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In 2001, a new type of permission was introduced to the ODP. We try in this article to explain the need for this new feature, what it is, the humans behind it, and the bright future that we expect from it.
The Need for Experienced Editors Focused in Certain Trees
Since the creation of the ODP, metas have played the most important role in its development. Until recently, metas were the only ones able to process new applications (requests for joining ODP) and new permissions (requests for new categories from existing editors). Thanks to their efforts, the community continued to grow, and more subcommunities wanted a special place inside the project.
One very active community requested support for people under 18 years. So a new top level category, Kids_and_Teens/, was introduced. This category has its own metas, in order to ensure proper leadership in this area. This was the first time that new types of permission were introduced. Kmeta, kcatmv and keditall are identical to their editmates from ODP, but their activity is restricted to Kids_and_Teens/.
Over time, other communities became more active, and requested special leadership. Metas started to notice such communities, and their special additional editing guidelines and rules. Some editors were observed to be natural leaders in these areas; they weren't interested in, and they didn't have a grasp of the whole directory. Their interest was limited to a specific category, and metas wanted to encourage them in order to push the community forward, and better develop it.
A special case was the World/ subcategories, in which editing is done in different languages from around the globe. Often, metas don't speak these languages, and it's difficult to evaluate new requests in these areas. Some editors were noticed as leaders, and their efforts in mentoring new editors, and dealing with community issues made metas believe that a new permission which would monitor these areas would be suitable.
So, the catmods were created.
CatMods - The Solution
For reasons outlined above, some "super editors" responsible for specific trees were appointed. These editors usually focused on specific areas before being appointed, and usually were, at the time of their appointment, highly experienced and highly active top level editors with large amounts of editing and reorganisation experience. The solution was the creation of this new category specific meta-lite role - the Category Moderator (catmod) role.
This role gives limited meta functions to these editors within their own categories, and editall/catmv functions within their categories only. This provides scope for a community leader role, someone who is devoted to the maintenance of their category and understands the specific issues - editing and ontological - as well as the editors in the category. They are here to be experts in their area - and they can help editors with resolving ontological problems, editing issues, as well as mentoring editors. To find them, try looking for the people listed with some categories, (not editall) catmv, meta in the meta-editor report - you'll find them between editalls/keditalls and metas/kmetas.
What CatMods can do
CatMods have a range of abilities that combine the meta and editall/catmv privileges. Whilst the category moderator guidelines and the Meta Editor FAQ give outlines about their powers, we'd like to comment on them.
At the moment, catmods can:
Perform editall/catmv functions within their catmod area. (The catmod area includes relevant Test/ categories).
This is basically what you would request in a rename thread, and is pretty self-explanatory. However, please note that we can't catmv stuff outside - or out of - our area. We can also turn on/off cooling, add URL, and become an editor (the generic "turn off the sign") functions. It really helps in reorgs within the area. However, we can't do it outside of our areas... so if we want a rename done elsewhere we need to ask for it like anyone else.
Newperms (and Newapps)
We can do newperms within the area, and we are bound to follow the same standards that metas are expected to follow. In addition, in World/ and Kids_and_Teens/International/, catmods have the power to evaluate newapps. This is because CatMods have often been appointed in areas where there is a lack of meta-editors with the ability to evaluate such newapps, and hence they have been given the power to do so. However, in English language categories, catmods are not allowed to evaluate newapps. [ed: This is no longer the case -- all catmods may now deal with newapps in their hierarchy.]
In order to be fully informed about abuse, as well as to deal with it, we have access to the Joint Meta Forum, colloquially known as jmeta. It is essential that we have somewhere to discuss editor-related issues away from everyone's eyes, and catmods are routinely involved in discussions related to editor abuse. Also, we have access to the profile note feature, which allows us to comment on editors and read comments by other metas and catmods.
Whilst we are involved in discussing editor abuse, the power to remove privileges and editors is reserved for metas. We can, however, issue dashboard warnings that you must acknowledge before you continue editing. A warning from a catmod holds the same weight as one from a meta, and it should be taken seriously - it is recorded for future reference by catmods and metas, as well as yourself.
We also have privileges to rebuild the forum search index and access to the blocklist - we may block abusive submitters from submitting newapps, sending feedback or adding sites to unreviewed.
