Directory structure

One of the most difficult things in submitting your site to the ODP is deciding which category your site should be listed under. The directory structure isn't always as logical as it could be. Can you suggest a way to find the best category?
Let me illustrate with my case:

I maintain a website for my personal garden. The site has a number of main thrusts:

• plant portraits (trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals)
• seed-starting information
• wildlife (mostly insect) photography

I find that most of my visitors land in my website through search engine searches for specific plants. Since I focus on perennial gardening, I first submitted my site to the gardens/plants/perennials category. I quickly figured out that many sites that share features with mine are actually listed in the gardens/designed gardens/private category, so I resubmitted there and that is where it has been awaiting review for quite some time. I don't really think of my garden as a "designed garden", nor is garden design my focus (plants are), but that's where my peer sites seemed to be, and by virtue of having a layout, it meets the semantic definition of being a designed garden.
Just yesterday, I discovered that several other sites that have similar focus are listed in the gardens/resources/personal pages category. I would never have thought to look in the "resources" substructure to find fellow hobby gardeners' musings, yet there they are. So about half of my peer sites are in one category, the other half in the other. I'm not about to resubmit and reset the clock. But I am wondering about my editor application, which I submitted (much more recently) for the designed gardens/private category, but which could just as easily be in the personal pages category (although that one already has an editor).
Sorry about the rambling - I'm just trying to figure out how to correctly identify the right category, especially as the categories have no "definition" as to what does/doesn't belong.

No need to worry. The easiest thing to do is submit it to the smallest most specific category to which you think it would belong. An editor will come along and take a look at it. If it is in fact listable, an editor will make sure to place it in the most appropriate category.

I don't edit in that area, so I cannot offer more information. However, I can tell that it sounds as if you have placed it where you think might be the best fit based on other listings. If it needs to be elsewhere, rest assured an editor will place it where it needs to be.

Hope that helps.
Thanks.

Thanks, Shadow. From reading the forums here, I pretty much figured it might be shifted around. And if I had known about the two suitable categories, I probably would have submitted to the one that has an editor listed (the other one has shown no movement whatsoever for several months). But I guess I didn't ask my question well enough - how to figure out the (unspoken) "definition" of a category. I'm asking this not so much because of how it pertains to my website (since, as you said, there's a process), but more in anticipation of my editor application being approved (hopefully): if there is an apparent duplication in the perceived meaning of two categories, how would I decide which submissions to shunt over towards the other category. I guess I'm getting ahead of myself...
Rob

Just because a category doesn't have a "named" editor does not mean no one is editing. Any editor from a higher category in the tree can edit any category below them. In fact, most editors as they gain permissions higher up will remove themselves from lower categories as named editors so that potentially new editors might apply there for their first categories. There are also 100's of top level editors and meta's that have permissions to edit anywhere in the directory and go where they are needed.

You can read the My category has no named editor thread for more information. There may have not been any noticeable changes in a particular category from your perspective but that doesn't mean that an editor might stop by today and spend the next week weeding through submissions or there might be several editors going through looking at the existing sites, updating descriptions, correcting URL's and deleting dead links.

I would not suggest submitting to one category vs another simply based on a name at the bottom. Send it to the most appropriate spot as best as you can figure, move on with life and someone will take care of it.

Thanks.

RobBroekhuis said:

But I guess I didn't ask my question well enough - how to figure out the (unspoken) "definition" of a category. I'm asking this not so much because of how it pertains to my website (since, as you said, there's a process), but more in anticipation of my editor application being approved (hopefully): if there is an apparent duplication in the perceived meaning of two categories, how would I decide which submissions to shunt over towards the other category. I guess I'm getting ahead of myself...
Rob

Click to expand...

Most higher categories will have a description. Many times, with the smaller categories (I would guess) it is faster to create the category and move on. Descriptions often times get added later or in some cases none get added for quite some time. Editors simply must use there discretion and try and determine for themselves what a particular category should contain if it is unclear we confer with each other with in the category chain to attempt to reach a consensus.

As it pertains to your submission, again nothing to worry about. If you get close some one will take care of it. Pertaining to a potential new editor, if you become an editor you will gain experience that helps you determine where to place sites within the areas you edit.

If you truly wish to dedicate your spare time to editing it is hard work, time consuming and fun. Good Luck!

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Time for me to sit back and wait to see if my application meets the criteria.
Cheers
Rob

RobBroekhuis said:

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Time for me to sit back and wait to see if my application meets the criteria.
Cheers
Rob

Click to expand...

I am happy to help in any way I can. If you are serious about helping out as an editor, I wish you the best and offer this advice-
Do not be discouraged if at first you are not accepted. It may take you a couple of attempts before you make it, but if you really are interested in giving it a serious try then you will succeed.

Good luck.

I just wanted to add, and this is totally general information not aimed at you in any way as I don't know anything about you.

Not everyone is OPD Editor material. Don't feel bad if you do not get accepted as an editor. Please know that every application is reviewed as we want volunteers but we have some standards (and these standards are outline here --> http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=dmoz.org+editing+guidelines ) . Also - we don't talk too much about those standards beyond what is in those guidelines, you just have to understand - it is a real people thing here in dmoz - you just apply and you are accepted or rejected and we don't talk about it anymore - as not everyone is cut out for dmoz editing.

Thanks for your question and have a great day!

Yup - I'm well aware of the guidelines. Have read them very carefully. I'm not quite sure how you manage to figure out if someone is "editor material" from the limited information provided in the application, but ODP obviously has standards to keep up.
Still hoping to be able to call you all "fellow editors" at some point
Rob