User talk:Lem

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Welcome!

Hello, Lem, and welcome to the ISFDB Wiki! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are some pages that you might find helpful:

Note: Image uploading isn't entirely automated. You're uploading the files to the wiki which will then have to be linked to the database by editing the publication record.

Please be careful in editing publications that have been primary verified by other editors. See Help:How to verify data#Making changes to verified pubs. But if you have a copy of an unverified publication, verifying it can be quite helpful. See Help:How to verify data for detailed information.

I hope you enjoy editing here! Please sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~); this will insert your name and the date. If you need help, check out the community portal, or ask me on my talk page. Again, welcome! --MartyD 07:59, 9 May 2021 (EDT)


Islands in the Sky

Hi, and welcome. I accepted your change to record the artist on Islands in the Sky. When the artist is not explicitly credited, we record the source of the identification in the pub notes. So I took your note-to-the-moderator about the RAO signature and added it to the pub notes with a "Cover artist not credited" leader. Please review and make sure you agree.

Also, if you have a copy of the book, it would be very helpful if you made yourself a primary verifier. There are no onerous responsibilities that come with that, it just lets us know a human being looked at the actual book and also tells other editors to come to you if they have any questions that could be answered by having you take another look at your copy. To do a verification, follow the link I gave above and then click the Verify this Pub link at the bottom of the Editing Tools menu at the left. In the top section, make sure "Permanent Verification" is checked, and click Verify. That's all there is to it!

If you have any questions or need any help, just ask. You can reply to this by editing this section. Indent your response by adding a colon at the front of your new text to separate it visually from mine (each colon gets another level of indentation). Also see the links in the welcome message above for many other places to go for information and help. Thanks, and thank you for contributing. --MartyD 08:15, 9 May 2021 (EDT)

As one of those primary verifiers for the book, I'm one of those who missed seeing the initials on the cover. Looking at my copy, I still don't see it. My cover image is cropped in the lower left to actually touch the planet. Does yours extend further? Or is it hiding in plain sight? (I sucked at Myst - could never find anything). ../Doug H 13:55, 9 May 2021 (EDT)
I did find an example here and here (about 1/2 way down), which seem to be the same cover scan, judging from the corner defects. They seem to be showing something at the bottom left that might be "<garbled> A O". It clearly has more of the painting below the bottom edge of the planet. I also found this, which looks like it has an R there and that RAO sort of slopes from left to right, with R tallest, then A a little shorter, the O shortest. --MartyD 12:30, 10 May 2021 (EDT)
hi, and thanks for the User Talk and Editing info. The changes you made look fine and I did add myself as the primary verifier (why is the "transient" option there and when would it be used?). Regarding the RAO signature on the front cover - it is definitely in the bottom left hand corner below the planet....the last copy you showed is my copy used for this entry and currently on sale at ABE :)....thanks again, Lem 13:25, 11 May 2021 (EDT)
I use transient verification when I have the book but don't plan on keeping it. I volunteer with a charity that does book sales and process much of their SF. If I see something odd, I'll bring it home and enter/verify it. So Primary means you have/had the book and can vouch the data was correct - Permanent means you still have it if someone has questions and Transient means you don't. Which means that if someone subsequently modifies the entry, it can look like you agree with the information unless you check dates and history (a recent upgrade). As for this particular book - I keep scans of all my covers regardless of how or whether I verify it. ../Doug H 14:47, 11 May 2021 (EDT)
what would you do in my case with this book? maybe change my verification from permanent to transient in case I sell it? not likely that I would recall this entry to make the change a year or two down the road when the book may or may not sell.... Lem 21:17, 11 May 2021 (EDT)
I'd leave it Permanent. The point is not to say you remember the entry, it's to say you have access to the book to check something, if asked. Try to remember to change the verification when you get rid of the book, but don't sweat it. We probably lose access to more 'permanent' verifications by losing people than books. ../Doug H 08:04, 12 May 2021 (EDT)
That's funny....ok thanks for the help. Lem 18:45, 12 May 2021 (EDT)
A belated thought about this: You should update the cover scan with the one that is less cropped and shows the initials. To do that, go here and scroll down to where you find "Upload a new version of this file" and click on that. You can say in the summary that you're replacing it with a fuller image showing the artist's signature. Then also edit the page and changed Scanned by Bluesman to Scanned by yourself. --MartyD 08:30, 17 May 2021 (EDT)

Space, Space, Space

Regarding this submission:

  • One of the pub notes added is "There is price on the inside front flap but rather the number: 125125". Did you mean there is NOT a price?
  • You mentioned not be able to figure out how to add a dustjacket photo. To do that, go to the image page (Image:SPCSPCSPCH0000.jpg) and click the "Upload a new version of this file" near the bottom of the file. It may not look like the image was replaced when done, but it will have worked. If you see the same image, you will need to force your browse cache to refresh (usually Ctr-F5) due to a bug in the wiki software.

