that you feel has been misplaced is your own... right? http://resource-zone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=15857

Real Estate is a very difficult type of category for a new editor (not impossible, but difficult, because of the rules and spam-ness of this type of site, esepcially in a vacation-type locale like Malta), if you live in Malta, I would suggest that you apply to be the editor of the locality where you live. I'm sure that you can find at least three sites which could be added for that locality....

Thanks for your input Alucard.

No this has nothing to do with my website. That is under review and I can't comment before another 6 months now.

The locality where I live, although a thriving business and residential community, is not even listed as a locality on dmoz. Many others are missing from the locality list too.

As I stated, it's a catch-22 situation, and I have no intention of starting another thread to try and convince admins here to add a new locality.

Do you feel that there are enough websites that could be listed in your locality to warrant its own listing? (5 or 6 would probably be enough, given the size of Malta)

There will be enough websites on it once the category exists. You cannot build a nest on the condition that you have a hen and some eggs first. If you build a good nest, all the rest will follow naturally.

Regional categories power themselves. They will be sought after by the people who's business or interest lies solely in that area. The tricky business and head scratching comes with those businesses which operate across regions.

Well I do tend to end my arguments with a reference to that point. But it does seem to be the source of many a quandary.

The reason he asked that was that you could gather up 3 of those locality-level sites that aren't listed and use them to apply to edit the locality-category-that-doesn't-yet-exist -- you do that by applying for the island where the locality should be (i.e. Regional/Europe/Malta/Comino, Regional/Europe/Malta/Gozo, or Regional/Europe/Malta/Malta), indicating in the application that you are really applying to edit a locality that isn't there yet (and tell us what locality that is). If your application is accepted, the locality category will be created for you.

I am assuming (perhaps wrongly) that the locality you are referring to is Iklin (or L-Iklin) - I went on a bit of a search earlier this afternoon to see how many websites I could find that would be listable in that category and found one - a site you own. I would personally LOVE to find more, and would welcome help.

So please take motsa's advice and apply using that procedure, and hopefully we can welcome you with a resounding "Nifrahlek!" to the editor community.

I'm sure the Americans don't know of you dmoz editors. They should ship a handful of you down to Iraq and you'ld probably talk them into organizing themselves in no time at all.

Whether that will result in a well organized, or badly organized system is my secret......but it's always a start.

Application sent.