DMOZ, BOTW, and Beyond

Lately I feel like the spit-bucket boy, accidentally caught in the middle of the ring between to prize fighters. Its not a place thats very comfortable to be in, for sure. Most of the problems IMO are based on mis-conceptions and confusion between the two directories. Some of it is real, but a lot of it is imagined. Here I sit (along with several others) straddling the fence of both worlds and not necessarily feeling at home on either side anymore.

Some (not all) DMOZ editors have a problem with BOTW editors participating on both sides. They have some legitimate concerns, but concerns are not facts and I have seen nothing that justifies the concerns thus far. Contrary to popular belief, its not the highest levels that have the most heated opinions on the subject. Often times its below the Meta level and sometimes it Meta+. There is absolutely nothing wrong IMO with anyone, at any level of DMOZ wanting to contribute at BOTW so long as you are maintaining the ODP Guidelines with regards to actions and communications. This is something that has been stressed at BOTW the entire time, don’t conflict yourself with DMOZ or any other resource you are using to build that directory. As DMOZ editors we need to just let it go, its not threatening our existence and its not stealing our best editors away. In fact, our animosity in a lot of cases is driving the good ones away.

On the flip-side, not all fault lies within DMOZ. Many of us joining BOTW are doing so out of both curiosity and also because of diminished personal satisfaction from editing in DMOZ. Whether its frustration with the direction (or lack there of) of the project, hurt feelings for believing we have been taken for granted, or whatever. I have seen some references to DMOZ being evil or the true bad guys in this. Sometimes I feel like I am viewed as just being a fly on the wall and even though the staff and management have all been extremely sincere at making me feel welcomed, I sometimes feel like the third wheel. Someone who is not really welcome on the playground. I hold no ill will towards anyone on either side, I know that its human nature in a lot of cases like this and perhaps naively believe its not as it seems. I just wish we could all just drop it and move on. Those of us who want and are invited to play in both sandboxes, shouldn’t be getting grief from either side. Nor should we be pressing buttons and taking pot shots back and forth because of it either.

I think we can both co-exist and we should be able to do so and get along at the same time. I have stated this elsewhere, but if someone doesn’t feel I personally still belong on one side or the other by all means let me know and let the management know. If I can’t be trusted to do whats right and whats good, then I don’t deserve to be associated with either side. I hope that I have continued to prove that is not the case and that I won’t stand by idly and allow the integrity of either (any) project suffer because of my actions or inactions.

• I have contributed to DMOZ now for almost 4 years (next month will be my 4th birthday).
• I have over the last couple of years and to my knowledge still can, contribute to JoeAnt.
• I have contributed information and opinions to Resource-Zone and Digital Point (also opposite ends of the spectrum)
• I have contributed to various other forums related to DMOZ and sites.
• I have edited a few minor problems at Wikipedia (although, not enough to remember which ones or where)
• And now I am choosing to give a little time to BOTW.

All of these things are similar in topic and all of them give me a certain amount of personal satisfaction and enjoyment in their own ways. There is no reason to think less of anyone for choosing to participate in one or more of these or any other projects. If you don’t like one, thats fine its your choice and opinion. Feel free to keep it to yourself though, unless its really a concern supported with evidence (such as abuse) and then by all means scream it from the highest mountain. Then send me a message about it, so I can scream it as well. No one wants that and as far as I know, both (all) sides are working hard to combat and remove the results of such actions.

Please be kind and respectful of everyone.

Fed Up With Doctors and Medications

Completely non-ODP related. Just needing to vent some frustrations. I have been struggling to loose weight, control type-2 diabetes, boost good Cholesterol (whatever that is ), and correct an under-active thyroid for several years now. About a year ago my doctor (if you can call him that) put me on two new meds in addition to my Thyroid medicine that had actually been making me feel 100% better and that I had been on for the previous couple of years.

The two new meds were for boosting good cholesterol and the other for helping my blood-sugar (diabetes). The later of the two has not been much of a problem, but the ‘cholesterol pill’ has caused me nothing but headaches. The common side effect is a ‘flushing of the skin’ a couple of hours after taking it. In fact I get what can only be described as a sensation of being sun-burnt over my entire body. Very uncomfortable at night, which is when it was recommended I take it. I struggled with that for 6 months.

About 6 months ago, I was given yet another medication. This fourth med is supposedly required by my insurance to protect my kidneys from the diabetes. This is the worst of the bunch. Its side effect is chronic dry cough, which I have suffered with for 6 months now. I take this one in the morning, but its near impossible to sleep - up all night coughing. The last year has been sleep deprived, misery for me. I bet I only average about 6 hours of sleep at night, broken in half by waking with a cough fit every few hours.

On a positive note, I have lost nearly 50 lbs in the last year and am more active than I have been years. My favorite past times - hiking, hunting, and sport shooting/archery have become increasingly easier to enjoy. However I feel like utter crap most of the time now, and I am convinced that it is either the last medicine or a combination of the last three thats doing it. Today is no exception.

I gave my semi-annual blood test deposits yesterday. Received the wonderful news today that after 6 months of all these new medicines, loosing more weight, and suffering through the side effects, that my ‘numbers’ are all worse than before! I am so fed up at this point, I can’t express it. I am scheduled to see the doctor later this week, and at this point I am set to tell him to take his medicine and put it where the sun doesn’t shine. My wife may argue, but I can’t see where suffering through them is been anything positive. If he doesn’t change things, I will by flushing the rest of these ‘new’ meds down the toilette.

Ok, thats my rant for the day. You can now be returned to your regularly scheduled programming.

Farewell To A Great Editor

My good friend makrhod recently wrote :

“Yesterday I made the huge decision to resign from the Open Directory Project where I have volunteered thousands of hours of my leisure time over the last 4 and a half years. It was part of my daily life, and the people I met from all over the world made it an intense and enriching experience. I would encourage anyone to give it a go, so here’s a more detailed guide to becoming an editor.”

makrhod is a good friend, one of my mentors, a great teacher, a great editor, and a trusted advisor. Her presence in the directory will be greatly missed. Each day she remains an ODP civilian, this project looses. To those who don’t value her contributions: Piss off.