Proposals

Proposals

Changes to MusicBrainz are agreed to using this proposal process.

The process is simple. Someone has an idea, either for something new, or for a change to how something existing is done. After discussion of the idea has taken place, one person takes control of the idea. This person is then known as the Idea Champion for that proposal. The Idea Champion has the responsibility for moving the idea from a vague concept to a clear proposal, then working for Style Council passage of the proposal.

Though it is somewhat dated, Turning Your Ideas into Reality is well worth a read.

Definitions

Idea Champion

The person who currently is handling a proposal.

Style Council

Any members of the Style mailing list who wish to take part in discussion of a proposal. There is no formal membership to the style council. If you are an interested contributor to MusicBrainz and reasonably well informed about existing StyleGuidelines, MusicBrainz development, and the general culture of the project, you are welcome to subscribe to the Style mailing list and join the discussions. Also see the history of the Style Council.

Process for Idea Champions

1. Come up with an idea for something new or something that should be changed. While somewhat out of date, the points raised on this former checklist for style changes are still worth consideration as part of your proposal.
2. Create a new wikipage for the proposal. This should be located at http://wiki.musicbrainz.org/User:(you)/(proposal name) and assigned the most relevant of [[Category:Proposal]] [[Category:Proposed Style]] or [[Category:Proposed Advanced Relationship Type]].
   • The proposal template should be at the top of the page:

{{Template:proposal
|proposal=
|discussion=
|champion=
|rfc=
|rfv=
|status=
|ar=
|style=
|trac=
}}

1. proposal, rfc, rfv, status: Leave these blank

   discussion: A link to the initial discussion (IRC, forums, or style list) of an idea.

   champion: You.

   ar: If your proposal changes or adds an Advanced Relationship, then "true", otherwise leave the value blank.

   style: If your proposal changes or adds a style guideline, then "true", otherwise leave the value blank.

   trac: The trac ticket number for your proposal.

2. Send an RFC announcement to the style list.
   • The RFC should have "RFC:" at the beginning of the subject line.
   • The body of the email should contain:

   1. The expected expiration date for the RFC.
   2. A brief summary of the proposal.
   3. A link to the proposal's wikipage.
   4. Links to any previous discussion (IRC, style list, users list, forums, etc) which led to the proposal.

3. During the period where the RFC is active, discussion of it will occur on the style list.
   • Anyone can change the proposal's wikipage, though it is encouraged that any changes which go beyond minor formatting, spelling, or example changes should be left to the Idea Champion.

   • If you are not the Idea Champion, and you have sufficient disagreement with the proposal that you feel an entirely different proposal needs to be created, a new proposal wikipage should be created, for which you would become that proposal's Idea Champion. Do not rewrite the original proposal wikipage and attempt to take over the idea from the original Idea Champion!

   • Where there is disagreement, the Idea Champion should work to find consensus.

   • On minor points, the Idea Champion maintains control of the proposal. However, for the Idea Champion, you ignore dissent at the risk of the proposal - disagreement can easily become vetos during the RFV period.
   • If discussion on an RFC is still ongoing, and there is not yet agreement that the proposal is ready to pass, the RFC period may be extended. The RFC period only defines a minimum, not a maximum, time period for debate.

4. When the RFC's initial period has expired, the Idea Champion (or a Style Leader) will send out an RFV for the proposal.
   • The RFV email should have "RFV:" at the beginning of the subject line.
   • The body of the email should contain:

   1. The expected passage date for the RFV.
   2. A brief summary of the proposal, including a summary of any changes which have been made since the RFC.
   3. A link to the proposal's wikipage.

5. During the RFV period, any member of the style council may veto the RFV. However, vetos must have merit (no vetos simply because "I don't like this proposal"). Vetos must be publicly cast, on the style list, and should detail what problems are believed to remain in the RFV, and what changes could be made such that the veto would be cleared. These suggested changes must be reasonable; if the changes would entail a rewrite, or rethink, of the proposal itself, then a counter-proposal wikipage should be created, and the decision as to which proposal will pass should be left to the style council.
   • If an RFV receives a veto, the proposal reverts to an RFC. There is no minimum time period at this point, but no new RFV should be attempted until the problems raised in any vetos have been discussed and/or addressed. A proposal may revert to an RFC, or have replacement RFCs sent, as many times as is needed.
6. If the end of the RFV period is reached, and no vetos have been cast, then the proposal has passed. The Idea Champion is now responsible for ensuring that the changes described by the proposal are enacted (changing wiki pages, entering edits, creating trac or jira tickets, etc.). This includes remembering to remove the proposal template from the proposal's wikipage!

