For some time now I have been considering various ways to make the AppleVis site an even more useful resource. Inevitably, I end up facing the same old problems: the time demands; not having a breadth or depth of knowledge of the iOS platform, VoiceOver and iDevices; and having a writing style that doesn't lend itself to creating editorial content.
However, it’s clear that there are many users of this site who possess a wealth of knowledge and experience, so I think the time has come to invite more people to get actively involved in maintaining and creating content.
Much of the content of the AppleVis site is submitted by users of the site – and I appreciate everybody that does – but what I am looking for are people who want to provide great content on a regular basis: people who feel they have something to say, something to contribute, and want to get involved.
One area that I am particularly keen to expand is the amount of editorial content on the site. Some of the ideas that I have in mind include group tests of apps, one-off articles on interesting topics or issues, once-in-a-while updates on your iDevice experiences and perhaps a weekly blog on the latest news and developments
For those who are already thinking of getting involved, I should reassure you that contributing editorial content will be entirely on your terms, and I won’t demand content from you. The most important thing is that you contribute only when you feel that you have something you want to say and that will be of interest to other users of the site.
Equally important as contributing new content, is ensuring that existing content remains accurate and up-to-date. This is particularly important for App Directory entries.
There are now nearly 1000 apps in the App Directory. Some of these were submitted more than a year ago, and many have not been commented on or edited since they were submitted. Many apps will have been updated since comments were last made on their accessibility, meaning we cannot be sure whether those comments are still accurate. So, it would be great to have some people who are willing to check apps to see if accessibility has changed. Obviously I would not expect anybody to buy apps just for this purpose, but it would be really useful to have people check and update information on apps that they already own or are free.
If you think you can help, either with editorial content or maintaining existing content, then please contact me via the Contact Page. When doing so, please indicate how you would like to help. If you have ideas for editorial content other than what I have mentioned above, please go ahead and let me know what they are. As I said, what I have listed are only my initial ideas.
Comments
Welcome Scott and AnonyMouse