How I curate posts in the Steem Links Community
Hello Steem Linkers,
For general guidance when posting to the Steem Links Community, see the pinned post: How to Create Awesome Steem Links.
Pixabay License: Source
Beyond that, however: Since this community is a little different from most of Steem's communities, I thought maybe it would be helpful for me to post my own "thought process" when I curate posts in this community.
Following these guidelines won't guaranty my upvote to anyone, but it will probably make it more likely. My goal is to encourage the quick exchange of knowledge with little cognitive effort to be required from readers. To accomplish that, here is a rough description of the decision making steps that I go through 2 or 3 times per week, when I curate the posts in this community:
Step 1.) Set baseline voting percentage, generally between 20-50%, depending on how many posts are waiting to be reviewed.
Step 2.) Evaluate each post for the following and adjust the voting percentage up or down (usually, but not always in increments of 5%):
Upward adjustments
- Interesting/surprising headline
- Informative and brief excerpt.
- Does the link work?
- Does the link connect to a recent (or otherwise surprising) article?
- Is the topic relevant to current events or large numbers of people?
- Is the hosting web site credible?
- A short addition of original commentary or discussion questions by the Steem Linker.
- Inclusion of an embedded YouTube video from the source articles
- Is it the first link posted on a topic?
Downward adjustments
- Excerpt is too long (No hard and fast rule, but generally two paragraphs is pushing it and more than two paragraphs is too much.)
- Article is old (with certain exceptions for exceptionally surprising information. Here is an example of an old article that I would still consider surprising: This Black-and-White Photo Uses Color Grid Lines to Trick Your Brain)
- Linked web site is referenced by many posts
- Non-English post with no translation (Sorry, but English is the only language I know, so I can't curate other languages effectively.)
- Redundant links on the same topic.
- High volume of posts by a single author
- Links to "sketchy" web sites (as determined by me)
Zero votes
- Missing / broken link
- Embedded Youtube videos with no explanatory text
- Missing "blockquotes" to indicate excerpted content
Step 3.) Submit votes to blockchain in order from highest -> lowest voting percentages
This is off the top of my head, so might not include everything, but hopefully it gives a decent overview. What other factors do you think a curator should consider in this community?
Thank you for all that you continue to do for Steem Links, Steve!!! I have been missing in action because I have decided to dedicate more time, energy and resources to DTube. My strong point and passion has always been for smartcasting. DTube has also implemented the ability to publish on multiple blockchains (DTube, STEEM, HIVE and BLURT). The downside is that I cannot choose the community to post in, as it is automatically set to the DTube Community.
I've also created DLinks, which is DTube's version of Steem Links, only I get to add my thoughts and opinions in smartcast form.
If DTube were to add a blogging feature, I believe it could surpass the other platforms, but I do not believe they will as it defeats the purpose of being a video sharing app.
This is great!
Makes me think a checklist tool might be a really helpful tool for Steem Linkers! I've wanted to build a tool for generating a post (especially useful for mobile, if I could do it), amd maybe this would be a good iteration on top of an MVP.
I used Netbeans to build a rudimentary java/Swing form up to the point where I can fill out the fields and generate the markdown/html code and copy/paste it into the web browser.
Next step is to figure out how to post it through the API. Not sure what's involved in that...
That's great!
I tried making a simple java program the other day with the same objective in mind. And I got stuck not knowing how to run the compiler. It was an IDE I've never used before, and I must be missing something. I've used Netbeans before though. Maybe I should get back to that instead of trying something new.
Not sure if you saw it yet, but I just posted yesterday about my work with Java from this week. I started with Eclipse, but fell back to Netbeeans.
I saw it now. It's great! Nice work on the program, too.
I've used both Eclipse and NetBeans before, and I remember NetBeans feeling easier to use as a beginner.
A generating tool with a checklist would definitely be useful. I have been thinking about trying to put together a simple java or python desktop app for my own use that could build and submit a post with six fields:
Eventually, such an app could be updated to make use of Open Graph in order to auto-populate some of those fields. It wouldn't be immediately useful for mobile use, though. You're right that this is most important there, but unfortunately, I know almost nothing about developing for mobile.
Something else that might be useful would be a "sharing service". In TheOldReader.com, they have a "Send To" option that lets you share links from your RSS feed in TheOldReader to other platforms, and it even has a way to configure sharing to your own preferred services (these and others).
How cool would it be to just do "Send To -> Steem", enter our own commentary and then let the sharing service worry about pulling the image, web site name, and excerpt from the "Open Graph" fields?
This is the guide needed by a steemlinker like me. When I post on steemlink, I sometimes like to quote from the web a bit long, I'm worried that citing too short can make people not understand or lazy to comment.
I like the #steemlinker community, lots of actual posts, interesting for discussion and something new.
What becomes more interesting to be involved here is that everyone involved in the discussion will get rewards. This is something unique and distinctive.
I want to be more involved, but because I'm not good at English sometimes I don't dare to comment, because I'm embarrassed if I'm wrong.
Thanks for the reply!
I'm glad the guide looks useful for you. Finding the right quote length is tricky. Basically the idea is to stimulate discussion here and give people enough information so that they can decide whether or not they want to click through to the source link to learn more.
I can understand your hesitance about commenting in English. I've been trying to learn German, but I have the same hesitation about joining in German language discussions here. I guess the best way to learn is to force oneself to participate, but it's definitely not easy to do that. Eventually, it might be good to have "Steem Links" communities in multiple languages, when there are enough people and curators here to support it.
Hello @remlaps, my opinion is: a curator must take into account the activity of people, the interaction with others, I have analyzed, and reputation marks your work, for example, my wallet does not match my reputation , I hope you understand me, it is more important to be present daily, than to be seen on some occasions
I want to ask you something please how can I change vote value power that is between 0 and 100 when I upvote sir?
I think the option to control voting percentage becomes visible in Steemit when the account goes above 500 SP. Until then, I don't think it's possible unless you want to make use of programming/developer tools.
So when I have 500 on SP I CAN CONTROL THEM AND HOW THAT HAPPEN?
Yes, after you get to 500 SP (or somewhere around there), you'll start seeing a slider when you vote, and you can use that to set the percentage.
Very important thanks for helping me 😊 and also thanks for your support 😊 I just made introducing post if you want to know me it's pleasure
Hello @remlaps, without mentioning what you have been doing which is very great and helpful to everyone one in this community. Honestly I most say you have been trying so hard to make sure that anyone that posted in #steemlinks community get to be curated by you no matter how big or small the vote is, is still someone that will motive one to feel reluctant in this community. Therefore to this I sincerely thank you for your massive support. Opinion I think it will be best for #steemlinks community to start having @booming support at least twice in a week.