This handbook details how curators review websites
to include or exclude them from The Wild Wild Web directory.
There are billions of web pages served by millions of domains
on the web, but only a fraction of them are really awesome
because, when you visit them, you have a good time, you learn
something new, and you feel more connected with the world and
other people.
As a curator, your objective is to fill this directory with those
awesome websites that deserve to be visited and given attention to.
It's hard to describe such websites but let's try it anyway,
because it's important to have a baseline, a set of rules that we
can apply, or occasionally bend.
So... what is an awesome website ?
MUST be written in English.
English is the lingua franca of the web, and this directory
aims to reach as many people as possible with it.
MUST be moderated.
Any website that lets its users generate content must be moderated
to remove offensive content, hate speech, extremist views, etc.
MUST offer free content for anonymous users.
The website may have a restricted access (login) but it needs
to have content which is accessible to anonymous users. The
majority of the content must be accessible freely, without
a paywall.
MUST be non-political.
Unfortunately, politics is very hard to do correctly on the web.
It is often divisive and brings the worst emotions out of people.
We prefer websites that steer clear of politics.
MUST be non-religious.
Faith can be a divisive subject, like politics. A website that
writes about multiple religions in a historical/analytical manner
is OK, but websites about personal faith is NOT.
MUST be decent.
The web is really a wild place, and despite the fact this website
is called "The Wild Wild Web", we won't accept websites that
are harmful, hateful, heinous, etc.
MUST be SFW (Safe For Work).
The website must be viewable in a work environment.
No gore, porn, profanity, etc.
MUST NOT be redundant / slop.
A typical example is a news site that spits an endless stream
of content that is filled with AI-generated articles. It is
boring and lacks personality.
MUST NOT be governmental.
Websites that offer services and information to citizens of a
specific country are very useful, yet it is too
specific for this directory. Maybe one day.
MUST NOT use dark patterns.
Websites that trick users into performing some actions,
or display popups at random times, or unnecessarily
ask for permissions, etc. are not welcomed in this directory.
This includes websites that force you to disable your ad
blockers.
MUST NOT use cryptocurrencies.
Websites must not use cryptocurrencies in any form, which includes
Bitcoin, Ethereum, NFTs, DeFi, or any other crypto nonsense.
A digital currency that doesn't require a stupidly high amount of
energy consumption to operate is tolerated.
MUST NOT offer a service.
Whether it is a local/offline service (ex: hair salon) or a SaaS,
there is no place in this directory for them. It's OK to offer
a service alongside other useful content.
SHOULD own its domain name.
Owning a domain name demonstrates commitment to the website
and helps ensure its long-term availability.
SHOULD have a unique style.
The website should deliver content with a unique theme
(layout, font, colors, etc.).
SHOULD be snappy.
The website should load fast and consumes as little CPU and RAM
as possible.
SHOULD have an About page.
When possible, the maintainers of the website should clearly
identify themselves (a pseudonym is fine) and their mission
(why they created the website).
CAN have a paid offering.
There is nothing wrong in making money with a website, but the
website must not be built in a way to force users to pay to
access content. Websites that ask for donations are more than
welcomed.
CAN be out-of-date.
It is OK for a website to not be updated for a very long period
of time. It may become obsolete, but it doesn't remove any
coolness from it.
CAN have advertisements.
It is OK for a website to show ads as a way to make money with
their website. However, those ads should not get in the way of
accessing the content.
