Curation methodology

How a curated tier would work, if we open one. Nothing described here is running yet, and no project has been curated.

Principles

• Organic first. Only projects already listed on their own merits can apply for curation.
• The fee buys the evaluation, not the outcome. Projects that fail the evaluation are not listed, and the fee is not refunded for a failing verdict — it pays for the testing work performed.
• No effect on organic rankings. Curation is a separate set of lists. It never changes a project's position or score in the standard directory.
• Honest disclosure. Every curated listing shows its evaluation date and states plainly that passing an evaluation is not a guarantee of quality or safety. Because a fee is involved, this is a paid-evaluation disclosure under FTC material-connection rules.

What an evaluation will cover (planned)

Reproducing the project from source, checking documentation accuracy, basic security hygiene, and a hands-on trial of the core capability. Details, pricing, and the rubric will be published here before the program opens.