Database Guidelines 20. Voting Guidelines
Getting The Ability To Vote
20.1.1. New users cannot vote. The ability to vote is automatically assigned based on your interaction with the site. Generally, you need to log in reasonably regularly, view releases, read the guidelines, comment correctly on others submissions, and make good submissions and updates. Basically, you need to be a helpful and positive contributor to the site.
20.1.2. The ability to vote is not permanent. It can be removed if you don't vote, if you make bad judgments, if you are abusive, or if the system needs to be adjusted.
Voting
20.2.1.The primary function of voting is to tag the current correctness of the information. You are voting on the data in its entirety, not just the last edit.
20.2.2. All votes should be based on the current Submission Guidelines. Please follow and keep up with changes in the Submission Guidelines. Guideline changes will be posted in the news forum, please check there before voting. Follow the guidelines as closely as possible.
20.2.3. The voting system is based on the understanding that the user adding or updating the information is at least trying to make an honest attempt to improve the database. Users that vandalize, remove, obfuscate, and otherwise make malicious and damaging updates should be marked 'Entirely Incorrect' AND an abuse report should be made to the Database Manager.
20.2.4. Votes are NOT counted on images, please do not vote on image additions / adjustments, please update the images yourself if you think there is a problem.
20.2.5.Votes for a newly added release should follow the table below:
| Vote | Summary | How To Use |
| Complete And Correct | For release, artist, or label data that is exemplary | This vote can be used when the entry contains enough information to
be reasonably considered complete, above and beyond the minimum requirements
for a 'Correct' vote. A release that qualifies for this vote should include
all of the following;
|
| Correct | For release, artist, or label data that contains good and correct information, up to the minimum standard set in the guidelines | You believe the entry is correct, and follows the guidelines. An entry can be correct but still need more information to make it complete. No explanation is needed for this vote, but comments can still be left if required. |
| Needs Minor Changes | For release, artist, or label data that needs some small changes to make it correct | This is used to mark an entry where only small changes are required - things like capitalization, spelling in track names and notes, track numbering, catalog number formatting, general title and track title formatting, and adding format descriptions. The voter should point out the items that need changes. |
| Needs Major Changes | For release, artist, or label data that need some large or important changes to make it correct | Major changes would be considered to be incorrect artist and label names, large problems such as an incomplete tracklist, and / or many minor errors that add up to a lot of errors in the data. The voter should point out the items that need changes. |
| Entirely Incorrect | For release, artist, or label data that is totally incorrect, or so incomplete or badly entered as to be impossible to judge | This vote can be used for duplicate submissions (make sure you read
and understand the 'Unique Releases' concept), and for releases that are
so badly done that it is impossible to judge whether they are a valid addition
to the database - for example, label and catalog numbers entered in a
very incorrect way. If the release is attempting to describe a unique
release, and can be improved and made more correct by editing, do not
use this vote. You must give a good justification in the submission comments
for using this vote. |
20.2.6.Votes for an edited release submissions follow the same pattern as add release votes, apart from the lowest vote, 'Entirely Incorrect Edit', which is for edits that are totally wrong. This vote may revert the edit, depending on how others have voted, therefore rejecting the edit in its entirety.
| Vote | Summary | How To Use |
| Entirely Incorrect Edit | For updates to the release, artist, or label data is totally incorrect, or so incomplete or badly entered as to be impossible to judge | You believe there is nothing that can be 'rescued' from the edit. If
the edit contains correct information and can be improved and made more
correct by editing, do not use this vote, use 'Needs Major Changes' instead.
You must give a good justification in the submission comments for using
this vote. An edit that is voted as 'Entirely Incorrect' will be automatically
reverted to the previous version .Subsequent 'Entirely Incorrect' votes
will not cause any more reversions. If you need to undo an 'Entirely Incorrect'
reversion, please revert / edit it manually. |
Communication And Abuse
20.3.1. Try to be friendly when voting or commenting. As for everyone involved in the submission process, abuse is not acceptable. Go easy on new users or users having genuine difficulties. A 'please' or 'thank you' goes a long way to making communication easier, and criticism more palatable.
20.3.2. You should report abusive users immediately to the Database Manager. Please do not get into a flame war in the submission comments
Voting On Unique Releases
20.4. Ask yourself if there is enough information that other users will be able to tell the releases apart, and tell which version they have. As an example; Simply adding 'Reissue' to the format is not enough (if the other aspects of the release are the same), and the submission should be treated as a duplicate and 'Entirely Incorrect' voted in such a case. Remember to explain to the submitter the reason for the rejection, and point out they can resubmit it if they can explain the difference. Note that one distinguishing feature is enough to accept it as a Unique Release, for example, slight variations in the printed artwork (if images are available and / or if it is explained in the release notes), different Cat#'s etc
Voting on Remove Release Requests
20.5. Releases should only be removed from the database if they are invalid. For example; they don't exist or they don't contain enough information to identify them as a valid unique release. Always exercise caution when voting to remove a release. Please see the General Guidelines for more information.
Useful Resources For Voters
- Mozilla "Linky" extension - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/425
- Allows you to highlight a whole area of links, and open all of them at once
in a new tab or window. Excellent for double checking all the links in compilation
or credit-heavy submissions.
- Mozilla "Snap Links" - http://snaplinks.mozdev.org/ - Allows you to drag a box in which all links are selected and can then be opened in one go (in separate tabs, windows etc.).
This document is also available in these languages: English (UK).