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I know there are DMOZ editors here, and I ask you if this is a slip up, or should I just keep shooting in the dark until I find a category that needs help?
Will
Good luck, and if you really believe in it, follow your belief to help the web.
looking for people to start out in very small cats to train in
That makes a lot of sense.
Keep applying - I've heard stories of getting denied, over & over, till finally getting accepted at DMOZ as an editor.
I guess I will keep shooting darts until I get in. I still think it might help DMOZ to make this a touch easier for those who really want to help.
Thanks!
Will
Will
From reading your messages I get an impression that you never received a rejection indicating why your application was declined?
When you submit your application you should receive a confirmation email that you must reply to. If you did not receive this message (and respond) your application was never added to the queue. You may not have received this message for variuos reasons, your submission failed, ISP mail filter.
Be sure to keep a copy of your application as suggested, it may save you some grief if your application doesn't go through.
I'm guessing that most applicants should receive either an acceptance or rejection within 3 to 4 weeks.
From reading your messages I get an impression that you never received a rejection indicating why your application was declined?
No, I did get a rejection notice, stating that the category was full. I am used to rejection notices, as I am a hack writer on the side. :)
I did not reply directly to that auto-sender but to the feedback.cgi form. It was from the feedback that I did not receive the reply.
I think I have a good plan of action now.
1. I found a small cat to apply as an editor.
2. I will continue to submit to small cats until I am accepted.
3. Thank everyone for their advice.
Will
I'm curious about what your rejection e-mail really said. In my 4+ years as a dmoz meta editor, I've never heard of an applicant being told that a category was "full." ;)
I suspect that the message you got was one that is usually sent to an applicant who would be likely to be accepted as an editor, except that the category requested is one that is deemed (either temporarily or permanently) to be too problematic for a new editor, typically because it is large, has a complex structure, or is currently undergoing reorganization.
I did this and am still awaiting a response, with all the recent server problems at dmoz I may resubmit just in case there's been a screw up.
My point is that I believe that dmoz wants more editors and if you submit to the right category with the correct reasons for wanting to join they will give you advice to help you to get in if it does not represent a threat to the editor that reviews your application.
The notice stated that there were enough editors for the category. The cat was Astronomy. Might have been just a case of me in my ignorance trying to bite off more then I could chew, and an editor finding a nice way to let me off the hook. It was suggested that I try a different cat. The original notice has since been archived, compressed, and stored with many other emails. I am sorry I can't give you more detail, but I do have a good plan to try again soon.
Thanks!
Will
The main Astronomy category is much too large for a new editor. If you know of three sites that would be good addition to Astronomy/Galaxies/Active_Galactic_Nuclei_-_Quasars/ or even Astronomy/Galaxies/, those seem more appropriate for a new editor. Of course, you still have to find good sites and write a decent application, but ODP isn't going to be "full" if you bring good sites to a reasonably sized category with a decently written application.
I think I understand now what happened. I definitely tried to jump in to a cat that was higher then I could swim through. The "notice" did look a bit personalized, or tweaked as you say. From my memory, the term Full was used, but possibly, not in the context I had assumed. I could be wrong; it has been known to happen. After learning more about the system, and the process of editorial selection, I believe I have found a nice niche cat inside of the science, which should be small enough for me to get my feet wet. I understand that there are going to be server-side issues this next week, and that any application I submit will have to wait. Frankly, I think that is just fine, as I have to do some real digging to find three sites on this subject that are quality. I look forward to helping with the project, and putting my ample free time to good use.
Will
