Idea: Alternative submission method via structured data templates

Sounds a lot like the old email server interface, abandoned several years ago.

One advantage of file-based contributions would be to eliminate the risk of losing data or losing work due to occasional server problems or connectivity problems.  Instead of using the current edit interface, contributors would prepare their data in structured text files and then upload those files.  Then, even if server issues or connectivity problems arise, nothing would be lost.  All of the prepared data would remain safe in the user's data files (of course assuming that the user takes appropriate care to safeguard the files until the contribution is fully completed and accepted).

Further extending the idea, in addition to uploading files to contribute data, Imagine also being able to download files representing all the existing data (or any selected types of data) from any existing title page or name page etc.  Could this evolve into a potentially efficient two-way process, whereby contributors upload, download, modify and re-upload data files, as a new way to manage data on IMDb?

I too thought this was much like the old email system.

One of the options was that they would send a template containing all the data for a Title or Name and you could just update it and send it back. Here is one such template:

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------\
---
# Thank you for offering to help make the movie database more
# complete.  Included below is all the data we currently have on
# the title / name you are interested in supplying information for.
# # Helpful comments on how to fill in the template are marked
# with a "#" at the start of the line. These comments maybe deleted
# or left in the completed version as you wish. Edit the data below
# and insert any new information as directed and mail it back to the
# server. The reply address  and subject have already been set so your
# standard mailer reply command should work fine.
# # (you don't even have to worry about > inserted by your mailer also # ALL lines prefaced by a # ># and > # are dropped on the way to the # list maintainers). # # The idea is that you are making the template look like the results
# of a standard "MOVIE" / "PERSN" query from the mail-server. There
# are no complicated formats to learn, just follow the comments and
# add your data.  Once it has been mailed back, a parser will process
# the information into a form suitable for processing by the list
# managers and it will join the standard additions queue.
# # -----------------------------------------------------------------------\
-----
# NOTE: lines in the reply starting with a "#" character are
# automatically stripped from the reply before it is passed on for
# processing. Please make sure you DO NOT start any data lines you # wish to be seen by the list managers with a "#" character.
#
# NOTE: Long lines are wrapped at column 72 and a continuation marker
# (\) added.  This is *very* important because many mailers auto-wrap
# your mail which breaks the template and causes problems when we try
# to process your submission.  If you cannot disable this option in
# your mailer then you need to make sure that any long lines are split
# and that continuation markers are placed at the end of the line so
# that our server can reconstruct the line correctly.
# If you are certain that your mailer won't break the lines then you
# can safely ignore the above.
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------\
-----
-----------------------------------------------------
Title:
                                 All In Good Taste (1983)

URL:
 http://www.imdb.com/M/title-exact?All%20In%20Good%20Taste%20%281983%29

# Notes regarding UPDATE TITLE submissions:
#
# Send completed forms to movie@imdb.com with the subject
# UPDATE TITLE - all data submitted becomes the property of
# IMDb Ltd.
#
# You are not expected to fill in every section listed below.
# *Any* data you can supply will be gratefully received and
# added to the database.
#
# CORRECTING DATA
# ===============
# If you wish an entry to be removed from any section, place
# a ! at the start of the offending line.  If you wish to correct
# an entry, mark the current entry with the ! and add a new entry
# containing correct data, e.g.,
#
# ! Holly Hinter        (Spelling mistake, mark it for removal)
#   Holly Hunter        (add correction on next line)
#
# NOTE: You cannot correct a title using this method.

Aka titles:
# Enter any AKA titles here.

Tag Line:
# Enter the tag line for the movie.  This phrase is usually found
# on the poster that advertises the movie.

Production Company:
 Manesco Films [ca]

Distributor:
 Pan-Canadian Film Distributors [ca]

Country of Production:
 Canada

Certificates:
# Enter the film's certificates below, using the following format:
# <country>:<cert> (attribute)
# Where,
# <country> is the country name in full; use UK and USA for those
# two countries.
# <cert> is the relevant certificate for the country code given.
# (attribute) can be used to note special editions of the movie
#             such as a Director's Cut. e.g.,
# UK:18

Running Time:
 85

Filmed In:
 Color

Sound Mix:
# The title's sound mix - examples:
#
#    Silent            Mono   Stereo   Dolby          Dolby SR
#    Dolby Digital     CDS    DTS      DTS-Stereo     SDDS
#    Ultra Stereo
#
# See sound-mix submission guide for details of all types.