Time Periods

• RFC: 7 days
• RFV: 2 days

Style Leaders

• BrianFreud
• warp, aka kuno

Style Elder

• ruaok, aka RobertKaye

Definitions

RFC (Request for Change)

The initial discussion period for any proposal

RFV (Request for Veto)

The decision period for any proposal

Style Leader

They guide the process and keep it from getting stuck. If the council cannot reach consensus they will make a decision. This position was previously called "secretary".

Style Elder

The benevolent dictator of MusicBrainz StyleIssues. If the process goes off the rails, or if someone disputes the style leaders' decisions, the elder steps in.

Special Procedures

Cover Art Relationship Type, Has Lyrics At Relationship Type, and Has Score At Relationship Type each only allow links to whitelisted sites. To add any site to the whitelist for any one of these advanced relationships, the following additional procedure must be followed.

1. Add the site to the list on the relevant page for the AR.
2. Using the normal proposal process, send a RFC requesting the addition of the site.

   • The RFC should be limited to covering only 1 site.
   • Rhe RFC must provide rationale and evidence for why the site can reasonably be believed to have permission to contain the content to which we would be linking.

3. The Style Council will then make sure that the site itself is legal; that it has a right/license/whatever to store the content (lyrics/scores/cover art) which which the relationships would be link.

   • If any situation arises where "legal" is questionable depending on local laws, MusicBrainz is based in California, so US/California law wins.

4. Once the RFV has passed, permission must be obtained, in writing (email is fine), from the site which would be added to the whitelist.

   • This permission may be requested prior to the passage of the RFV.

Only when permission has been received and a RFV has passed may the site be added as a whitelisted site for the applicable relationship type(s).

Current Proposals

Next New Proposal Number

Next new proposal number: 102

March 2010 Proposal Cleanup

NOTE: Effective March 24, 2010, any proposal which has no Champion will be closed, including any associated proposal pages and trac tickets! If you do not want to see one of these proposals die, then adopt it today, then make it happen!

Style Proposals

RFC #	Title & Wikipage	Champion	Affects	Trac ticket	Status	RFC	RFC Date	RFV	RFV Date	Passage Date
RFC-1: AudioBook Style RFC-1	AudioBook Style		New guideline	2147	Abandoned
RFC-7: Capitalization Standard Spanish RFC-7	Capitalization Standard Spanish	Toni Panadès (t0n3t) and reosarevok	New guideline	5635	RFC	RFC	2010-03-05		2010-03-12	2010-03-14
RFC-8: Capitalization Standard Swedish RFC-8	Capitalization Standard Swedish	?	New guideline	?	Abandoned?
RFC-9: Capitalization Standard Turkish RFC-9	Capitalization Standard Turkish	Yasar Suleyman Kocak	New guideline		In development
RFC-10: Capitalization Standard Vietnamese (alternate) RFC-10	Capitalization Standard Vietnamese (alternate)	jesus2099	New guideline	?	Abandoned?
RFC-19: Game Soundtrack Style RFC-19	Game Soundtrack Style	BrianFreud	New guideline	2146	Discussion
RFC-20: Instrumental Style RFC-20	Instrumental Style		ETI style for instrumental tracks	2142	Inactive	original RFC	2006-04-20	?	?
RFC-22: Live Bootleg Style RFC-22	Live Bootleg Style	BrianFreud	Replacement for Untitled Bootleg Style	1053	Passed, to be implemented	RFC	2010-02-22	RFV	2010-03-01	2010-03-03
RFC-23: Live Track Style RFC-23	Live Track Style	BrianFreud	Replacement for Untitled Bootleg Style	2141	Passed, to be implemented	RFC	2010-02-22	RFV	2010-03-01	2010-03-03
RFC-25: Medley Style RFC-25	Medley Style	?	New guideline	?	Abandoned?
RFC-27: Multi-Track Movement Style RFC-27	Multi-Track Movement Style	?	New guideline	?	Abandoned?
RFC-28: Musical Soundtrack Style RFC-28	Musical Soundtrack Style	BrianFreud	New guideline	2146	Discussion Related thread
RFC-42: Release Artist Style RFC-42	Release Artist Style	navap	New guideline	2143	Abandoned?
RFC-43: Release Country Style RFC-43	Release Country Style (additional page)	Jacobbrett	Release events	2145	Discussion
RFC-46: Release Region Style RFC-46	Release Region Style	?	New guideline	?	Abandoned?
RFC-47: Release Title RFC-47	Release Title	?	New guideline	?	Abandoned?
RFC-53: Soundtrack Style RFC-53	Soundtrack Style	BrianFreud	New guideline	2146	Discussion
RFC-54: Soundtrack Title Style RFC-54	Soundtrack Title Style	BrianFreud	New guideline	2146	Discussion
RFC-61: Track Title Style RFC-61	Track Title Style	warp	Naming of track titles	?	Abandoned?
RFC-62: Untitled Release Style RFC-62	Untitled Release Style	Bogdanb?	New guideline	?	Abandoned?
RFC-64: Release Event Style RFC-64	Release Event Style	Jacobbrett	Release events	?	Discussion
RFC-66: User Tags Standards RFC-66	User Tags Standards	?	New guideline, folksonomy	?	Abandoned?
RFC-67: Revised Classical Style Guide (aka CSGv2) RFC-67	Revised Classical Style Guide (aka CSGv2)	BrianFreud	Rewrites all of CSG	4426	RFC, On hold pending NGS release	RFC	2009-02-15
RFC-82: Part Number Style rewrite RFC-82	Part Number Style rewrite	BrianFreud	Part Number Style	5066	On hold pending RFC-61
RFC-101: Capitalization Standard Catalan RFC-101	Capitalization Standard Catalan	Toni Panadès (t0n3t)	New guideline	None	RFC	RFC	2010-03-05		2010-03-12	2010-03-14

