Contribution forum is full of threads about how to manage crew roles, and dividers, with a use that can go to extreme interpretation, as dividers to reproduce space in credits.

All this comes from the concept "as on screen", that began with bold and italics in overviews, and the "credited as" feature for names.

I fully support the fact that the program allows those cosmetic features. The more people can enter what they want, the best it is for them.

But it is probably not the best for all users. What I mean is that the more you use cosmetics, the more you go to personal choices (do you prefer red or pink lipstick ?)

At present time, we have two types of those cosmetics features :
-non contributable : headshots, images for galleries, rerelease scans, genres
-contributable : dividers, bold and italics in overviews, boxsets, and, totally useless crew roles for the "smallest" ones. I see coming in the future the possibility to credit the 300 babies of ILM staff that are credited in WALL-E, just to match what is on screen.

I think that users should discuss about a contributable profile that would be a real starting point for everybody's database. At present time, after downloading a new profile, we loose more time to delete non interesting information, than enter from scratch interesting one. Contributable fields should be restricted to those areas that really represent what most of users want to see in their local. The advantage would be simplier rules, less useless discussions in forums, less work to adapt downloaded profiles. Disadvantage would be less possibities to increase contributions score numbers.

Quoting surfeur51:

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At present time, we have two types of those cosmetics features :
-non contributable : headshots, images for galleries, rerelease scans, genres
-contributable : dividers, bold and italics in overviews, boxsets, and, totally useless crew roles for the "smallest" ones. I see coming in the future the possibility to credit the 300 babies of ILM staff that are credited in WALL-E, just to match what is on screen.

Please don't even mention this!   

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I think that users should discuss about a contributable profile that would be a real starting point for everybody's database. At present time, after downloading a new profile, we loose more time to delete non interesting information, than enter from scratch interesting one.

Who is "we"? I certainly don't - I could live with less information but have no problem with deleting the few things I really don't want; so for me the online IS a good starting point.

Quoting surfeur51:

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I think that users should discuss about a contributable profile that would be a real starting point for everybody's database. At present time, after downloading a new profile, we loose more time to delete non interesting information, than enter from scratch interesting one. Contributable fields should be restricted to those areas that really represent what most of users want to see in their local. The advantage would be simplier rules, less useless discussions in forums, less work to adapt downloaded profiles. Disadvantage would be less possibities to increase contributions score numbers.

I am not sure that I get this.  What is non-interesting.  I know that there is a group of people that care deeply about the sound section.  I know that there are people that don't care about the sound section.  So which group do we appease.

In the real scheme of things, we do not track that many people online.  And as far as the "300 Babies" at ILM, I don't ever see that happening online.

So we track how many jobs per profile?

I think the more information the better, but I also think there needs to be a more customizable way to do updates.  Less is rarely ever better, and with more information more people would have a use.

My personal feelings

Charlie

But in any case it would be great to be able to accept partial updates and not only complete cast and in particular crew.

As for dividers, the name says it all, they divide us.

Quoting CharlieM:

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Quoting surfeur51:

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I think that users should discuss about a contributable profile that would be a real starting point for everybody's database. At present time, after downloading a new profile, we loose more time to delete non interesting information, than enter from scratch interesting one. Contributable fields should be restricted to those areas that really represent what most of users want to see in their local. The advantage would be simplier rules, less useless discussions in forums, less work to adapt downloaded profiles. Disadvantage would be less possibities to increase contributions score numbers.

I am not sure that I get this.  What is non-interesting.  I know that there is a group of people that care deeply about the sound section.  I know that there are people that don't care about the sound section.  So which group do we appease.

I agree with you (especially this), but I also see surfeur's point. We (general) bend over backwards to make sure a costume designer or third producer is correct, but program limitations don't allow a proper cover for a re-release to be submitted.

In the grand scheme of things, I think it's a safe bet to say the general user -- the one not posting on this forum -- would prefer to have an accurate cover than a who designed the costumes.

Note, I really do agree with the fact that different people have different cares (I myself just want director/producer/writer and effects, the rest I couldn't give a damn about), but it's always bothered me that every update that adds more doesn't fix something as basic as allowing a different cover. If the online DB is to be accurate as possible, that's a glaring problem IMO.

Quoting Kathy:

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Quoting Alien Redrum:

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...but it's always bothered me that every update that adds more doesn't fix something as basic as allowing a different cover. If the online DB is to be accurate as possible, that's a glaring problem IMO.

I completely agree with this. This is the major complaint I have regarding this program. If I had one request it would be a solution to this problem. I would like this fixed before I would want any other additions/changes/updates.

I agree with this as well.  The average users that I know, the ones who don't participate here, don't give a rat's patoot about the things mentioned in the OP.  All they want is a program to keep track of the DVDs they have purchased.  What they would like, however, is for the cover to match those DVDs.

Count me in, too. This is typically something that would please ALL users, not just the hardcore users on these forums.

+1