A couple weeks ago, I spent several hours adding information to the portage data base. Some entries were about portages that hadn't yet been described. I also noted a couple  portages that are miskmarked on maps. And I offered updates based on water conditions. Nothing I entered has appeared, and I'm wondering why. At some point in the process, I got the idea that the info I added would be vetted somehow, but I didn't expect that process to take weeks. Is the data base closed, or can only certain people contribute? Any info about how this works would be welcome, because I feel like I wasted a whole lot of time.

Thanks for taking time to add some relevant info, Buffy. There is usually a delay in updating the PDB. db, webmaster, usually proofreads these and then adds a bunch of them at a time. It does take weeks (or longer), but that usually leads to more accurate, reliable information.

Please don't feel like you wasted your time. Your contribution will be visible shortly and is much appreciated.

If there are major changes to existing portages, or if you have some information that might affect someone's trip, I'd suggest making a post in the Current Conditions Forum.

Thanks again-
pm

Thanks much for the explanation. I appreciate it!

To add to Paddlemaker's response, sometimes it's easy to forget (and many just simply aren't aware) this site has grown far beyond it's original intended scope.  The man behind the curtain also has a family and has to work for a living, same as the rest of us.  Keeping QJ up and running is a monumental task at times, and it just can't be db's #1 priority most of the time.  

I do appreciate that db does take the time to review all new submissions instead of taking the easy way out and just allowing new material to be uploaded without any sort of review.

And lest I forget, Buffy, thanks for adding some new info to the portage dbase!  There's a lot of takers out there, so it's always nice to see a new giver.  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Hi Buffy, thanks for the seven or so portages. I also received your note about the Yum Yum to Armin correction (marked: no reply desired). The database is done by hand and I usually wait until I have about a hundred or so additions and a three to four day block of time to complete updates.

I understand how you feel and I apologize to you and also to those who add stories and recipes because those don't go up quickly either. Rest assured you didn't waste your time as things do go up eventually. The thing to keep in mind is I'm just an enthusiast like the rest of you and QJ is not a website that exists to profit from advertising the BW/Q.  It's purely a paddler helping paddler thing.


Snow_Dog wrote on Jul 9^th, 2009 at 4:09am:

There's a lot of takers out there, so it's always nice to see a new giver.  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

I don't know why I agree with that considering I probably end up spending as much if not more time entering and maintaining things like the pdb than everyone who's ever added to it put together - but I do.

Thanks again for the explanations. As the note by my name indicates, I'm a new participant on this site (although I confess I've been browsing it for years), and I appreciate you all taking the time to explain how the site works.

Maybe this question has never come up before, but if it has, it might make sense to tell folks at the point when they're told that contributions are reviewed before being posted that this process might take several weeks (or a month or whatever). If I'd known that, I wouldn't have started wondering if my write-ups had gone into a black hole!

Thanks for all your work to create a helpful site.