Advanced Relationship Proposals

RFC #	Title & Wikipage	Champion	Affects	Trac ticket	Status	RFC	RFC Date	RFV	RFV Date	Passage Date
RFC-2: Has Score At relationship RFC-2	Has Score At relationship	mbuser838171846981	New release-URL AR New track-URL AR	5634	Passed, to be implemented	RFC	2010-02-20	RFV	2010-03-01	2010-03-03
RFC-4: Redesign of the Vocal Relationship Attribute RFC-4	Redesign of the Vocal Relationship Attribute	?	AR modification	1140	Discussion
RFC-18: Engineer Relationship Type RFC-18	Engineer Relationship Type	Chris B	New artist-release AR New artist-track AR	3565	Passed but needs server support for 3-element ARs, see RFC-91	?	2007-05-22	RFV RFV	2008-02-01	2008-03-02
RFC-21: Linking Different Artist Names RFC-21	Linking Different Artist Names	?	?	?	Abandoned?	?	?	?	?
RFC-26: Miscellaneous Production Relationship Type/Artwork RFC-26	Miscellaneous Production Relationship Type/Artwork	?	?	?	Abandoned?	?	?	?	?
RFC-29: Narrator Relationship Type RFC-29	Narrator Relationship Type	?	New vocal role	1368	Abandoned?	?	?	?	?
RFC-35: Part Of Series Relationship Type RFC-35	Part Of Series Relationship Type	voiceinsideyou	New release-release, or RG-RG, AR	?	Discussion
RFC-39: Reader Relationship Type RFC-39	Reader Relationship Type	?	New vocal role	1370	Abandoned?	?	?	?	?
RFC-52: Single From Album Relationship Type RFC-52	Single From Album Relationship Type	?	New release-release AR	?	Abandoned?	?	?	?	?
RFC-55: Speaker Relationship Type RFC-55	Speaker Relationship Type	?	New vocal role	1731	Abandoned?	?	?	?	?
RFC-68: Add Has News Coverage AR RFC-68	Add Has News Coverage AR	ruoak	New release-URL AR	5636	RFC	RFC	2010-02-28		2010-03-07	2010-03-09
RFC-69: Defining instruments and vocals for members of bands RFC-69	Defining instruments and vocals for members of bands	?	Artist-artist AR enhancement	1141	Abandoned?
RFC-70: Add attribute 'translated' to Lyricist Relationship Type RFC-70	Add attribute 'translated' to Lyricist Relationship Type	zout	Artist-Track and Artist-Release AR enhancement	4424	Needs wikipage	RFC3 RFC4	2010-02-27		2010-03-06	2010-03-08
RFC-74: "Sampled speech" as AR for tracks RFC-74	"Sampled speech" as AR for tracks	?	?	3032	Abandoned?
RFC-82: Resolve FoundingMemberDatesQuestion RFC-82	Resolve FoundingMemberDatesQuestion	BrianFreud	artist-artist AR	1009	RFC	RFC	2010-03-01		2010-03-08	2010-03-10
RFC-83: Add track-url Wikipedia AR RFC-83	Add track-url Wikipedia AR	BrianFreud	New track-URL AR	3852	In development
