No updates in DMOZ Windows Vista section - Very Poor

I haven't seen any updates under Windows Vista section of DMOZ since 2005. The links just point to few articles and blogs.

I guess the section hasn't been updated (links still have old articles talking about Longhorn - Windows Vista's old name). There are many more Windows Vista dedicated websites now.

My Windows Vista dedicated website I submitted in 2005 and 2006, is not listed yet:

Windows Vista Articles
<url removed>
News, articles, tips, tricks, drivers and FAQs for Windows Vista.

I hope you will update Windows Vista section soon because Microsoft is releasing the Operating System next month.

You could always apply to join our volunteer editing team if you are keen to help keep the ODP up to date.
Most editors start out in a small category of interest to them, and build it up with good new sites. Of course if the only site you are interested in adding is your own, that's not very helpful, but even if you don't wish to help with editing, if you know of other sites which are not yet listed, you are encouraged to suggest them to the category (when the technical problems are fixed).

Thank you.

I don't want to become a editor but technical problems since 2005...

We've only been having technical problems since the 20th, not since 2005.

The technical problems (well, the CURRENT technical problems) haven't been going on quite that long.

The real long-term problem is apparently more social in nature: a very poor allocation of webmasters -- in particular, too many for this category. It may have escaped your notice that there are already several well-known, reputable sites that offer, say, drivers for other escaped ms-windows versions. Today when so much malware is floating around, people are likely to want to (and well advised to) use established resource sites for vista drivers also.

But that's not a problem: webmaster skills are a glut on the market, so inefficient use of them has no significant consequence.

(However, I am assuming, perhaps without justification, that you aren't in the business of writing and providing device drivers yourself: if you already have a reputation for original contributions of that sort, the last two paragraphs may not be relevant.)

The important question for us is: are people able to find the information they need about vista, from authoritative sources, at the sites which are already listed?

I can't answer that. (What I already know about Vista gives me enough nightmares; I'm not looking for more horrors. In other words, I'm not wanting to edit there either.

Which is fine: everyone in the world has a choice not to edit there -- what seems a sensible decision to us, may well commend itself to others also. And I certainly can't criticize someone for making the same decisions I do.

No updates in DMOZ india > Sikkim section too.

Dear sir,
I'm frequently checking this category "india > Sikkim" , but I don't see any updates. I have one site that i've submitted way back in july, haven't got it's place on that category.

I was in zeal.com as an active editor in same category and I'm really interested in becoming DMOZ editor, but 2 of my applications got rejected.
thank you.

Well, the lack of editing in a given subcategory is often the result of one of three things:

1. the category is very spammy and editors don't enjoy editing there.
2. the category is one that does not generate a lot of interest within the editing community.
3. the category has not shown up on the radar screens of any editors as needing particular attention -- this often happens with small categories that receive few suggested site.

I'm really interested in becoming DMOZ editor, but 2 of my applications got rejected.

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Please see this reply in another thread today, and the link contained there.

Doesnt it seem silly that no one is editing a category this big? The launching a new windows operating system is HUGE news, this doesnt happen every day. Whether you like Windows or not should not be up for debate. This category should be edited period.

Why even have the ODP if editors are going to just ignore a section because no one feels like editing it. Or have a new tag along the lines of "the largest human edited directory of stuff we feel like editing"

You can indicate a workload to an editor but you can't force him/her to process it if s/he's not interested in it. In a sense, our thousands of editors are a sample of the ordinary surfers in the street. If no editor is interested in working with a particular topic, perhaps it's not quite as important as you think it is .

As far as I can tell during our technical difficulties, the Vista category is a suitable one for a beginner. If you feel so strongly about it, apply yet again to become an editor and become part of the solution. Many of us were thinking similarly when we joined.

Becoming an editor isn't difficult if you can demonstate adequate communications skills, attention to detail and integrity. You've already been pointed towards an excellent collection of advice and I suggest that you study it first. Take the process as seriously as you would a job application, because that's what it is. (It's just that the rewards aren't monetary ones.)

Yeah thats it. People must not be that interested in the topic of windows vista.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=windows+vista&btnG=Search

Not sure if you are talking to me but, I have applied to be an editor 3 times and 3 times I have been rejected. I have read every information page about the ODP. I have learned the ins and outs. I have pointed out 15 or so edits in the bad links threads, that is all the ODP will allow me to do. I must just be lacking adequate communications skills

I must just be lacking adequate communications skills

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Well, that is quite possible, of course, but it's very unlikely to be the reason you have been unsuccessful with your applications.
Earlier in this thread I referred to a very recent post I made on this subject:

It may be reassuring to learn that many current editors, including senior ones, were accepted into the ODP only after two or more applications. In other words, as motsa said, you are encouraged to re-apply, after reading all the information we offer to help people with their applications.

