User talk:ElectricStarboard

Welcome!

Hello, ElectricStarboard, 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:

• Help pages
• Field-by-field guide to entering new publications into the database
• Help:Getting Started
• What the ISFDB Wiki is for
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• Wiki editing help - Tips on how to use the wiki-specific features when editing wiki pages.
• Wiki Conventions - How things are usually done on this wiki.
• Help:How to upload images to the ISFDB wiki

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! -- JLaTondre (talk) 08:15, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

The World's Finest Mystery and Crime Stories: Fourth Annual Collection

Regarding this submission: Are these stories speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, or supernatural horror)? Please see our Project Scope for details on what we included. The only non-speculative fiction we would include would be by well known genre authors. So the anthology itself is included because of Gorman and Greenberg and the Wilhelm story would also be eligible on that basis even if not speculative fiction. But the other authors' stories would need to be speculative fiction to be listed. Please let me know and I will update the submission. Thanks. -- JLaTondre (talk) 08:15, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

Based on [1], [2], & [3], it looks like you are adding all the contents to this anthology series. Please let me know (by responding here) which stories are speculative and I will update the anthologies. Or you may cancel your existing edits and resubmit with just the eligible works. Thanks. -- JLaTondre (talk) 08:50, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

Thanks JLaTondre - you are correct, overall these stories are not speculative fiction (just straight mystery/crime) and the edit should not be published. Thank you for the information!I will resubmit with just the speculative fiction stories. ElectricStarboard 09:00, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

Submissions have been rejected. Sorry you had to do extra work. We appreciate your understanding. ISFDB has some conventions that need learning, but everything should be in the help links in the welcome message above. We hope you will continue to contribute. And please let us know if you have any questions (ISFDB:Help desk is a good resource for asking). -- JLaTondre (talk) 09:09, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

The Archive.org copy of this anthology says on the copyright acknowledgments page that Wilhelm's story is from EQMM, September/October 2002; is there a reason why it was entered with a 1996 date? The stories are all from 2002; it's a best-of-the-year book. EDIT: I see that this editor entered correct 2002 date but moderator made a later title merge, so that might be the problem. --Username 10:35, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

Yes, it was merged to the existing record from Nebula Awards Showcase 2010. You are welcome to ask the verifiers of that pub about the date. It wouldn't be the first time a magazine re-printed a story and a Best Of anthology missed that. It could also be a database error. -- JLaTondre (talk) 10:49, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

It seems Nowickj entered the contents many years ago, and I assumed he'd be long-gone, but after not answering anything since 2019 he did so back in March, so I left him a note. However, the Nebula anthology is on Archive.org and DOES say 1996, so...? --Username 11:15, 25 June 2022 (EDT)

Import existing titles

All your submissions are creating duplicate COVERART title records. When the title already exists, import it using 'Option 2', explained here. If you have any questions, ask. I'm glad you enjoy participating. John Scifibones 09:10, 5 July 2022 (EDT)

Thank you John Scifibones - this is very helpful! When importing data from a title variant into another via Option 2, how do you ensure/verify that only the cover artist is being copied? I want to ensure that I understand the right way to copy the intended data and do not overwrite anything else. Thanks again! ElectricStarboard 15:05, 5 July 2022 (EDT)

Use the edit button for a given thread rather than the edit on the top of the page when responding. It alerts everyone what thread you are responding to. I have this submission on hold to illustrated how you should import it.

1. You can see that this publication has the same artwork.
2. Clicking the cover title brings up the COVERART title record. On the top right you will see Title Record # 1127854. (Make a note of this number)
3. Return to here and select Import Content from the Editing Tools on the left side of the screen.
4. Under option 2, enter the title record number from step two. Select import title.
5. You will see the title that will be imported. If you are satisfied, submit, if not back up and make any necessary correction.

