----- Original Message ----- 
From: "D P Ingram" <[log in to unmask]>
> Hi.
> We are presently sketching out the plans for some online reference/ 
> discographical works and are aware that there is no perfect solution  or 
> consistency amongst agreement :(  In order to try and make things  as user 
> friendly yet accurate (with scope for expansion) I am looking  for any 
> views towards the following:
>
> 1. Presentation of artist names and groups.
> a. As these will have to go into one field rather than a "first name", 
> "last name" or "group name" arrangement, do people still really use  the 
> "last name, first name" format that much when it comes to ONLINE 
> searching? I am aware of its importance still in paper products and 
> should there be any paper based developments I would hope we could 
> computerise the reversal of names.
> b. Allowing for the fact that computers can strip out (for alphabet 
> presentation) in listings "The" and such words, do people prefer it to 
> the previous use of parenthesis. I.e. "The London Chorus" instead of 
> "London Chorus (The)" and variants.
> c. Some discographies and catalogues have used a combination of  capitals 
> to show a family name whilst using the same format.  This may  be a 
> European influence I cannot be sure. Does it prove to be off- putting to 
> an American audience, i.e. "Hiram HOSIE" (as artist) and  "HONEYMAN'S 
> FIDDLERS (as group/artist).
>
And there is yet another problem...that of "noms du disque" (AKA
"pseudonyms"...?!). I always used two data fields: ACT_ART for the
actual (common) name of the artist (i.e. "Fields, Arthur") and ART_CRED
for the record label entry (i.e. "X, Mr.") Note that this table is, and MUST
be, indexed/sorted by the LAST name! Also, I have NO idea how one
programs the stripping-out of "articles" (A/An/The) which is needed...?!

Both the artist him/her/itself and the pseudonym (if used) need to be
entered in any discographic data table; the first for answering the
common question,"What records do I own by "Artist," and the second
soone can acually FIND the records...!?

> 2. Discographical indication of language
> a. We are considering the use of a field to indicate the language used 
> within a recording.  Is ISO 639-3 the right standard ? I am a bit 
> confused here. We want to make it a standard lookup so that we could 
> define Gaelic (GLA) or if possible differentiate Swedish as used in 
> Sweden compared to Swedish as used in Finland (a different branch).  Any 
> linguists care to help here. From what I can see ISO 639-3 is the 
> nearest.
>
Here, I would say "Whatever current Library usage is"...?!

Steven C. Barr