Technical Info:
 Negative Format: 16 mm

Release Date:
 Canada:6 May 1983

Locations:
 Freelton, Ontario, Canada
 Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Language:
 English

Special Effects Company:
# The company or companies, responsible for the special effects.
# Place each company on a separate line.

Summary:
# Enter your plot summary below.
# Keep plot summaries concise and avoid including spoilers.

Summary by:
# Include your real name and, if you wish, your e-mail address
# e.g.
# Joe Bloggs <bloggsj@somewhere>

Genres:
# List on one line, the genres that best describe the title.
# Valid entries are:
#
#     Action        Adventure   Animation   Comedy
#     Documentary   Drama       Film-Noir   Horror
#     Musical       Sci-Fi      Thriller    Western

Producer:
 Anthony Kramreither

Director:
 Anthony Kramreither

Writers: (alphabetical order)
 Rick Green
 Anthony Kramreither

Composers:
# Enter the Composer's name, followed by any awards for this title.
# e.g.
# Carly Composer (AAN)

Cinematographer:
 Dennis Miller (III)

Editors:
# Enter the Editor's name, followed by awards for the title...
# e.g.
# Eddie Editor (AAN)

Production Designers:
# Enter the Designer's name, followed by awards for the title...
# e.g.
# Joe Pro (AAN)

Costume Designers:
# Enter the Designer's name, followed by awards for the title...
# e.g.
# Calvin Costume (AAN)

Cast: (alphabetical order)
# Use one line for each entry.
# If the actor received any awards for the role, they should be
# placed in parentheses after the name.  If you wish to add the
# character name, place two or more full stops (two or more periods)
# followed by the character name. # e.g.
#
# Holly Hunter (AA) (GG) .......... Ada McGrath
# Jean Reno ....................... Léon
#
# For a TV program, only include cast credited during the opening
# every week, or frequently recurring characters.  If a star had a
# limited run in the series, the years they appeared can be included
# as part of the character name, e.g.,
#
# Shelley Long .................... Diane Chambers (1982-1987)
#
# PLEASE NOTE:  The order in which you enter the cast should follow
# the order in which they are displayed in the credits, if at all
# possible.
#
# ALSO: You *do not* need to delete the original cast entry if you
# just want to add/amend a character name; simply add to/amend the
# current entry.

 Jack Anthony (II) ................. Art, an investor
 Harvey Atkin ...................... Cochrane, the studio boss
 Rummy Bishop ...................... Kaplan, the comedian MC
 Jim Carrey
 Jo-Anne Kirwan Clark .............. Mary Anne, the wife
 Jack Creley ....................... Lou Melnik, the producer
 Don Cullen ........................ Herb, an investor
 James B. Douglas .................. Dixon, the banker
 Nancy Kerr (II) ................... Iris, an investor
 Linda Rennhofer ................... Stella, the secretary
 Jonathan Welsh .................... Timothy, the film maker

Cast completed by:
# Enter your name and e-mail address, if you have completed the
# cast listing from the credits of the title (i.e. all the names of
# the cast and the character names that are listed in the credits are
# now in this file). e.g
# Your Name <yourid@your.system>

Cast verified by:
# Enter your name and e-mail address if the cast was already
# complete and you verified this from the credits of the title
# (i.e. the cast was already complete as defined above and you
# verified this fact, but didn't add any new data)
# e.g
#  Your Name <yourid@your.system>

Miscellaneous:
# Enter anybody not covered by the above sections (or Cast section
# below).  Each entry should contain the person's name, followed by
# their occupation in parentheses, e.g.,
# Marty Misc (assistant director)

Crew completed by:
# Enter your name and e-mail address, if you have completed the
# crew listings from the credits of the title (i.e. all the names of
# the crew listed in the credits are now in this file). e.g
# Your Name <yourid@your.system>