After you submit this edit, go ahead and cancel the submission I have on hold. It will no longer be necessary. John Scifibones 19:02, 5 July 2022 (EDT)

Thank you John Scifibones - I followed your steps to make the edit and it worked perfectly. I appreciate you taking the time to assist me with this! I will go through my pending edits and resubmit via this process where applicable and cancel the original submissions. ElectricStarboard 20:15, 5 July 2022 (EDT)

Edit approved. I'm glad to help. John Scifibones 20:27, 5 July 2022 (EDT)

The Accursed

Regarding this submission:

1. The cover artist field is only for the artist and not the designer. There is a long standing request for a cover designer field, but until that is implemented, the designer is recorded only in the pub notes.
2. You do not have to enter <br> to create new lines. Within the notes fields, the software will handle line breaks fine. This wasn't always the case so you may see some older records with them, but we remove them now if we make other edits to the record.

Thanks. -- JLaTondre (talk) 08:43, 10 July 2022 (EDT)

Thank you JLaTondre - noted! ElectricStarboard 08:45, 10 July 2022 (EDT)

Closed at Dusk

Concerning your submission: I checked quite a number of reviews, but couldn't find any mention of actual ghosts - ghost stories yes, but that doesn't make the book eligible for inclusion. We'd need actual supernatural or other speculative-fiction events to take place for it to be added. Can you provide evidence for your statement that there's a ghost subplot going on in the story? Thanks! MagicUnk 08:28, 19 July 2022 (EDT)

Thanks MagicUnk - I think you are right and this is more suspense/thriller with some horror elements that are not really speculative-fiction. I will cancel the submission. I appreciate your input! ElectricStarboard 10:23, 2 August 2022 (EDT)

The Visionary...

Is there a particular reason why you uploaded the cover image to the dos-a-dos publication record #101081, but instead used it on the hc edition (publication record #119001) in your edit? Can you explain what you wanted to do exactly? Thanks! MagicUnk 08:34, 19 July 2022 (EDT)

Thanks for catching this MagicUnk - I think I mistakenly uploaded the cover image to the wrong publication. Is there a way that I can fix this? Apologies! ElectricStarboard 10:20, 2 August 2022 (EDT)

Cancel your submission and re-submit, but now with the correct image URL. Regards, MagicUnk 04:40, 4 August 2022 (EDT)

Band of Gypsys

Hello again. Concerning your submission here, we do not add frontpiece (I'm assuming you mean frontispiece?) as title for interior art. Instead, we are using the book's actual title. I've change this for you accordingly, and added a note clarifiying the interior art is the frontispiece, and that the artist was obtained from the copyright page.
Also, do make it a practice to systematically add the source of information you're adding or updating to the Note field. In this case, add the location where you got the copyright page from, or - if you happen to own the book itself - do consider primary verifying - PVing a book confirms that the information is as it's on or in the book you own. Regards, MagicUnk 08:44, 19 July 2022 (EDT)

Thank you MagicUnk - that makes sense about the frontispiece. Thank you for adding a note to the submission and for the attribution/verification tips! ElectricStarboard 13:04, 23 July 2022 (EDT)

Beauty

Hi. I think your proposed addition of Beauty duplicates this, in which case you should cancel your submission and add appropriate details to that existing record. Let me know if you disagree (just reply here).

A side note about image URLs. It's not called out very well in Help:Screen:EditPub#Image_URL (see the third bullet under Amazon), but when we use image URLs from Amazon, we strip out formatting directives they embed in the URL. So where you found:

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51zYXZ93+4L._SX334_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

that "._SX334_BO1,204,203,200_" (everything from the next-to-last period up to the final ".jpg") should be removed, using this:

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51zYXZ93+4L.jpg

instead. In this case, the visual effect is very small, but sometimes it is much more dramatic. --MartyD 11:51, 23 July 2022 (EDT)

Thank you MartyD! The Beauty submission was indeed a duplicate. I cancelled it and added the data to the existing publication. Thank you for the tip about image URL formatting as well! ElectricStarboard 12:58, 23 July 2022 (EDT)

