Status of www.investing-secrets.com

Please let me know the status of http://www.investing-secrets.com, submitted in Jan 2005 to:

http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Investing/Real_Estate/Education_and_Training/ or
http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Investing/Real_Estate/Resources/

Regards,
Scott Roemermann.

Received and awaiting review by an editor. All you can do now is to wait for that review, which could be anytime - 2 minutes to 2 years, there is no way of predicting. In the meantime check the category from time to time to see if it is listed. Thanks.

Editors

If there is such a wait for approval why is it so hard to become an editor. I have applied 3 times and been rejected for 3 different reasons.

You guys obviously need some help - so let us help.

I can't comment on the reasons why you were rejected but the metas don't reject applicants without good cause on a whim. All the answers, all of them, as to how to become an editor are contained within the DMOZ guidelines and in FAQs on this site, in great detail. If someone studies them in depth, applies them, appreciates the concepts behind DMOZ, and is completely candid and honest in their application then it is virtually impossible to be rejected. Anyone not willing to do that when they apply is likely to be a liability to the community and that can be very expensive for other editors. Help is always useful but it isn't the reason why people stay editors - they stay because they enjoy the experience and genuinely believe that what they are doing makes the Internet a better place.

I don't know what category you applied for but that is often the major problem. It is better to start off in a small non-commercial category, an interest or hobby related one, prove you are trustworthy, and then move on to bigger and more spam-prone commercial ones.

Please let me know the status of http://www.investing-secrets.com, submitted Jan 2005. I think I submitted to:
http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Invest...tate/Resources/
but have since learned that this category is under review.

Should I resubmit to another category such as:
http://www.dmoz.org/Business/Invest...n_and_Training/ ?

I don't understand how this second category can not have had any sites added to it in months when it has an editor assigned. I volunteered to edit this category because there is obviously a bottleneck but was denied (I guess because it already has an editor). But if they are not doing their job or need some help then surely someone else should be assigned as editor.

Please advise.
Scott Roemermann.

Please read the forum guidelines and our faq.
You must wait a minimum of 6 months between status requests.

Do not suggest the site to an other category. This could be seen as spam. This will very probably add more time before your site will be reviewed and the maximum punishement could be a bann of the site.

I don't understand how this second category can not have had any sites added to it in months when it has an editor assigned. I volunteered to edit this category because there is obviously a bottleneck but was denied (I guess because it already has an editor). But if they are not doing their job or need some help then surely someone else should be assigned as editor.

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The FAQ of the Becoming an Editor forum ( http://resource-zone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1289 ) has some information you might find interesting concerning the possible number of editors for a category.

But if they are not doing their job or need some help then surely someone else should be assigned as editor.

Click to expand...

If you are thinking of re-applying then this demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding about the role of editors (which might also feed into reasons for rejection to some degree - I don't know, I don't review editor applications, but it makes sense.

Editors don't do editing as a job, nor is it viewed internally ever as a job. It is a hobby, a pasttime, a spare time activity, to some a vocation, never a job. If it ain't a job then you can't not do your job. Pressure is never ever exerted on any editor to do more than they are able and willing happily to do - a single edit (which might not manifest itself as adding a site) every few months is the only requirement. And that single edit is greatly appreciated. If pressure from inside is taboo, pressure (in the form of comments such as "not doing their job") from submitters is intolerable.

Editors are not assigned to categories - they apply and if the meta editor thinks they can do the job then their application is approved. The application must come voluntarily from the editor and if approved the editor is free to do as much or as little as they want. No targets are set, no priorities, no directions, no discipline, no performance objectives. The only management activity that might be recognisable would be quality control on editing already undertaken.

If you are going to be a successful editor you have to get your head around the entire culture and principles that govern DMOZ. If you don't then your "help" can be more harmful than useful.

So

I don't understand how this second category can not have had any sites added to it in months when it has an editor assigned.

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When you do understand maybe you'll be ready to become an editor.

Well I find that very strange since I was applying with the intent of actually helping alleviate the obvious backlog of listing requests. One must wonder what an editors motivation is if they intend to edit only one listing every few months.

This community needs active editors and you tell me I'm not ready because I am more than willing to do the job that I volunteer to do!!?? Strange logic.

And I recognize it is not a job in the normal sense. But it is by all means a responsibility since it is something that person has volunteered to do. Substitute the word job with the word task if you like.


Nea, thanks for the useful information on the number of editors.

Scott.

I was applying with the intent of actually helping alleviate the obvious backlog of listing requests.

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That's a fair reason but by no means the only way of building up quality categories, as you will find out if you do join us. There is no obsession or pressure on clearing backlogs, most of which (in your area of interest) comprise largely of spam in any case. Backlogs don't bother editors, only submitters, who we do not exist to serve in any case.

This community needs active editors and you tell me I'm not ready because I am more than willing to do the job that I volunteer to do!!?? Strange logic.

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Active editors are good, editors who understand the concepts and principles of DMOZ are what is needed. We value the editor who, balancing their working and family lives, produces a single edit in three months, just as much as an editor with plenty of free time and who produces 250+ edits a week. We are intolerant of criticism of the former which is what you imply by "not doing their job". DMOZ is about quality not quantity. A single good edit (add, delete, modify) is worth 1000 poor edits done hastily because someone thinks it is important to reduce waiting sites.

But it is by all means a responsibility since it is something that person has volunteered to do.

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The responsibility is to do a single recordable edit every few months. That is all anyone signs up to do. Anything above that is considered a surplus. Most editors produce a surplus if and when they can and the project and community is grateful for each bonus edit. If you come in as an editor thinking and articulating a belief that editors who do less than you think is their responsibilty are somewhat lazy or neglectful of their responsibilities as you see them then you will not last more than a day or two.

There is an awful lot of learning to do as a new editor before the investment the community puts into helping you become a good editor pays off. That's why the selection process is, for some, quite tough.

As I said before, when you understand these sorts of thing then maybe then you are ready to become an editor. There are tens of thousands of webmasters and SEO specialists willing to "help" us with our backlogs, only those who understand the type of help we actually need and how that help would be delivered to assist in our objectives not their own, are worth accepting.

That sounds far more reasonable with the longer explanation. Thanks for taking the time to provide it.

Scott.

One way of demonstrating that you want to be an editor to assist in our objectives not your own is to apply for a category completely unrelated to your business interests and prove it whilst developing your skills as an editor to the level that a meta feels you are able to handle a spam-magnet with integrity and good judgement. It looks easy from the outside - from the inside dealing with spam magnets takes an awful lot of experience I can assure you.