This page summarizes the ways you can contribute on JavaBlackBelt's content.
You may want to get more general info
about the contribution system.
The list below, goes from the easiest to the most elaborate form of contribution.
The amount of contribution points given for each contribution is detailed in the Contribution points page
Comments
Don't hesisate to post a comment on a question (from any question listing, press the "Add Comment" button, beside the question).
Comments do not affect the moderation process (contrary to the previous version), and "This is a nice question" comments are welcome :-)
Comments give no contribution points and can help communication on a question.
Vote on Questions
The moderation process
needs your votes. It does not take much time to vote once you've read and understood a question during an exam. From the result page, after an exam, you can review the questions and vote on them.You can help an exam to go from the beta to the released state by browsing its beta questions and vote on them. From the page of each exam, a link "Non-voted questions" bring you a list of beta question (from this exam) on which you've not voted yet.
You may even narrow your effort on sub-categories that have too few questions in the released state (that you easily can identify with the numbers next to each cateogry on the on the exam page).
We give no contribution point for votes because we don't want people to act as "voting machines" who don't read questions and quickly put any vote. But your opinion matters, don't hesitate to express it.
Vote on Edit Proposals
The next level of contribution is to vote on proposal.
Users can edit questions, but their new version is not immediately accepted, because their proposal might be worst than the original.
We need you to vote (accept/reject) on these edit proposals. Don't hesitate to accept any proposal which you think is not worst than the original, even if the improvement is minimal (as removing a blank space, or adding line numbers).
From each exam page, you see a link "Manual work questions". This shows you a list of questions having either a pending edit proposal or a move proposal or a reported problem (see below).
Those having a pending edit proposal displays both versions side by side to ease comparaison, with a vote widget.
Vote on Move Proposals
The same list might show some questions that have been reported being in the wrong exam.
Indeed, a question might be too difficult for an exam. A user may have proposed to move the question to an other category or exam.
As for edit proposals, a move proposal might be pending on the question (with a new target suggested).
You are welcome to vote (accept/reject) on these proposals for which you have an opinion.
Report Problems
When you see something wrong with a question, please tell it.
From any list of question (as the result page, at the end of an exam), you can select problems from a built-in list of typical problems.
When somebody else will fix your reported problem (by editing the question), you'll get 1 contribution points. On the other hand, if your problem is cleared (canceled), you get no contribution point.
If you know how to fix the problem, don't report it, because you have an even better option: edit the question to fix it.
Edit Questions
Have you seen a typo ?
Is the question statement missing a few words to be less ambigus ?
Do you have an idea to improve the explanation ?
Don't hesitate to edit and improve questions. From any question listing, click the edit button to activate in-place editing.
If your proposal is accepted by others, you'll get 1 or 3 contribution points according to the importance of your edit (rewriting the question is a bigger edit than adding line numbers). When editing a question, a check box enables you to specify the importance of the change.
Fix Concerns
Others have reported problems on a question, and you see how to fix them.
Edit the question and select the problems that your new version fixes. When your proposal will be accepted, the problems you selected will be automatically closed.
On the contrary, if you think that a reported problem is in fact not a problem, you can clear an problem.
If you hesitate, you may write a comment on the question with your thougths.
Lists of questions with open manual work ("Manual work questions" link from the exam page) are a good source to find open concerns reported by others.
Move Questions
You think that a question is good but much too hard (or easy) for the exam ?
Or you think it's in the right exam but in the wrong category ?
Click the move button from any question list to suggest a new place for the question.
If your move proposal is accepted by others, you'll get 1 contribution point.
Alternatively (if you don't know where to move that question, for example), you may report a problem "Wrong category or exam".
Author Questions
Obviously, should you have a good idea for a new question, you are welcome to add it to the database.
The question brings more or fewer points
according to its state.
Frozen and deleted questions bring no points.Don't copy questions from other sites or books. Somebody will detect and report it soon or later. We'll delete the concerned questions which will make you loose contribution points, and will not make your reputation shine...
(co-)Lead an existing exam
Existing exams need management
, as for example, taking care manual works on questions don't remain open too long.Even if an exam already has a leader, don't hesistate to propose your help through the forum.
Author a new exam
Do you know a technology for which we don't have a corresponding exam? Read the procedure to create exams
, and post a proposal on the forum.Improve Objectives
Many exam's objectives text need improvement, for example to comply our guidelines
.You typically do that with the collaboration of the concerned exam leader.
You need moderator's rights to edit objective's text. Don't hesitate to apply
for being one, even temporarily.Get testimonials
We start getting testimonials from experts in the field of the covered technology for an exam.
Romain Guy in Swing - Basic exam
and from Vikram Goyal in the Java ME exam are good examples.You are welcome to help us get more testimonials by contacting book authors, conference speakers, major framework contributors, CTO of known companies,...
Don't hesitate to contact us via the forum.