Since every business requires some quality standards and someone to see they are enforced. From all I have read Ezine Articles is very good at this and constantly improving. We now have a very growth oriented mastermind alliance here and as that grows, there will never be any growth stability. Staff becomes more and more driven, more and more help is hired and accelerated growth only stops when someone pulls the proverbial plug. Until that happens there is much good too be done.

Yes, I agree – “hiding to nothing” time and an open invitation for abuse.

Ed:

The argument put forward by my erstwhile friend, was that by “exposing” sub-standard work, I would in effect be helping to raise standards.

However, my own view, which is in line with your own, is that the argument is flawed in as much as any opinion can only be subjective: What I might consider to be uninteresting or poorly written, someone else might enjoy.

I tend to apply the F.I.P formula to most things in life and reading other authors work is no different i.e.

Was it Fun – did I enjoy reading it?
Was it Interesting – did I learn anything?
Was it Profitable – in terms of the time I have invested in reading it.

If the answer is Yes often enough, I will look out for those authors’ submissions.

I haven’t got as far as Lance yet and created a “favourite author” list but I will as soon as I have a little more time, because I know I can learn a lot.

I think that all Community/Directory chiefs would be shooting themselves in the foot if they ever contemplated becoming “quality police” Quantity will always be “King” not unaturally – let the readers/visitors determine what is good and what is dross.

YES… posting the worse.. is a terrible idea and asking for major trouble. I can’t even begin to imagine the problems that would come up by doing that. Ewww!

An RSS expert author worth tracking is Rok from Slovenia: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rok_Hrastnik

He hasn’t posted any new articles in a while, but he does a very good job at going deep on RSS from a laymans viewpoint… especially if you’re into marketing/metrics and not the tech side of RSS.

A friend of mine has a customer complaint website.

I think he’s nuts for having it as it invites libel, slander, lawsuits, etc.

He views it as his way of helping people to avoid being ripped off.

This sort of site only works when it’s owned by someone who has nothing to lose as it’s an enemy creator.

Life is short. Make friends, not war… etc.

This weekend a cyber friend and I discussed a hearsay consumer site. A public testimonial directory and archive. And a Complaint department. One who suggestets publishing a worst of list has not thought it through. Who in their right mind would want the job?

Thought I’d let you know that today’s edition of the SitePro Newsletter gives a six point plan on how to inplement your own RSS feed:
http://www.sitepronews.com/archives/2007/jan/24.html

Hope that’s not too off-topic!

David

You are very persuasive! I have “kicked” the idea around for a couple of days, brain-stormed it, white-boarded it, even produced a consequential analysis and objectively, it works. The time issue really is critical but I am certain I can coerce some of my generous staff to assist me from time to time.

Subjectively, it also feels right as it produces so many “wins” for an awful lot of people.

I will open preliminary discussions next week and see how far we get. It will need support from several key communities/directories etc but I do believe that endorsement will be forthcoming as they have so much to gain and it will not be a competitive initiative – in fact totally the opposite.

At the end of the day, I would not want to stray very far away from my existing “preferred” list when selecting winners.

Finally, something you should know: It was suggested that as well as selecting the best articles every week/month/quarter/year, I should also select the worst!!

I hope I could never, ever be that unkind or arrogant.

OK, that is the news.

Jonathan

Who knows… maybe one ‘right’ person heard me and sometimes that is all it takes… right?

Radio info: http://www.artistfirst.com

??

I am actually a ‘rule follower” and fret and worry when I break the rules. Maybe that is what sparked me to write so much when the 10 rules were posted for EA…ha ha!

YAY Jonathan!! About “hosting” a “Business Article Of The Week” section. So darn cool!

I think it is all about stiring up the creative energy sometimes. Next thing you know that buzz you thought you heard is a huge swarm bringing in the honey.