History:What Not To Link To: Difference between revisions

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((Imported from MoinMoin))
 
(rewording. hopefully I didn't change the meaning too much :o (Imported from MoinMoin))
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links AR - this is a [[Bad WikiName|BadWikiName]]
links AR - this is a [[Bad WikiName|BadWikiName]]


There are some websites that should not be linked to albums/artists in MB, or which needs a special way of doing it. <br/> Links you should *not* add to artists are itunes, last.fm, cdon.com or cdbaby.com
There are some websites that should not be linked to using relationships, or which should be done in a special way.<br/> Links you should '''not''' add to artists are iTunes, Last.fm, CDON.COM and CD Baby.


==itunes==
==iTunes==


why not? <br/> well first itunes is proprietary, so a moderator that doesn't live in the right country/doesn't own itunes/doesn't have the right OS etc wouldn't be able to access this link, to even asses if it is correct or not, let alone utilise it for anything. Second it's ugly and usually includes session data. <br/> It is pointless to link itunes to artists or releases.
Why not? <br/> iTunes is proprietary, the iTunes Music Store links are only accessible to people using iTunes who live in a supported country. This excludes people not running a supported operating system, those who choose not to install iTunes and those who don't live in the few countries supported by the iTunes Music Store. These links are therefore hard for many people to verify as being correct, let alone use. These links also tend to be ugly and include session data which is undesirable. <br/> It is pointless to link iTunes to artists or releases.


Exception is when a release is an '''itunes exclusive''' to which it makes sense to add this link. <br/> Please add that link *only* in the format ''[http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=80505691&s=143441 http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=80505691&s=143441]'' <br/> and explain that in the addmod for the AR and in the annotation of the release.
The only exception is when a release is an '''iTunes exclusive'''. As these are unavailable elsewhere, it makes sense to add this link. <br/> Please add that link '''only''' in the format ''[http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=80505691&s=143441 http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=80505691&s=143441]'' and also explain in the edit note and annotation that it is an iTunes exclusive (to prevent it being removed in the future). Hopefully we might get a relationship type for these particular releases.


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==Last.fm==
(hopefully we might get an AR type for these particular releases.)


⚫
Why not? <br/> [http://last.fm Last.fm] uses [[MusicBrainz]]'s data, so linking artists or releases to Last.fm is recursive and unnecessary. <br/> Secondly, Last.fm is not a discography site, nor does it let you download music. <br/> Last.fm is neither useful as proof in edit notes, a place to draw releases from to add to [[MusicBrainz]] nor to use as a legitimate site for information, because Last.fm's data is based on the people submitting their tags and [[MusicBrainz]]'s own data. The data submitted by the label companies are simply some numbers and the permission to play their tracks. Proper official or fan-made discographies are much, much better places to use as sources of information.
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==last.fm==


==CDON.COM==
⚫
why not? <br/> because last.fm uses MB data, so linking artists or albums to last.fm is recursive, and unnecessary. <br/> Secondly last.fm is not a discography site, nor does it let you download things for free or money (they offer this as a service, but it is simply a link to those that do, not last.fm itself offering it) <br/> last.fm is neither useful as proof in modnotes, a place to draw releases from to add to MB nor to take as an legitimate info-site, because last.fm's data is based on the people submitting their tags and MB's own data. The data submitted by the label-companies are simply some numbers and the allowance to play their tracks. Proper official or fan-made discograpies are much much better informational tools.


⚫
Why not? <br/> [http://cdon.com CDON.COM] is a site which specialises in Scandinavia (and the EU), something sorely lacking from Amazon and Yahoo! <br/> However, it is not very useful to link to for 2 reasons: <br/> Firstly, the only way to link to something on their site is to use the URL that you get when you search for something, which is ugly and is liable to change over time. <br/> Secondly, it always includes session data because of the way that CDON.COM works. On the portal site, the first thing you choose is your locale which all the other links thereafter is based on. For example, a link to a release made by a user in Sweden would be unbuyable to a user in the UK and they would have to go and change their locale and then navigate back to the the release making linking pointless. <br/>
[http://last.fm/ http://last.fm/]


