Open Source Discography

[miryclay]

Hey collectors and curious fans.

It seems that the ever-expanding world of music trading, sharing, collecting and downloading is getting harder to manage.
Instead of having the burden rest upon the shoulders of only a few dedicated and tired editors maybe fans could create an open source project where all fans can edit. Some sort of wiki. Possibly only a few editors could have a password to manage sensitive information.

Though I know many might not want to give up all of their hard work (and justifiably so) in the end it would be a far superior page.

MiryClay
     

[jw]

That exists to a degree here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2_discography

But it's not as simple to navigate like U2Wanderer.  The information is more spread out and if you don't know what you're looking for, it's harder to find it.

[Carl]

We're going to be doing something in the middle - we'll let people submit entries that will be approved by "staff" (e.g. who works on the site now and a few others) within a content management system.

The problem with a truly open system would be people adding in bootlegs and then having them be removed etc, vs the amount of new releases that actually come out - a more moderated solution would probably work best while still allowing content to contributed.

[miryclay]

It just makes sense because you have all of this content that needs to be updated and many willing end-users.

[Carl]

As someone pointed out, there is a wikipedia page on U2 already - people here can update it (or copy information from the site that is missing there).

A structured environment has some payoffs (think "the Apple experience" though it's far from perfect), we agree that we're lazy and don't really bother with content with everything going on in our lives, and we're going to make a solution where there is still some oversight and controlled navigation etc but people can contribute content to make things work faster.

[Aaron]

That exists to a degree here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U2_discography

But it's not as simple to navigate like U2Wanderer.  The information is more spread out and if you don't know what you're looking for, it's harder to find it.

They are also very good at poaching images and the like from U2Wanderer I've found over the years.  And info.  It's always nice to see your work showing up elsewhere.  :-)

I fully agree with opening the site to others who can maintain the discography far better than I can myself.  But there needs to be checks and balances.  Each week I get a bunch of email asking why one of the "Fruit" boots aren't in there, or where is the version of "Hasta La Vista" that came in a jewel case, or why don't you list the U2 Mega Mix it's an awesome song.  So middle of the road works for me.  Somewhere between open and the current non-functioning closed system.