RFC-84: Add 'provides discographic information about' AR RFC-84	Add 'provides discographic information about' AR	BrianFreud	New track-URL AR	3734	In development
RFC-85: Adding vocal attribute to Arranger AR RFC-85	Adding vocal attribute to Arranger AR	Chris B	New artist-release AR New artist-track AR	3564 MBS-488	Passed, Waiting for implementation			RFV	2008-01-08	2008-01-??
RFC-86: Add Release-Track Relationship for pre-gap tracks RFC-86	Add Release-Track Relationship for pre-gap tracks	?	New track-release AR	4235	On hold until after NGS is released
RFC-87: Add 'is a project of' AR RFC-87	Add 'is a project of' AR	?	New artist-artist AR	882, #s 3 and 4	Abandoned?
RFC-88: Add microblog/Twitter AR RFC-88	Add microblog/Twitter AR	Andrew John Hughes	New artist-URL AR New label-URL AR	5330	Abandoned?
RFC-89: Add Facebook AR RFC-89	Add Facebook AR	Andrew John Hughes	New artist-URL AR New label-URL AR	5329	Abandoned?
RFC-90: Has Lyrics At Extension RFC-90	Has Lyrics At Extension	BrianFreud	New artist-URL AR	5637	RFC	RFC	2010-02-28		2010-03-07	2010-03-09
RFC-91: Fix Production Relationship Class RFC-91	Fix Production Relationship Class (aka: convert the current Miscellaneous Production and Engineer Relationship Types to Relationship Classes, fix/implement the unimplemented but already-passed specific Engineer Relationship types, and fix Programming Relationship Type)	BrianFreud	Fixes problems within Production Relationship Class, also implements RFC-18 and RFC-85		RFC	RFC	2010-02-28		2010-03-07	2010-03-09
RFC-92: Create three new AR Classes, remove 3 existing AR Classes, move Affiliate RC, merge 2 existing AR Types RFC-92	Create three new AR Classes, remove 3 existing AR Classes, move Affiliate RC, merge 2 existing AR Types	BrianFreud	Reorganization of 4 Relationship Classes, merge 2 Relationship Types		RFC	RFC	2010-02-28		2010-03-07	2010-03-09
RFC-94: Decommission Label Relationship Class RFC-94	Decommission Label Relationship Class	BrianFreud	Removes 1 Relationship Class		RFC	RFC	2010-03-01		2010-03-08	2010-03-10
RFC-95: Add Live Journal RFC-95	Add Live Journal	?	New artist-URL AR		Abandoned?
RFC-96: AR documentation cleanup RFC-96	AR documentation cleanup	BrianFreud	AR documentation cleanup		RFC	RFC	2010-03-01		2010-03-08	2010-03-10
RFC-97: Expanded Samples Relationship Type RFC-97	Expanded Samples Relationship Type	?	AR enhancement		Abandoned?
RFC-98: Allow Instrument Attribute for Members of a Band RFC-98	Allow Instrument Attribute for Members of a Band	?	AR enhancement		Abandoned?