==cdon.com==
==CD Baby==


⚫
[http://cdbaby.com CD Baby] is slightly different than the other sites in this list, as it is completely OK to add links from CD Baby to '''releases''' in [[MusicBrainz]], but not to artists. <br/> The reason for this is that CD Baby is album-centric, not artist-centric, and as such, doesn't really have any 'artist pages' to link an artist to*. <br/>
⚫
why not? <br/> First, cdon.com is a great site with the ability not just to send things in the mail, but to send the bill in the mail with it, something that makes it literally risk-free to buy from it. It is specialised in Scandinavia (and also the EU) which is something amazon and yahoo! lacks sorely. <br/> However it is not very useful to link to for 2 reasons: firstly the only way to link something to cdon.com is to use the 'search url' you get when you search for something, which is ugly and is liable to change over time. <br/> Secondly, it always includes session data. because of the way that cdon.com works: at the [http://cdon.com/ http://cdon.com/] portal site, the first thing you choose is your locale, which all the other links thereafter is based on, for example a link to a release made by a user in Sweden, would be unbuyable to a user in UK for example, they would have to go and change their locale, then navigate back to the the release. Which makes linking pointless. <br/>


⚫
Please link releases with "music can be purchased for mail-order at" to [http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/]''somename'' where ''somename'' is the name that CD Baby has for the release. Hopefully, we'll have a 'has a CD Baby page at' relationship type in a little while.
[http://cdon.com/ http://cdon.com/]


⚫
* Note however, that in some rare occasions, CD Baby has artist pages which are simple listings of the website and the releases they have for the artist. The name they use for the artist page can be a little tricky to find though. If you want to link an artist to CD Baby's list of albums, try to find an URL in the format [http://www.cdbaby.com/all/ http://www.cdbaby.com/all/]''somename'' and enter that.
==cdbaby==


Do '''not''' link artists to CD Baby's search URL for that artist as it, as a search result, may well include other artists' releases (compare it to, for example, linking Google searches to artists).
⚫
finally cdbaby. note that cdbaby is slightly different than the other sites in this list, as it is completely OK to add links from cdbaby to '''releases''' in MB, but not artists. <br/> The reason for that is that cdbaby is album centric, not artist centric, and it doesn't really have any 'artist pages' to link an artist to*. <br/>


==In General==
⚫
Please link albums with "music can be purchased for mail-order at" to ''[http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/somename http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/somename]'' where ''somename'' is the name that cdbaby has for the release


⚫
In general, you should probably only link ''releases'' to places where they can be bought, and only when it is a less common release or a rare artist which aren't normally found in the usual online shops or the release can only be acquired from a certain place. Linking artists such as Metallica, Queen or Pink Floyd to places like iTunes or other big shops is completely pointless.
(hopefully we'll have a 'has cdbaby page at' AR in a little while)


⚫
Usually indie artists and the like will have a separate store or an artist page at an indie record label site. You should link to that, but pay attention, if the label's site does not give a good 'artist' type link, then it is probably better to just link each release, in general that is usually the case. <br/>
⚫
* note however, that in some rare occasions, cdbaby has artistpages which are simple listings of the website and the albums they have of the artist. The name they use for the artistpage can be a little tricky to find though, if you want to link an artist to cdbaby's list of albums, try to find an url in the format ''[http://www.cdbaby.com/all/somename http://www.cdbaby.com/all/somename]'' and enter that (where ''somename'' is whatever name that cdbaby has for the artist) do *not* link artists to cdbaby's 'searchlink' for that artist, as it's a searchlink, with info and search-terms, it may very well include other artist's releases. <br/> (compare linking google search-links to artists for example)


Please do not link releases or artists to top level domains where a lot of other artists' music can be bought (e.g. [http://somedomain.com http://somedomain.com]) as it is pointless. It's the same as saying 'you can buy this at, for example, Amazon.com', the user must still search for the release they want to buy.
==in general==


⚫
Also, always use "music can be purchased for mail-order at" ''unless'' what you are buying are files you can download, to which there is usually track or release-specific links.
⚫
in general you should probably link sites where albums can be bough, to albums, and only when that is an unusual album or rare artist, where the release is not easily acquired elsewhere (linking Metallica, Queen or Pink Floyd to itunes or cd.com or musicbuy.com or whatever is completely pointless : )

⚫
Usually indie artists and things will have a separate store or an artist-page at an indie record-label site, then you should link that. But pay attention though, if the label's site does not give a good 'artist' type link, then it is probably better to just link each album, in general that is usually the case. <br/> Please do not link releases or artists to topleveldomains where a lot of other artists's music can be bough (ie [http://somedomain.tlc http://somedomain.tlc]) as that is pointless. <br/> It's the same as saying 'you can buy this and that at amazon.com' (yea we know that : )

⚫
Also always use "music can be purchased for mail-order at" *unless* what you are buying are files you can download, to which there is usually track or album specific links.


