| A quick $0.02, since I had the one nominated product in the "Fan products" category that was neither a podcast nor a website, but instead an adventure -- and actual gaming product, albeit in free pdf form from a not-for-profit endeavor:
1. I think establishing firm categories is a good idea. Lumping podcasts with websites is apples and oranges. If there are fewer than five submissions, so what? Less work for the judges (though I'd just drop the award for the year if there are fewer than three submissions in a category). In hindsight, my adventure should have either gone in the adventures category or the free products category, but I take no issues with the judges decisions or outcomes.
2. Websites aside, I don't thikn it is unreasonable to ask that a physical copy of the product (whether book or CD) be provided to the judges -- even if the submission is freely available for download online (as my product is). For podcasts, the submission should be a representative episode; otherwise, you're asking judges to judge an entire body of work, not a discrete product. Submitting to the Ennies cost me all of $13 shipping plus the cost of 6 CDs. Compared to the time spent putting together the product, that's negligible, and is certainly worth the positive feedback that comes if the product is nominated. Streamlining submissions, in my opinion, makes the process easier for the judges which gives them more time to look over and review products. Plus the minor barrier of entry keeps out the folks who would otherwise just spam with links. And it's fair for all products, though arguable still much cheaper for a pdf or podcast than for a print book.
3. We know the Ennies is a subjective, fan-driven awards system. The judges are nominated by popular acclaim, and the awards are presented that way. It may not be perfect, but I for one am happy to have the process that gives the community a vote (two, infact). It could be the Oscars, where a mysterious cabal chooses nominees and winners in a mist-shrouded process. Given Oscars or Ennies, I choose Ennies.
4. That said, a judges guide wouldn't hurt. Whether as a general guide or by category, to prvide some general guideline -- transparent to the public -- that would provide the rough evaluation criteria the judges are supposed to follow. The process would still be subjective, but it might be a little transparent -- you'd know that products being noninated for "best mechanics" didn't get the nomination because of great interior artwork (not that I feel that has happened).
So in summary, though there are potential areas for improvement, this particular free product submitter doesn't feel at all slighted by the way the Ennies submissions were stuctured or conducted this year.
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"The Soul of D&D? It's rolling a natural 20 when you're down to 3 hit points and the cleric's on the floor and you're staring that sunnavabitch bugbear right in his bloodshot eye and holding the line just long enough to let the wizard unleash a fireball at the guards who are on their way, because they're all that stands between you, the Foozle and Glory." - WizarDru | 
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