Other Proposals

RFC #	Title & Wikipage	Champion	Affects	Trac ticket	Status	RFC	RFC Date	RFV	RFV Date	Passage Date
RFC-3: Advanced Entity RFC-3	Advanced Entity	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-5: Album Rework RFC-5	Album Rework	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-6: Artist Type Project RFC-6	Artist Type Project	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-11: Change Default Data Quality Proposal RFC-11	Change Default Data Quality Proposal	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-15: Disentangle Interfaces From Schema RFC-15	Disentangle Interfaces From Schema	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-16: Display Inheritance RFC-16	Display Inheritance	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-17: Distributed MusicBrainz RFC-17	Distributed MusicBrainz	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-24: Location Proposal RFC-24	Location Proposal	BrianFreud	?	?	In development/Post-NGS
RFC-30: Add Descarga cat #s field RFC-30	Add Descarga cat #s field	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-31: Subscribe to release RFC-31	Subscribe to release	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-32: Separately identify hidden tracks RFC-32	Separately identify hidden tracks	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-33: Add support for displaying and editing related artists RFC-33	Add support for displaying and editing related artists	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-34: Add support to become an open source AccurateRip replacement RFC-34	Add support to become an open source AccurateRip replacement	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-36: Performance Restructuring Proposal RFC-36	Performance Restructuring Proposal	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-37: Performances And Recordings Proposal RFC-37	Performances And Recordings Proposal	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-40: Reason Not To Treat DVD As CD RFC-40	Reason Not To Treat DVD As CD	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-44: Release Data Set RFC-44	Release Data Set	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-48: Release Transliteration And Translation RFC-48	Release Transliteration And Translation	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-49: Release Type Restructuring Proposal RFC-49	Release Type Restructuring Proposal	BrianFreud	?	1372	In development
RFC-50: Removing the clutter RFC-50	Removing the clutter	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-57: Make a DAML+OIL ontology for music RFC-57	Make a DAML+OIL ontology for music	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-58: Public Namespace URIs RFC-58	Public Namespace URIs	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-59: Music Ontology (MO) project RFC-59	Music Ontology (MO) project	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-60: Track Grouping RFC-60	Track Grouping	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-63: Updating Subscription Mails RFC-63	Updating Subscription Mails	?	?	?	Discussion
RFC-65: Voting Motivations RFC-65	Voting Motivations	?	?	?	Abandoned?
RFC-71: NGS: Groups and Gender RFC-71	NGS: Groups and Gender	BrianFreud	NGS development	MBS-450	RFC	RFC	2010-02-22	RFV	2010-03-08	2010-03-10
RFC-72: NGS: Alternate Genders RFC-72	NGS: Alternate Genders	BrianFreud	NGS development	MBS-344	RFV	RFC	2010-02-22	RFV	2010-03-03	2010-03-05
RFC-75: Add release format: VHS RFC-75	Add release format: VHS	BrianFreud	New release format	5605	Abandoned, see RFC-93
RFC-76: Add release format: VCD RFC-76	Add release format: VCD	BrianFreud	New release format	4615	Abandoned, see RFC-93
RFC-77: Add release format: SVCD RFC-77	Add release format: SVCD	BrianFreud	New release format	4615	Abandoned, see RFC-93
RFC-78: Add release format: 7" vinyl RFC-78	Add release format: 7" vinyl	Per Øyvind Øygard (Wizzcat)	New release format/format+format attribute	3941	Discussion
RFC-79: Add release format: 10" vinyl RFC-79	Add release format: 10" vinyl	Per Øyvind Øygard (Wizzcat)	New release format/format+format attribute	3941	Discussion
RFC-80: Add release format: 12" vinyl RFC-80	Add release format: 12" vinyl	Per Øyvind Øygard (Wizzcat)	New release format/format+format attribute	3941	Discussion
RFC-81: Add release format: HDCD RFC-81	Add release format: HDCD	BrianFreud	New release format	3942	Abandoned, see RFC-93
RFC-93: Add release formats: VHS, VCD, SVCD, Betamax, HDCD, USB Flash Drive, slotMusic RFC-93	Add release formats: VHS, VCD, SVCD, Betamax, HDCD, USB Flash Drive, slotMusic	BrianFreud	New release formats, would close RFC-75, RFC-76, RFC-77, RFC-81, and address some unknown fields on Release Format.	5605 4615 3942	RFC	RFC	2010-03-01		2010-03-08	2010-03-10
RFC-99: Also Known As RFC-99	Also Known As	?	?		Abandoned?
RFC-100: Rename Legal Name to Birth Name RFC-100	Rename Legal Name to Birth Name	?	?		Abandoned?

Needed Proposals

These are guidelines, or parts of guidelines, which are known to not yet be written and/or proposed for approval.

• Arranger Relationship Type: "Additional" attribute
• Composer Relationship Type: "Additional" attribute
• Cover Art Relationship Type
• Librettist Relationship Type: "Additional" attribute