The Great Alta Saga

Thanks for adding The Great Alta Saga. From the Pages help section - 'For ebooks, do not enter in this field the number of pages. The estimated number given by the publisher, or some sites may be specified in the "Notes" field.' I corrected this one, please correct others as appropriate. Remember to import the content titles. thanks John Scifibones 17:15, 23 July 2022 (EDT)

Thank you John Scifibones - my submissions with this issue have been corrected and resubmitted. I appreciate the advice! ElectricStarboard 06:33, 25 July 2022 (EDT)

The Silicon Mage and Stranger at the Wedding ebooks

Hi. I think your submission for the Open Road Integrated Media ebook edition of The Silicon Mage duplicates this. I realize the ISBNs are different, but Google on the ISBN from the existing record finds no hits. I also noticed Amazon does not know the ISBN you provided in your submission. I don't have any argument with it -- B&N and Kobo know it -- but I am wondering where did you find it on Amazon? If you can still find the page, what is the ASIN? Also, the cover on all three sites is different from the cover in the clone. I did find this showing that ISBN with the other cover, so I am guessing that's the original and it has since been replaced by a newer cover. --MartyD 07:32, 2 August 2022 (EDT)

Same situation and questions about your Stranger at the Wedding submission and this. --MartyD 08:05, 2 August 2022 (EDT)

Thanks MartyD - both ISBNs for the submissions are taken directly from the eBook copyright pages. The submission covers also match the covers of the eBooks (not the current Amazon covers). As you mentioned, the eBook ISBNs are referenced on B&N/Kobo/Google Books but not the seemingly matching Amazon eBook with the same publisher/date that is already being used for the eBook publication with an alternate ISBN (ex. B004TC14A0 is already part of The Silicon Mage). In cases like this with existing publications that seem identical except for the ISBN and it is unclear which publication the ASIN is tied to, should the alternate ISBN be added as a separate publication (as done in these cases) or be added to the notes of the existing publication? I appreciate your help with these submissions! ElectricStarboard 10:17, 2 August 2022 (EDT)

Ok, we will keep both sets. I will add a note to the others about not being able to find any evidence of the ISBNs. --MartyD 15:07, 3 August 2022 (EDT)

The Dog Said Bow-Wow

Hello, concerning your submission, the information I could find on Amazon (LookInside) was for the paperback edition - there is no information I could find for the ebook version but on Goodreads here. So, I've accepted your submission, but updated the notes to clarify the information came from Amazon's Lookinside for the tp edition. Thanks MagicUnk 04:29, 4 August 2022 (EDT)

Against the Tide of Years

Concerning this submission. Can you tell me why you didn't provide the publication date and ASIN from Amazon.com? Generally speaking, always provide the ASIN if you can. Thanks MagicUnk 04:39, 4 August 2022 (EDT)
Same for this one. MagicUnk 04:41, 4 August 2022 (EDT)

Hi MagicUnk - those publications were created directly from eBooks. I will see if I can find matching publications on Amazon. Thanks! ElectricStarboard 15:50, 25 August 2022 (EDT)

A Swiftly Tilting Planet

This one confuses me as well. I can't find any evidence that there was an ebook edition published by Square Fish in May 2007. The information you have in the notes seem to me to relate to the paperback edition, not the ebook one. Goodreads has only paperback editions for Square Fish. Can you clarify where you got this information for the ebook edition from? Thanks MagicUnk 05:05, 4 August 2022 (EDT)

Your transient verifications

Question to be sure: do you have the actual ebooks on your computer for which you are transiently verifying? Or rather, do you use Amazon's LookInside (or another source) to submit your edits? If it's the latter, you should not transiently verify, as Amazon as a rule is unreliable. You can continue to submit of course, but then do add a note that your source is Amazon. Regards, MagicUnk 11:56, 5 August 2022 (EDT)

Hi MagicUnk - I have the actual eBook on my computer when transiently verifying (I choose transient because I will not have the book permanently). Thanks for checking! ElectricStarboard 12:11, 5 August 2022 (EDT)