The privileges above represent a subset of the privileges of a meta. Within the area, we have privileges that approach that of metas, and hence we often represent a meta-lite in areas such as World/ languages; however, we complement editall/catmv editors in that they would often assist in broader problems in editing. We act as experts in our areas, under the guidance of metas and working with metas and editalls/catmvs to ensure the smooth running of the tree that we moderate.
Personal impressions of catmods
The feedback of the editing community is very important for the ODP, and every important decision about the ODP is based on it. Therefore, we talked with several [ex-]catmods, and asked them to share with us their opinions about the functions of catmods.
Thanks to sthenbelle, mariosgr, pborer and krazor for accepting our invitations.
Q: What aspect of editing/community management would you consider to be most important as a catmod?
sthenbelle: There are two things I find equally important. The first is in keeping current and up to date on the discussions within the branch one is CatMod for. This includes forum discussions and re-orgs in progress. Secondly is the function of mentoring other editors and working to bring the editors within an area together.
mariosgr:
pborer: Communication with editors regarding the improvement of our directory, trying to lead them to better understanding of the spirit and principles of the ODP. It's important not to say just "Make it so!" or "Don't do this!" but also to discuss the background of the advice or instructions that a catmod gives.
krazor: I'd say the most important aspect is helping others, that way it becomes a team effort and accomplishes more.
Q: OK, so how different is that, say, from being top level editors? (you have all been editing at that level before getting catmod).
mariosgr: It's almost twice as hard, twice as complicated and has 1000% more responsibilities (approvals, catmvs etc). I think that all top level editors should really be 100% sure before accepting to become catmods. I am glad I had 'Belle to help me understand what catmod stands for.
pborer: Of course, a catmod's advice has more weight, since the communication often happens in the context of newperm requests. Doing these, and the new editor applications, is also a very important and time-consuming job, there are so many for World/Deutsch/ - I, as a catmod, can't take care of them all, and rely on german-speaking metas to do some.
krazor: CatMod requires a different level of responsibility; you're expected to take more of a leadership role and mentor newer editors. One difference is that top level editors get to have more of a personal opinion, I guess you could say, where catmods should make decisions for the betterment of the directory regardless of personal opinions.
Q: So, krazor, are you saying that top level editors can get involved in friendly and personal relationships with editors, but catmods must reject this in order to act impartially when evaluating requests and looking for abuse?
krazor: Well, catmods should be friendly, but also authorative. Personal relationships shouldn't have any bearing on how they handle their responsabilities.
Q: In looking at applications and catmvs, what do you consider your role to be? Controlling abuse? Quality check? Mentoring? Or?
mariosgr: All of them. Let me make a priority list. For me Quality and Abuse are in the top. Mentoring comes with apps (I believe that we start the mentoring for every editor when we approve them.) catmvs, re-orgs and editing in general follows, although in World/Greek/ the re-org is up till now the most important that's for me.
sthenbelle: Quality control, mentoring, and motivating. I find most editors really want to be good editors and enjoy contributing to the project. Many do not come to the forums or are overwelhmed by the vast amount of information they find by providing a point of contact, giving assistance when needed, and introducing them to other editors we see great things happen. Of course, this is a lot of work for one person and is part of why the Welcome Wagon committee was created (please note shameless plug for the Welcome Wagon)
pborer: Quality control and mentoring. Blatant abuse doesn't seem to be a very common issue in World/Deutsch/; it's more often laziness, unwillingness to learn some rules. I haven't issued an official editor warning as yet but I know some editors that will need one in the near future, I'm afraid.
Q: So does being catmod change the amount of regular editing that you do?
mariosgr: Certainly. Becoming a catmod, my regular editing was reduced a lot. Approx. 80%. I spent most of my time in catmvs, mentoring, re-orgs. I have to look over 18 editors, check when they were last online, what they did.
pborer: Oh yes, it does! Often I've not done any regular editing for several days whilst reviewing newperms/newapps and doing move/rename requests.
krazor: After the promotion, I didn't do nearly as much with unreviewed sites as I did previously. I spent more time on ontological issues and trying to help in the forums.
