Curious about DMOZ "corporate structure"

[Marcia]

I'm familiar with corporations where a person reports to someone, who reports to another, who reports to another, on up - pecking order, or chain of command. This is also the case with very large online communities, which also have well-defined structures.

Is this the case in a volunteer-based organization like ODP? Does a volunteer editor report to someone, who reports to someone else, etc.?

I'm kind of curious about the accountablity factor in such a large volunteer-based organization.

[skibum]

Dmoz seems to be based more on trust than anything else. Editors often work together placing sites, re-organizing the directory. The checks and balances come into play when someone steps out of line. In every single category numerous editors have the capability to make changes. Top level editors can edit and correct anything anywhere. One only makes it to the top or gains additional categories areter demonstrating an increased proficiency, and adherance to guidelines over time.

[kfander]

As long as an editor is editing in conformance with the guidelines, and with common sense, s/he is given a great deal of independence.

[Brett_Tabke]

Is the agreement that was made with AOL's Netscape available online?

[Laisha]

>Is the agreement that was made with AOL's Netscape available online?

I don't know that there was a specific "agreement." Netscape agreed to fund ODP a couple of months before Netscape was bought by AOL. There are press releases

From what I understand, the existence of ODP was totally irrelevant to AOL. They just got it along with the rest of the deal.