Thanks. -- JLaTondre (talk) 09:00, 16 May 2021 (EDT)

hi, and thanks. Yes, there is NO price, just that number, sorry. I did get to the image page but it says my file (one picture) is too large....I am not sure if/how I can downsize my image? Best, Lem 09:17, 17 May 2021 (EDT)
I added the missing "no" for the price. For the image, you would need image editing software (if you are on Windows you can use Paint though it is not the nicest) and re-size the image so that it is smaller. -- JLaTondre (talk) 11:02, 22 May 2021 (EDT)
ok thanks again, I will fiddle around some more and see if I can downsize the image. Lem 22:05, 25 May 2021 (EDT)

Glide Path

Hi. I have on hold your proposed clone of Glide Path. Different printing locations would be a reason to make different publication records. The permanent and transient verifiers of the record you want to clone are active, so I've asked them to check for a printing statement. Once we see what they say, we'll know whether a new record is warranted. It might take a few days to get responses. --MartyD 08:45, 21 August 2021 (EDT)

hi, I am not sure what the initial verifiers can do if their copies are only the U.S. printings?? Lem 17:38, 29 August 2021 (EDT)
They could verify that what they have is a U.S. printing (as opposed to the same Canadian one you have). But I got an I-don't-have-the-book from the transient verifier and no response yet from the other verifier, so I'm going to accept your clone submission. I will add to the pub notes your note about the Printed in Canada statement. --MartyD 08:33, 30 August 2021 (EDT)
Done. See here. But now a question I should have thought of before: Should that $0.50 price be C$0.50? --MartyD 08:35, 30 August 2021 (EDT)
thanks, I would say yes based ISFDB records that I see (though none of the CDN printings distinguish U.S. to CDN dollars). Lem 13:53, 31 August 2021 (EDT)

Futuredays: A Nineteenth Century Vision of the Year 2000

Hi Ray. In your submission, you asked hi, my copy of this book is a hardcover with dustjacket. Price and ISBN the same as here. Should this be cloned? Ray.
Short answer: No. Long answer: I did some browsing on the 'net, and most sources say it's a hc. Together with the evidence that you hold a hc in your hands, I'd say update the current record - and add a cover scan while you're at it :) Also, since you have the book, consider primary verifying the publication record (left-hand menu 'Verify This Pub') - this signifies that you attest to the veracity of the data. Thanks! MagicUnk 14:45, 1 September 2021 (EDT)

Related to this submission of yours (which I had to reject); comments like these should not go into title notes. Please post these in the Community Portal, or better yet, submit an update of the record (with supporting evidence in notes). If you don't know how, reply here, or over at the Community Portal. Regards, MagicUnk 11:54, 6 September 2021 (EDT)
I am confused. We both agree the title is a hardcover so why not change the format designation? Am I missing something? thanks, Ray Lem 23:22, 9 September 2021 (EDT)
Sorry about the confusion. We have two topics here:
1) hc: yes, I agree with you. But. You didn't submit an update of the publication record. So, I had to reject your original submission because you didn't actually change anything, you only asked a question in the 'Notes to Moderators' field. So, do submit an edit that will correct the format from pb to hc (no clone!) and it'll get approved.
By the way, unless you specifically ask, moderators do not update records for you - the practice is that you yourself are submitting corrections that moderators then approve :)
2) That other submission of yours is unrelated and has nothing to do with the first. Hope this clarifies. Regards, MagicUnk 06:31, 10 September 2021 (EDT)
I think that I get it now, modified pub data submitted, thanks for the help. Ray Lem 23:48, 10 September 2021 (EDT)
And approved! Something else that you are encouraged to do is to primary verify this publication - doing so means that you have verified the data against the actual physical book, and that you attest to the veracity of the information. You can do this by displaying the pub record, and then select 'Verify this Pub' from the left-hand menu. Also, you can upload the cover - after you've uploaded the cover via the 'Upload new cover scan' hyperlink that you can find below the pub data, right click on the picture, select 'Copy image address', and then edit the pub record and paste that image address into the Image URL field. Regards, MagicUnk 07:29, 11 September 2021 (EDT)

The Stepford Wives

About your question about that one: When you look at the book, click on the name of the Primary Verifier. It will lead to his user page. Click on "discussion". It will open their talk page. Press the + sign, leave them a message to ask about the price of the book and when they respond, we can see what needs to be done here.

Also - when you have just a question, posting directly on their page or in Community Support will make it more visible than buried in a submission.