Of course you'll have to wait until the technical problems are fixed before you resubmit an application, but in the meantime as well as reading that Advice thread, you could be collecting good sites to include on your form, and practice applying the guidelines to the titles and descriptions. Good Luck.

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I guess it depends how much you want to improve the directory. If you care a lot, reapply.

This category should be edited period. Why even have the ODP if editors are going to just ignore a section because no one feels like editing it.

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If there were enough editors with enough spare time to keep all (or even most) of the categories we have fully up to date, this would be a good point. However, suppose that all the editors are already working as hard as they are willing to, and are not even able to keep up with half the things they would like to. If this is the case, then it's a little unfair to disparage editors of 'ignoring' sections -- there is no choice but for some (or even many) sections not to get edited that often. You might like to compare the total number of categories and listed sites, with the total number of active editors (see the ODP Status Reports when our current technical problems are resolved) to put things in perspective.

Yes, it looks like the Vista category could use some work, but then so could a lot of other categories. But until a volunteer editor feels strongly enough to spend some time editing the Vista category rather than one corresponding to one of their other interests, I'm afraid it's likely to stay that way. As others have already said, if you'd like to be part of the solution, you know what you can do...

Chaos, I know there are not enough editors. I know there are a lot of problems. Fix them. If I had a website that was half completed I wouldnt put it online.

First of all I do not want to edit the Vista section, I dont know a damn thing about it. Second, there is no way I am taking the time to submit another application just to get rejected.

I have applied to my hometown (rejected)
My hometown real estate section (rejected)

I was told that they might have been to small (which is silly, instead why not accept me and give me a larger cat?)

I went into the online webmaster areas (since I have been doing this for 7 years...rejected) I was told that there might have been a conflict of interest. This answer was borderline insane, what am I going to do go in and wipe out all the competition and leave empty cats and subcats laying around?

You all can jump and and call me a hypocrite because I dont want to do it either but, then again the ODP is not my website. If it were, I would imagine I would encourage active quality editors to recruit new editors, and I would double the editor base. If then with 10k editos no one wanted to update such and important new section I would maybe post about it, and watch some new editor that wanted to please the powers that be edit the thing in no time flat.

If I had a website that was half completed I wouldnt put it online.

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I should just ignore this comment, but I can't --- I just can't. You call a website that has almost 5,000,000 listings - with categories upon categories upon categories of almost anything the human brain can think of - "half complete" - just because a category or three doesn't have every current website in it.

My daughter's and my website isn't complete - there are many more photos and enlarged descriptions and other items (like pictures of our brand new stallion) that could (and should) be on there. But if we waited to show our customers until it was complete - it would never be ready. A website should be a living thing - always changing based on conditions/current knowledge.

>What am I going to do go in and wipe out all the competition and leave empty cats and subcats laying around?

You wouldn't? How would we know that?

lmocr said:

I should just ignore this comment, but I can't --- I just can't. You call a website that has almost 5,000,000 listings - with categories upon categories upon categories of almost anything the human brain can think of - "half complete" - just because a category or three doesn't have every current website in it.

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You asked a question. My answer is yes. I would call a site with 10,000,000 poorly managed, not frequently updated, and understaffed pages incomplete.

Let me ask this...if you could have every single website worth listing in the ODP there today would you want it there? If your answer is yes, then you have to point your project in a way that will allow for that. If that meant shutting down, or closing manual submissions to let editors catch up, than so be it.

hutcheson said:

You wouldn't? How would we know that?

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You find out for sure by making me or anyone else for that matter, an editor. How can you know until you give someone a chance? You proved my point with your answer.

I hope you have a system in place that would show you, if I did in fact do that. I would also hope that I would be instantly terminated and all the listings I deleted would be put back in place. How big is the risk? How far does the reward ouweight the risk? When 4k editors are editing a few billion websites I would say the risk vs reward odds are in favor of adding anyone that is interested. Stop nit-picking potential editors applications.

I wonder how many people have been turned away for silly reasons that could have really helped out this cause.

I wonder how many people have been turned away for silly reasons that could have really helped out this cause.

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I'm sorry that you so disrespect our selection process and the people entrusted with the responsbility for ensuring that the ediors who are brought into the project are a good fit in terms of both skills and temperment.

The fact of the matter is that neither you nor I have direct insight into the decision to accept or decline any given candidate's decision -- and your pejoritive description of the reasoning as "silly" says less about the proces than about you.

I would encourage you to rethink your participate in this forum. This forum was established to provide people with questions about the ODP the opportunity to find out information on the project and the editing process -- within certain constraints.

It was not created for people to use as a launching pad for personal attacks on editors and on the directory. if you cannot contribute in a positive manner then I, for one, would appreciate it if you did not further participate.

This thread has drifted off topic and serves no positive purpose in remaining open. Please do not start any more threads on the same issue.