There are restrictions
imposed on who can become an ODP editor. The primary
gatekeeping mechanism is an editor application process
wherein editor candidates demonstrate their editing
abilities, disclose affiliations that might pose a conflict
of interest, and otherwise give a sense of how the applicant
would likely mesh with the ODP culture and mission.
A majority of applications are rejected, but reapplying
is allowed and sometimes encouraged. Unfortunately,
the tendency of rejecting apparently qualified editor
candidates for trivial reasons results in many categories
and subcategories going without editors for long periods
of time.
Editing model:
ODP's editing model
is a hierarchical one. Upon becoming editors, individuals
will generally have editing permissions in only a small
category. Once they have demonstrated basic editing
skills in compliance with the Editing Guidelines, they
are welcome to apply for additional editing privileges,
in either a broader category, or in a category elsewhere
in the directory. Mentorship relationships between editors
are encouraged, and internal forums provide a vehicle
for new editors to ask questions.
ODP has its own internal
forums, the contents of which are intended only for
editors to communicate with each other primarily about
editing topics. Access to the forums requires an editor
account, and editors are expected to keep the contents
of these forums private.
Editing guidelines:
All ODP editors are
expected to abide by ODP's Editing Guidelines. These
guidelines describe editing basics: what types of sites
may be listed and which may not; how site listings should
be titled and described in a loosely consistent manner;
conventions for the naming and building of categories;
conflict of interest limitations on the editing of sites
which the editor may own or otherwise be affiliated
with; and a code of conduct within the community. Editors
who are found to have violated these guidelines may
be contacted by staff or senior editors, have their
editing permissions cut back, or lose their editing
privileges entirely. ODP Guidelines are periodically
revised after discussion in editor forums.
Site submissions:
One of the original motivations for forming Gnuhoo/Newhoo/ODP
was the frustration that many people experienced in getting
their sites listed on Yahoo! Directory. However Yahoo! has
since implemented a paid service for timely consideration
of site submissions. That lead has been followed by many
other directories. Some accept no free submission at all.
By contrast the ODP has maintained its policy of free site
submissions for all types of site — the only one of
the major general directories to do so.
One result has been a gradual divergence between the ODP
and other directories in the balance of content. The pay-for-inclusion
model favours those able and willing to pay, so commercial
sites tend to predominate in directories using it. Whereas
a directory manned by volunteers will reflect the aims and
interests of those volunteers. The ODP lists a high proportion
of informational and non-profit sites.
Another consequence of the free submission policy is that
the ODP has enormous numbers of submissions. The ODP now
has approximately two million unreviewed submissions, in
large part due to spam and incorrectly submitted sites.
So the average processing time for a site submission has
grown longer with each passing year. However the time taken
cannot be predicted, since the variation is so great: a
submission might be processed within hours or take several
years.
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