Let me know if you want me to send the message to the PV or if you want to try. Annie 16:35, 28 September 2021 (EDT)

hi, sent note to Primary Verifier, waiting for response, thank you, Lem 10:31, 29 September 2021 (EDT)
You left it on their userpage though and not talk :) I moved it where it belongs and added a link to the book so he knows which book you are asking about :) Annie 13:37, 29 September 2021 (EDT)
You have a response - which you may not see as I had to move the message and you are not monitoring the correct page. So heads up. Cick on my link above and you will see the response. Annie 19:05, 29 September 2021 (EDT)
Thanks, yes, I see the response - so what's next? can you use my original submission to update the record (price) or do you want me to submit another edit submission? Lem 20:38, 4 October 2021 (EDT)
We cannot edit submissions - so even if I unreject the old one, it does not have the price change in it. That's why it is not a good idea to send a submission to ask a question - the submission will need to be rejected anyway, a new one will be needed and someone will need to start a thread to answer. Much faster to just post the thread - on the PV's page or in Community Support and once it is clear what is to be done, a submission to be added :)
So someone will need to make a new submission to change the price and add a note. You may as well do it. Unless you want me to. :) Annie 21:06, 4 October 2021 (EDT)
Done. Thanks for your help. Lem 14:25, 5 October 2021 (EDT)

Do primary verify Silence in Heaven

Hello, this (and other) submissions of yours state in the note to moderators that you own the book. If you do, please do primary verify the publication record. Doing so signifies that the data is as in the actual book (as you've verified the data against your copy). Use the 'Verify This Pub' from the menu on the left of the publication page. Thanks! MagicUnk (talk) 12:39, 25 November 2022 (EST)

Done, thanks. Lem (talk)

Burbank the Northerner

I have your submission on hold as I have some remarks:

  • A (jacket) designer is generally not credited as cover art artist (unless it's very clear that the designer did the art as well). So, statement in the notes is fine, adding a cover art record, less so.
  • Where did you get the $3.00 price from? The Jules Verne Encyclopedia states price is $2.75. If you have a different source, you'd need to add that to the notes, without removing valid data (meaning, you'd have to add a note stating that the Jules Verne encyclopedia says $2.75, and where your price of $3.00 is coming from.
  • Also, do upload the cover of this book that you own (you could scan it, or take a picture). Uploading is quite straigtforward: on the publication page, click on the 'upload cover scan' link, choose and upload your cover picture (make sure it's not bigger than 600 pixels large, and 200B in size). When that's done, right-click the picture and select 'copy image address' and use that to update the publication record. That's it.

Regards, MagicUnk (talk) 12:48, 25 November 2022 (EST)

Hi, regarding cover design versus cover art I think you are right in order to maintain consistency with other ISFDB records. (I do think that AB/Arco used "design" a bit liberally as most of these editions either have Jozef Gross or William Langstaffe as the cover 'designer' so I think they actually did the, rather rudimentary, cover art). Next, regarding the changes, I will maintain my requests for updates: I have a copy of The Jules Verne Enclopedia in my library and I see the entry. However, my copy is copyright dated 1963 (with no other printings listed) and front dust jacket flap priced (with no stickers, etc.) at $3.00. All booksellers of this edition on ABE list the pub date as 1963. Therefore, the Encyclopedia is incorrect. Perhaps, we can include a note to that effect (that it is incorrect). If you approve of my research and physical copy in my possession, then I will Verify the Pub subsequently. Regarding photo inclusion. I have tried to follow similar directions to your own (thank you) previously with no success - not sure if it is a pixel/size issue - but I can't get it to work, so I have just given up (for now) trying to provide photos of any submissions I make to ISFDB. Thank you again, Ray. Lem (talk) 21:43, 26 November 2022 (EST)
https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/view_submission.cgi?5495909; https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/view_submission.cgi?5495910; https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/view_submission.cgi?5495911; https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/view_submission.cgi?5495912; I made those edits today which are awaiting approval at the top of a long list; no idea how this will conflict with your edits, so letting everyone know so there's no accidental overlap/deletion of info. --Username (talk) 21:57, 26 November 2022 (EST)
Has there been any update to the remarks above? thanks, Ray Lem (talk)
I've approved your submission, and added further clarification to the notes that encyclopedia says $2.75, whereas front flap says $3.00. Left Gross as artist, but again, be conservative when adding artists credited as designer. I've also approved Username's edits. Have a look, and add more clarification if needed. MagicUnk (talk) 15:13, 9 December 2022 (EST)
Thank you, all looks good. ~
Just wondering, in the interest of uniformity, if (both) the date of publication note and the listing of Jozef Gross as the artist, should be replicated for the Arco edition? As far as I know, Arco and AB editions in the Fitzroy series were issued simultaneously with the same book and cover design. ~

Photographs

Regarding your question in the moderator notes in this submission: Yes, photographs can be entered as interior art records. Typically we don't index photographs of the author or photographs unrelated to written speculative fiction, but otherwise they are eligible content. Thanks. -- JLaTondre (talk) 21:17, 22 December 2022 (EST)

