lissa, thanks for the reply. You have an excellent idea.
>> jameskal - you have some good ideas, and I'm sure they will go into the looonnnngggg list of suggested improvements.<<
Lissa, if your list is already too loooooooonggg, it reiterates what I have written in my reply to dfy. So, these new ideas are not going to be implemented in our lifetime, if at all.
>> (Improving the ODP is a favorite editor topic. )<<
From what I have read on this forum, I guess it is remaining a live topic. Just a topic.
>> However, as has been said before, our one programmer already has a lot of other higher priority stuff and unfortunately cannot work some of the nifty ideas.<<
Again, this is one of those "to be done first" jobs. I am sure she will never get time to look into these ideas. We might as well forget the implementation.
>>ODP has to gear up to clear the backlog in a short time<<
>>A common mis-perception is that dealing with unreviewed is the main thing to be done. It's not at all - editors spend a lot of time ensuring quality of existing listings, improving ontology and finding sites on their own. Yes, we'd like to get the unreviewed quantities down, but it isn't the only thing we are focused on.>>
Agreed. But isn't quantity equally important as quality for a directory ? I believe it is. So all this will have to go together; not one at the expense of others. Speedy disposal does not mean at the expense of quality.
>> There is lots of discussion about ODP needing help. Obviously, the most helpful and within current abilities is to become an editor. But for anyone who can't get accepted as an editor or doesn't want to be one, there are still other ways to help. For example, clicking listings to see if the site is still there, doesn't redirect, and hasn't turned into something else. For sites that give an error, there is then research time to see if a new location can be found or if the business/organization is really gone. Problems that are found can then be summarized for a senoir editor to fix. ~Anyone~ can do this, and it really is helpful. When I start working in a category that hasn't been tended in a while, this is the first thing I have to do. What's the point of adding a bunch of good listings if half the ones there are bad or misplaced? If someone had already verified what was there, I could spend more time on listing unrevieweds.<<
Good, practical point. But, I must hasten to add, that, if ODP doesn't change the ways it treats non-ODP community, whether this help would be forthcoming. If the posts in this forum are any indication, a lot of editor applicants get a very unprofessional raw deal from ODP. (I know that once a person is accepted, he is in good company). If a person who offers himself willingly to dedicate some time to be an editor is treated like this, what will be the fate of someone who just offers to help ?
In any case, there will be some people who will swallow all this humiliation in good spirit and for a good cause, and continue to be pro-ODP. They will certainly be interested in offering help.
Modify Lissa's suggestion a little, and accept applications for the post of Sub-Editors only. The Sub-Editor's job will be exactly as Lissa wrote; cleaning up the mess in the categories. He may not be asked to review or recommend any sites (let us finish the cleaning up first). He will not modify anything online; all he does is passing the necessary information to his Editor. Because a Sub-Editor is not permitted to make any online real time modifications, you don't have to worry about him abusing his editorial powers (he has no powers !). That makes the selection of a Sub-Editor rather easy. Move him from category to category until he completes a minimum period. His Editor(s) will know how good he is at work; how dedicated he is; how good his grammar and spelling is; and all that kind of stuff. If he is good enough, by then he must have picked up some tricks of the trade to write good Titles and Descriptions. Ask him to submit three mandatory reviews. If, after working as a Sub-Editor, he has not developed the necessary skills to be an Editor, you thank him for his services and send him home. Or else, promote him to be an Editor. He will be a real asset to ODP.
So Lissa, what are you going to do about this ?
>> jameskal - you have some good ideas, and I'm sure they will go into the looonnnngggg list of suggested improvements.<<
Lissa, if your list is already too loooooooonggg, it reiterates what I have written in my reply to dfy. So, these new ideas are not going to be implemented in our lifetime, if at all.
>> (Improving the ODP is a favorite editor topic. )<<
From what I have read on this forum, I guess it is remaining a live topic. Just a topic.
>> However, as has been said before, our one programmer already has a lot of other higher priority stuff and unfortunately cannot work some of the nifty ideas.<<
Again, this is one of those "to be done first" jobs. I am sure she will never get time to look into these ideas. We might as well forget the implementation.
>>ODP has to gear up to clear the backlog in a short time<<
>>A common mis-perception is that dealing with unreviewed is the main thing to be done. It's not at all - editors spend a lot of time ensuring quality of existing listings, improving ontology and finding sites on their own. Yes, we'd like to get the unreviewed quantities down, but it isn't the only thing we are focused on.>>
Agreed. But isn't quantity equally important as quality for a directory ? I believe it is. So all this will have to go together; not one at the expense of others. Speedy disposal does not mean at the expense of quality.
>> There is lots of discussion about ODP needing help. Obviously, the most helpful and within current abilities is to become an editor. But for anyone who can't get accepted as an editor or doesn't want to be one, there are still other ways to help. For example, clicking listings to see if the site is still there, doesn't redirect, and hasn't turned into something else. For sites that give an error, there is then research time to see if a new location can be found or if the business/organization is really gone. Problems that are found can then be summarized for a senoir editor to fix. ~Anyone~ can do this, and it really is helpful. When I start working in a category that hasn't been tended in a while, this is the first thing I have to do. What's the point of adding a bunch of good listings if half the ones there are bad or misplaced? If someone had already verified what was there, I could spend more time on listing unrevieweds.<<
Good, practical point. But, I must hasten to add, that, if ODP doesn't change the ways it treats non-ODP community, whether this help would be forthcoming. If the posts in this forum are any indication, a lot of editor applicants get a very unprofessional raw deal from ODP. (I know that once a person is accepted, he is in good company). If a person who offers himself willingly to dedicate some time to be an editor is treated like this, what will be the fate of someone who just offers to help ?
In any case, there will be some people who will swallow all this humiliation in good spirit and for a good cause, and continue to be pro-ODP. They will certainly be interested in offering help.
Modify Lissa's suggestion a little, and accept applications for the post of Sub-Editors only. The Sub-Editor's job will be exactly as Lissa wrote; cleaning up the mess in the categories. He may not be asked to review or recommend any sites (let us finish the cleaning up first). He will not modify anything online; all he does is passing the necessary information to his Editor. Because a Sub-Editor is not permitted to make any online real time modifications, you don't have to worry about him abusing his editorial powers (he has no powers !). That makes the selection of a Sub-Editor rather easy. Move him from category to category until he completes a minimum period. His Editor(s) will know how good he is at work; how dedicated he is; how good his grammar and spelling is; and all that kind of stuff. If he is good enough, by then he must have picked up some tricks of the trade to write good Titles and Descriptions. Ask him to submit three mandatory reviews. If, after working as a Sub-Editor, he has not developed the necessary skills to be an Editor, you thank him for his services and send him home. Or else, promote him to be an Editor. He will be a real asset to ODP.
So Lissa, what are you going to do about this ?