I've been asked to write a few words on the Mozzies, though Lord knows why, it isn't as if I am very good at writing. But when the Official Chief Mozzilator calls you must respond. A "few" words might be optimistic though.

Perhaps this articles should be called Mozzies: the Rise and Rise of a Promising Editor, charting my rapid elevation through Runner Up Best New Editor through to Best Regional Editor, Best Editall and onwards and upwards with even more rapid progression via Most Long-Winded to Most Peculiar (aka Funniest). And in all those contests polling a total of just 4 people who would like to meet me in person, and that includes two people I've known for years.

What are these Mozzies? A bit of fun or serious motivational tool or a pat on the back, recognition for a job well done. Or maybe a popularity contest. Nah, I wouldn't win anything if that were the case. Maybe a who shouts loudest contest. There is probably some truth in that, there are few editors nominated outside the World categories I don't know of via the forums, and quite a number of World editors too. I think it likely that had I not ventured into the forums and posted my first post, first post anywhere in any forum by the way, and remained quietly in the background editing away my efforts would have gone completely unnoticed, at least Mozzie-wise. Maybe a nomination for best stealth editor in 2004. If that is the case, and I truly believe it is, maybe they should be treated as just a bit of fun amongst the noisy forum posters. But I think there is something to be said for them as a motivator and recognition tool. At least to begin with. Perhaps they are what they mean to you personally at whatever stage you are at as an editor. Personally I enjoy nominating people and this time around, saying why. It was probably a good job that Most Evil Meta was a self-nomination or I would have nominated lisagirl for hogging all the chocolates.

It is a debate we should have though. Do these Mozzie awards motivate you, or are they just a bit of fun? For me, and many others, the suspicion is that they are just a little too official and too serious at times. Particularly since turnout at less than 5% even of active editors is pretty poor even by modern democracy standards. Here's an idea for next time - mandatory voting with a penalty of 1000 edits if you fail to register a ballot. Having said that, there is no doubt a lot of hard (and serious) work involved in organising and managing the contest. But my decision to lower the tone, some might say as far as the gutter, by running a commentary throughout, was motivated by a desire to lighten the mood at little. And of course seal the result of Most Long-Winded beyond doubt - that category at least is a serious business. But boy was that hard work, trying to find something vaguely interesting and slightly libelous to say daily(ish), balancing it finely with the desire not to be evicted from my editorship for uncovering the secret lives of the rich and famous. I hope it provided some mild amusement to some, didn't offend others too much, and encouraged voting rather than put people off. And mapfan is back at home now, all charges dropped.

Well some things were proven. Open voting seems to make no difference whatsoever. Dead certs at the start didn' t win everything in sight and some were trounced well and truly. Except in Long-Winded of course but then was that ever in any doubt? The Glittering Ball went down well despite its location in a small suburb of Brussels, and Gina Barbados hasn't emerged from her Holiday Inn Express room even now. Most people are happy with their haul from the Shopping Editors' Supporters' Gift Catalogs.

Overall I think the Mozzies remain a welcome diversion from routine editing - look at my logs, I didn't do one edit throughout most of the process. You have to face it, sometimes the serious discussions get very boring indeed with pages of posts over the interpretation of a single word in a category name and such like. Sometimes we need to remember that no matter how serious the overall task we edit to enjoy ourselves and mingle with like-minded souls. Some light relief doesn't go astray.

Another benefit to the Mozzies is to highlight new talent some of us may have noticed and some may not have noticed. The likes of our new esteemed Best New Editor. And some surprises all over the place, editors I have never heard of before, even a meta I had never heard of, scoring highly. Congratulations go to them all, especially the new faces amongst the nominations, runners up, and winners. But don't let it go to your head! It is just a bit of fun after all! Or is it?

I am not sure why the powers that be asked me to write this - except they had space to fill, and I can fill space that's for sure. Though how much will get through the censor I don't know. You would have thought they would want the Most Sensible Editor to write a piece rather than little old me. I am not even sure what I should be writing about! Anyway the season has ended and the candidates are already preparing hard for the next ones later in the year. I have a skeleton key for the Holiday Inn Express and will be joining Gina as soon as I have emailed this article. The Admins have all returned to their bunker under Yosemite, and the metas are saddled up and back on the trail of miscreants. Except for a certain cute lady who is finishing off all the leftover chocolates first. Editalls are currently preparing themselves for war over which is the best Sim game, and editors are doing what editors do, editing. Heroes all and long may that remain so.

DMOZ Free Press is looking for sponsors for the next season of Mozzies so any corrupt editors wanting to advertise their services are welcome to submit their details via the Report Abuse link on their dashboard, which I have borrowed specifically for the purpose.

- oneeye