Crew verified by:
# Enter your name and e-mail address if the crew was already
# complete and you verified this from the credits of the title
# (i.e. the crew was already complete as defined above and you
# verified this fact, but didn't add any new data)
# e.g
#  Your Name <yourid@your.system>

Movie Links:
# Use this section to record links to other titles, e.g.,
# (followed by ...), (follows ...), (remade as ...),
# (remake of ...), (version of ...), (referenced in ...),
# (references ...), (spoofed in ...), (spoofs ...), (featured in ...),
# (features ...), (spin off ...) or (spin off from ...)
# where ... is the title it links to.

Trivia:
# Each trivia point should start the line with a hyphen (-) and
# each subsequent line should be indented with two spaces.

Crazy Credits:
# Each Crazy Credit entry should start the line with a hyphen (-)
# and each subsequent line should be indented with two spaces.

Goofs:
# Each Goofs entry should start the line with a hyphen (-) and each
# subsequent line should be indented with two spaces.

Quotes:
# Enter each quote, starting with the Character name, a colon and
# then the text of the quote.

Soundtrack:
# Each Soundtrack entry should start the line with a hyphen (-) and
# each subsequent line should be indented with two spaces.

Alternate Versions:
# Each Alternate Versions entrty should start the line with a
# hyphen (-) and each subsequent line should be indented with two
# spaces.

Literature:
# This section is used to record information regarding literature
# about this movie.  It has the following subsections:
#
#   Novel:
#     Bibliographical info for original novel.
#   Adaption:
#     Bibliographical info for movie -> novel adaption.
#   Books:
#     Monographic book related to this movie.
#   Other:
#     Bibliographical info of other related literature.
#   Interviews:
#     Cast/Crew Interviews.
#   Critics:
#     Critics of this movie in printed media.
#   Script:
#     Details of Script/Screenplay in printed media
#   Essays:
#     Essays related to this movie.
#   Protocol:
#     Protocol of production for movie. "On location" lit.
#
# Ensure you include the necessary subsection heading above for
# the data you are submitting.  So that all entries are consistent
# please submit info using the following format:
#
# auth_surname, auth_firstname. Title. Location: Publisher,
# Date, Pages. ISBN

Business Info:
 Budget:
   $200,000 (Canada)

 Production Dates:
   9 November 1980 - 10 December 1980



Notes:
# Use this section if you wish to leave notes for the list managers.
# The data will not become part of the databases but allows you to
# leave notes to aid the processing of your supplied data.
# Each note should start the line with a hyphen (-) and each
# subsequent line should be indented with two spaces.

Comments:
# Use this section if you wish to leave comments for the list
# managers. The data will not become part of the databases but
# allows you to leave notes to aid the processing of your supplied
# data.
# Each comment should start the line with a hyphen (-) and each
# subsequent line should be indented with two spaces.

Corrections:
# Use this section if you wish to leave corrections for the list
# managers that cannot be described using the ! notation (see above).
# The data will not become part of the databases but allows you to
# leave notes to aid the processing of your supplied data.
# Each correction should start the line with a hyphen (-) and each
# subsequent line should be indented with two spaces.

          Copyright 1990-1998 The Internet Movie Database Ltd.
     Support the IMDb by visiting our web site: http://www.imdb.com/

# # To receive full help on the movie mail-server send e-mail with
# the subject
# #   HELP
# # to <mail-server@imdb.com>
# # To receive a copy of the movie database FAQ which describes
# the whole movie database project, alternate access methods and other
# common questions, use the subject "HELP FAQ"
# # Regards,  Internet Movie Database Server Daemon
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------\
-----

One problem was errors (such as names not present) which had to be corrected and sent in a separate update.

One suggestion that was made was for IMDb to continue to accept data in the email interface, but to enter into the Update History as a Save for later item. The user could then review it, make necessary corrections, and submit, or if they preferred, delete the submission, make the corrections to their email version and resubmit.

This would allow the user to enter the data offline, but still make easy corrections once the data is checked.