Thanks for the confirmation! I was uncertain, as a lot of the info you're providing I couldn't find online. I'll go back in and approve your submissions :) I may have some more questions - if I do, I'll let you know (if you could answer my questions above as well?). Regards, MagicUnk 15:05, 5 August 2022 (EDT)

I've looked at a couple, and approved them - for some I couldn't reconcile the publication date with Goodreads, so I went and added the Goodreads ID and the corresponding first publication date of the ebook (you'll find them in your changed primary verifications list). Where did you get your dates from? First publication date (and covers at that time) can be tricky for ebooks. Thanks, MagicUnk 16:03, 5 August 2022 (EDT)

Cover images

When cloning the tp (or any format) to create an ebook (or any differing format) please change the link to point at the correct image. Thanks, John Scifibones 12:42, 12 August 2022 (EDT)

In the Village Where Brightwine Flows

This submission duplicates this publication. You can edit and verify the existing record. John Scifibones 13:47, 12 August 2022 (EDT)

Legend ebook dating

Hi. Sorry about the belated attention to your submissions. For your Legend ebook submission, there are a couple of issues around the details and the date. (a) It's an ebook and (b) it has a 13-digit ISBN, both of which are incongruous with a 1996 publication date. 13-digit ISBNs were not used before 2005, and while the first ebooks came out in 1998, it would be rare to have one published before the 2000s. Taking all of that together, I think we can't tell what the publication date for this is from the information in the ebook. The 1996 copyright is tied to the original hardcover publication. I noticed both Simon and Schuster and Amazon date this ebook edition July 14, 1999. I'm mildly skeptical about even that, but it is what the publisher says, and maybe it was originally digitized in a format other than Kindle's. So I am going to accept the submission but change the date to 1999-07-14 and add a note about the source of that date. --MartyD 11:02, 13 August 2022 (EDT)

The ASIN field

Hello,

When the ASIN is the same as ISBN10 (which is the usual case for paper book with ISBNs starting with 978, we do not record the value as an ASIN as we already have it as an ISBN and the link on the left side to Amazon uses it. The easiest way to think of it is: if the ASIN does not start with B, we probably don't want it in the ASIN field. The only exception is when the book does not carry an ISBN but Amazon did assign a numerical only ASIN (usually coming from an older ISBN). I removed the ASIN here. I also rewrote the note a bit to indicate that this was an older record. :) Thanks! Annie 17:39, 17 August 2022 (EDT)

Dracula

I approved your submission creating the Dracula ebook. You have an LCCN (20041007460) in an external link field which does not work. Always test the links you provide. This one looks a little fishy, where did it come from? John Scifibones 16:13, 19 August 2022 (EDT)

ISSN

Hi. Quick note: ISSN is not a catalog ID. It's an identifier for the entire magazine. Regards, MagicUnk 15:21, 25 August 2022 (EDT)

Hi MagicUnk - thank you for letting me know! I will add it to the notes field going forward! ElectricStarboard 15:25, 25 August 2022 (EDT)

Changing publisher

Hi again. I've approved a couple of edits that changes the publisher. However, this needs to be discussed, and agreed upon, by the other Primary Verifiers - so, please head over to their talk page, and ask. Thanks! MagicUnk 15:33, 25 August 2022 (EDT)

Thanks MagicUnk - will do! Do publisher changes only need to be discussed if the title has primary verification? What about publishers that do not meet publisher naming conventions like those in Publisher Name Clean Up? Thank you so much for your assistance! ElectricStarboard 15:47, 25 August 2022 (EDT)

Branches vs. Scholastic

Hi once again. You have a bunch of edits that changes Scholastic into Branches / Scholastic. However, looking at the copyright page (LookInside) of a few of these publications, I notice that it always says "Published by Scholastic Inc." Branches seems to me a publication series, not an imprint. So, can you either cancel these submissions (and submit corrections for those that have already been updated to Branches/Scholastic). Or alternatively, provide proof that Branches -IS- an imprint of Scholastic. Thanks! MagicUnk 15:50, 25 August 2022 (EDT)