[[Category:To Be Reviewed]]
[[Category:To Be Reviewed]]

Revision as of 18:12, 1 July 2006

links AR - this is a BadWikiName

There are some websites that should not be linked to using relationships, or which should be done in a special way.
Links you should not add to artists are iTunes, Last.fm, CDON.COM and CD Baby.

iTunes

Why not?
iTunes is proprietary, the iTunes Music Store links are only accessible to people using iTunes who live in a supported country. This excludes people not running a supported operating system, those who choose not to install iTunes and those who don't live in the few countries supported by the iTunes Music Store. These links are therefore hard for many people to verify as being correct, let alone use. These links also tend to be ugly and include session data which is undesirable.
It is pointless to link iTunes to artists or releases.

The only exception is when a release is an iTunes exclusive. As these are unavailable elsewhere, it makes sense to add this link.
Please add that link only in the format http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=80505691&s=143441 and also explain in the edit note and annotation that it is an iTunes exclusive (to prevent it being removed in the future). Hopefully we might get a relationship type for these particular releases.

Last.fm

Why not?
Last.fm uses MusicBrainz's data, so linking artists or releases to Last.fm is recursive and unnecessary.
Secondly, Last.fm is not a discography site, nor does it let you download music.
Last.fm is neither useful as proof in edit notes, a place to draw releases from to add to MusicBrainz nor to use as a legitimate site for information, because Last.fm's data is based on the people submitting their tags and MusicBrainz's own data. The data submitted by the label companies are simply some numbers and the permission to play their tracks. Proper official or fan-made discographies are much, much better places to use as sources of information.

CDON.COM

Why not?
CDON.COM is a site which specialises in Scandinavia (and the EU), something sorely lacking from Amazon and Yahoo!
However, it is not very useful to link to for 2 reasons:
Firstly, the only way to link to something on their site is to use the URL that you get when you search for something, which is ugly and is liable to change over time.
Secondly, it always includes session data because of the way that CDON.COM works. On the portal site, the first thing you choose is your locale which all the other links thereafter is based on. For example, a link to a release made by a user in Sweden would be unbuyable to a user in the UK and they would have to go and change their locale and then navigate back to the the release making linking pointless.

CD Baby

CD Baby is slightly different than the other sites in this list, as it is completely OK to add links from CD Baby to releases in MusicBrainz, but not to artists.
The reason for this is that CD Baby is album-centric, not artist-centric, and as such, doesn't really have any 'artist pages' to link an artist to*.

Please link releases with "music can be purchased for mail-order at" to http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/somename where somename is the name that CD Baby has for the release. Hopefully, we'll have a 'has a CD Baby page at' relationship type in a little while.

  • Note however, that in some rare occasions, CD Baby has artist pages which are simple listings of the website and the releases they have for the artist. The name they use for the artist page can be a little tricky to find though. If you want to link an artist to CD Baby's list of albums, try to find an URL in the format http://www.cdbaby.com/all/somename and enter that.

Do not link artists to CD Baby's search URL for that artist as it, as a search result, may well include other artists' releases (compare it to, for example, linking Google searches to artists).

In General

In general, you should probably only link releases to places where they can be bought, and only when it is a less common release or a rare artist which aren't normally found in the usual online shops or the release can only be acquired from a certain place. Linking artists such as Metallica, Queen or Pink Floyd to places like iTunes or other big shops is completely pointless.

Usually indie artists and the like will have a separate store or an artist page at an indie record label site. You should link to that, but pay attention, if the label's site does not give a good 'artist' type link, then it is probably better to just link each release, in general that is usually the case.

Please do not link releases or artists to top level domains where a lot of other artists' music can be bought (e.g. http://somedomain.com) as it is pointless. It's the same as saying 'you can buy this at, for example, Amazon.com', the user must still search for the release they want to buy.

Also, always use "music can be purchased for mail-order at" unless what you are buying are files you can download, to which there is usually track or release-specific links.

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