Q: How do, or, did, you relate to metas and editalls in your area as a catmod? Did you find them helpful?
mariosgr: Actually my supevising meta was Belle... and of course you know Belle. She is really helpful (she got an award). Catmods actually are half without metas' help. I kind of think of catmods as metas' children. Mmmm... if being a line editor is being a child... then being catmod is like being a teen.
sthenbelle: I found them extremely helpful; without the guidance of the meta community, I do not think the CatMod role would be as successful as it is. While catmods are specialists in their nodes, the metas are the real "experts" on the directory. I think of them as junior metas (or that is how I thought of myself while serving as the Regional/ CatMod)
pborer: I frequently communicate with them via ICQ and e-mail. Since catmods now can do most things a meta is able to do in "his" part of the directory, we have a very similar role in many cases - but the metas form the link to the "big" meta community, and often I have to ask them questions like: "How do we handle this issue, or this?" I'm still feeling quite new as a catmod. And, of course, there are the various little things a catmod can't do: moving categories out of editors' bookmarks, adding links in other parts of the directory, and the like.
krazor: I couldn't give a detailed answer on that; there was only one, somewhat active editall in Games/ at that time. That's why I got catmod only having been an editor for five months. During my time as catmod there were very few editalls and enarra was the only active Games/ meta. I'd have to say she was helpful, especially for her mentorship. :)
Q: So how would you consider the role of catmod? How does it complement the role of the editalls from the area?
sthenbelle: Catmods and editalls work together just as editalls and metas work together. An editall has a different focus than a catmod. Editalls are familiar with and work throughout the directory. Catmods focus on one node. IMHO, catmods, editalls, and metas have unique attributes that suit each editor's skills and interests.
krazor: I think catmods were a step in the right direction, they're extremly helpful in World/ categories and provide editors like I was an opportunity to take a different route from the then conventional editall path.
Q: Were any problems regarding the catmod function?
sthenbelle: After the initial shockwave of what comes with being a CatMod, I felt very comfortable working with everyone
Q: Do you consider there to be a problem with CatMods being posessive over their areas?
pborer: There seems to be at least traces of possessiveness ... but I think it's not a big problem. CatMods of smaller World/ cats may be eager to do some work and be a little bit frustrated if there are only a few newapps/newperms to do - and a meta has already taken care of some of them ... but this seems to be only a kind of initial problem. In World/Deutsch/, of course, every help is very appreciated.
Q: Did the catmod function change the way in which you looked at the ODP?
mariosgr: To tell you the truth, becoming catmod made me realise my responsibilities and my "position" inside the ODP community.
krazor: I suppose it did, although maybe not in the way it would for most catmods, considering I was still quite new at the time. It made me see other editors and thier roles more clearly than I had before.
Q: Krazor, you are in an unique position to see the common things and the differences between editalls and catmods. You are the only one which was promoted to editall, after been catmod for a limited period. How can you comment on this? Does every editor has an attitude and a style of editing which is suitable for either editall or catmod, or there are people who can do both of them?
krazor: Well, some of the differences are what you would expect. I would generally say that editalls do more editing, while catmods review new permissions and look for possible abuse. Some editors are more suited to one than the other, just depending on the editor. There are, thankfully, those suited for both, otherwise the list of metas would be much shorter. :)
What other people think about them
We've asked two editors, jopi and kizz, what they think about the catmod function. We specially selected jopi because we wanted to find out how the catmod role influenced the World/Netherlands/ community. jorisdelft was catmod for this area, and has since been promoted to meta. Jopi was very nice to comment on a catmod's impact on World/Netherlands.
Before Joris, pipvis was the meta who spoke the language, and handled requests for new responsibilities. Joris's appoiment as a catmod in that area provided, in a way, a new spokesperson for the Netherlands editors.
When asked whether the limitation of catmod functions to one node is an advantage or not, jopi declared that it's an advantage for the catmods, because they can focus in only one tree, even if, in this way, they don't have a grasp and a big picture for the whole directory.
Jopi likes the new function, and thinks it's a perfect position in the ODP world. "I'd suggest that metas should be first catmods, in order to get used to a limited set of privs. ... If I would ever be meta, I'd sure love to have catmod first in order to get used to its features". In fact, in several places, catmods are called lite-metas, because they have limited meta functions in their nodes.
Asked about the role of catmods, kizz declared that, for him, catmods didn't have a great impact on his editing. He still finds metas the most important contact points for him, and that includes newwave and enarra.
Looking towards the future
Are things going to change? Will catmods became primary points of contact for editors from all ODP areas? We don't know yet the answers to that and to many questions, but one thing is sure: metas will always keep their role as guides for the community, and they will help with the development of ODP, including this new function. The catmod role is still been revised, and we try to analyse issues and suggestions in order to make the catmod experience more useful and interesting for ODP. We hope to find a bright future in ODP for this type of permission.