The Markeroni Blog
The blog of Markeroni, the Gentle Art of Landmark-Snarfing

This blog is part of Markeroni, the Gentle Art of Landmark-Snarfing. To find out more, please visit the site!

The observant among you will by now have spotted the “whelm level” on the main member index page. This indicates roughly how much of a backlog we have got at Markeroni, and what action to take. Here’s a quick run-down of what it all means, and what you can do to help.

1. Our goal is to keep the whelm level at Manageable or below. Please try to check it when you log in.

2. The number of tasks on any given day fluctuates wildly. Many of the tasks take seconds to perform, so a seemingly high backlog can quickly go down. An example of this would be a quick once-over to check that a zip code is in the correct format.

3. Even if the whelm level is skyrocketing into the warm colors (oranges and reds), don’t stop using the help system, don’t stop putting in individual requests for landmark addition, and don’t stop direct-logging. (Direct-logging is a premium feature which allows you to log a landmark without it already being in the system first.) We always tackle these outstanding tasks first.

4. Leading on from the above, please don’t send your help requests by direct email. Many of you know the email addresses that work, but it’s much, much easier for us to keep track if you put your initial help request in through the help/contact form.

5. When direct-logging, please group your snarfs together. Group first by state/province and then by county and then by type. It is so much easier if we can input all the landmarks from one grouping first.

6. If you have already looked up the landmarks in a database, please include the file number if there is one, so we don’t have to look it up ourselves. Also, if there is a number on the plaque, always include it in notes.

7. If you know that you have logged more than ten markers that are part of a grouping, say so on the first one. That way, we can add a new list for that grouping. It has to be more than ten markers–we won’t add a new list unless you assure us that there are ten or more, but we’d rather do it now than later when we have to go through each snarf individually to change its list and code.

8. If you see that the whelm level is creeping into the warm colors, please consider not filling out any retroactive Landmarks Visited entries. We know that many of you do Landmarks Visited at the same time as logging the landmarks, and that’s fine. We can deal with that and would hate to mess up your system. But for those of you who prefer to come back later to fill out the blanks, please consider picking a different “later.”

9. Volunteer! We are aiming to enter all the state and provincial historical marker systems for which we have data this year. The more that’s in there, the less that will need to be direct-logged, and the smaller the backlog. Volunteering has the added benefit of giving you a support star, which means you can direct-log landmarks, surf the member area without ads, search within your own landmarks, and take advantage of whatever extras we will add in the future. You can also help by directly reducing the backlog. To volunteer, send in a help/contact form and let us know you’re willing.
   

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