The dates in the book are 2004 but the book date is October 2003. --Username (talk) 21:20, 22 December 2022 (EST)

Randall Garrett / Unwise Child

I am editing and PVing Unwise Child. My copy is priced $3.50 and I see from the edit history that your transient PV copy was also $3.50. The pub record has a price of $2.95 so I propose to change the price to $3.50, update the date to 1962-09-00 as per Currey and add pub notes. Is all this ok with you? Teallach (talk) 18:26, 6 January 2023 (EST)

Yes, it is. Thanks. ~

Futuredays

Hi! Do you still have access to Futuredays? If so, could you please take a look into it if there's a piece of art by Jean-Marc Côté that's called something similar to (and shows a) 'Whale Bus' (a whale transporting passengers in a whale-length cabin, with a dolphin watching this), and tell about it's (original) dating? I have a later reproduction in a German magazine, and there it's only dated 'around 1900'. Thanks, Christian Stonecreek (talk) 08:34, 30 April 2023 (EDT)

hi, sold this book recently but I asked the buyer to check - he is in Florida right now but promised to check when he returns home at the end of this week....I hope we can answer your question. ~~
Thank you for taking the tracking path! Christian Stonecreek (talk) 01:58, 3 May 2023 (EDT)
hi, sorry he hasn't responded to my request a second time...best. Lem (talk) 22:03, 18 May 2023 (EDT)

Asimov's Pirates of the Asteroids

Letting you know I've added a Note to your verified pub re. the publication date as it's stated at Goodreads. Cheers. PeteYoung (talk) 11:47, 11 July 2023 (EDT)

Oracle - The Magazine of Graphic Science-Fiction and Fantasy

About this submission. Are these two stories graphic stories/comics or are they prose stories? Thanks! PS: Sorry about the delay in getting to your entry. We had been a bit short-handed so some of the less obvious submissions had piled up. Annie (talk) 11:03, 7 February 2024 (EST)

no problem, Annie. The two stories are graphics/comics. thank you, Ray Lem (talk) 23:25, 20 February 2024 (EST)
Unfortunately that means that they are not eligible to be added - unless they are in an otherwise eligible magazine or from over the threshold authors (neither of which applies here). What else is in the magazine? Are there any text SF stories in this magazine? If not, or even if there are one or more, that becomes a non-genre magazine for us - and that means that only eligible stories are added. Annie (talk) 10:26, 21 February 2024 (EST)
just graphic stories - well, not sure about "non genre" - this stuff is pure SF/Fantasy but I guess graphics don't cut it, sounds a bit odd but what would you like me to do? cancel the submission? thanks Ray. Lem (talk) 23:21, 21 February 2024 (EST)
This is how we define genre. See the exclusions. So yes - they are genre for the world but they are not in scope as they are not in our definition of the genre. I wish I could catalog my own GN collection but... not in scope :) You can cancel it yourself or I can reject it - either way works. Annie (talk) 23:41, 21 February 2024 (EST)
ok, canceled. thanks for the discussion. Ray. Lem (talk) 23:55, 22 February 2024 (EST)

Martian Time-Slip

Regarding your question in this submission: Back cover art is entered as interior art. Only front cover art (and wrap around art by extension) is listed as cover art. It is a bit of a judgement case in this instance, but the art only shows on the back cover and is not wrap around. Thanks. -- JLaTondre (talk) 13:37, 24 March 2024 (EDT)

Ubik

Hi, a couple of things about Ubik:

  • I accepted the submission, but I reverted your John Richards (I) -> John Richards change for the cover art credit. The reason for the "(I)" is to separate this John Richards from the John Richards who was active in the 1950s. The decade-long gap and the different visual styles suggest this is a different John Richards. We use text in parentheses at the end of names for disambiguation. Here, the choice for disambiguator was to use a Roman numeral. See How to separate two authors with the same name for details.
  • If you have the book, please consider making yourself a primary verifier.

If you have any information that would indicate this John Richards and the 1950s John Richards are the same person, let me know, and we can adjust. Thanks. --MartyD (talk) 11:23, 31 March 2024 (EDT)

I saw this and discovered that Archive.org has a copy of this edition but the URL is for the wrong PKD book and there's an "offensive content" warning which makes no sense for an old SF novel; anyway, I added a link to it. --Username (talk) 11:41, 31 March 2024 (EDT)
Also, per ISFDB rules, the pre-decimal price, 28s, should be entered for a book with both prices. --Username (talk) 11:52, 31 March 2024 (EDT)
Thanks for the catch. Changed that to 28/-s. Also accepted the archive.org link. --MartyD (talk) 12:28, 31 March 2024 (EDT)
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