Slight change to upload form

[Powerlord]

We've made a slight modification to our upload form. You will notice that the "Sequenced By" field is gone entirely now. This is to enforce a rule change made some time ago that you could only submit files that you have created. This data is now copied directly from the "Your name" field instead.

The form has (finally) been updated to reflect this change, as have the scripts that create the new-files indexes.

Incidentally, at nearly 12 years of age, VGMusic.com is likely one of the oldest sites on the web that consists entirely of user-submitted content.

Edit:
There was a slight bug with some code that should have been removed some time ago. It should be fixed now.

[X]

Interesting. I always used to provide my real name along with my sequencer's handle on the "Submitted By" field, but I suppose it wasn't never really necessary.

I'm guessing that it was the confusion between the "Submitted By" and "Sequenced By" fields that prompted the change? Heh. Well, that's good. No more seeing "Anvil Studio" pop up on that field now...

Incidentally, at nearly 12 years of age, VGMusic.com is likely one of the oldest sites on the web that consists entirely of user-submitted content.

Woohoo! *raises fists triumphantly* That is pretty cool.

[Blitz Lunar]

I'm guessing that it was the confusion between the "Submitted By" and "Sequenced By" fields that prompted the change? Heh. Well, that's good. No more seeing "Anvil Studio" pop up on that field now...

That's one of the main reasons. It's frustrating when adding files and you see "me" or "Anvil Studio" or something else dumb in the Sequencer field. It was also a pain when I had to upload new versions, and I'd see the Uploader field in the new-files yet the Sequencer field would be in the archive - obviously problematic when people use different names for each. User accounts will have a real name field later on anyway, so it's not a big concern if you were doing that before.

Also yeah, it reflects a rule change from a while ago stating you could only upload your own MIDIs. There's no way we can check whether someone has permission from another sequencer to upload their work or not, so the rule didn't make sense.

[X]

It was also a pain when I had to upload new versions, and I'd see the Uploader field in the new-files yet the Sequencer field would be in the archive - obviously problematic when people use different names for each. User accounts will have a real name field later on anyway, so it's not a big concern if you were doing that before.

Oh... Sorry, I honestly had no idea that adding my real name on those was making me out to be a real pain in the arse. Sorry 'bout that.

Also yeah, it reflects a rule change from a while ago stating you could only upload your own MIDIs. There's no way we can check whether someone has permission from another sequencer to upload their work or not, so the rule didn't make sense.

Well, I still think that it's good to have it there just to expressly state that it's not allowed simply as a deterrent. Granted anything that gets past will usually find its way to the BCS board, but it doesn't hurt either. 'Tis true that it's frankly impossible to ascertain whether or not somebody actually has permission to upload someone else's work, but that would appear to be majorly an offshoot of the rule, whereas its primary objective is a form of preventitive maintenance to deter people from uploading stuff that isn't theirs in the first place. Anything else seems tertiary by default, or at least that's the way it looks from here. *shrugs*

[Merit Celaire]

I'm guessing that it was the confusion between the "Submitted By" and "Sequenced By" fields that prompted the change? Heh. Well, that's good. No more seeing "Anvil Studio" pop up on that field now...

That's one of the main reasons. It's frustrating when adding files and you see "me" or "Anvil Studio" or something else dumb in the Sequencer field. It was also a pain when I had to upload new versions, and I'd see the Uploader field in the new-files yet the Sequencer field would be in the archive - obviously problematic when people use different names for each. User accounts will have a real name field later on anyway, so it's not a big concern if you were doing that before.

Also yeah, it reflects a rule change from a while ago stating you could only upload your own MIDIs. There's no way we can check whether someone has permission from another sequencer to upload their work or not, so the rule didn't make sense.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... hold up... did I just hear "user accounts" for the upcoming main website redesign? This is now beginning to get interesting.

[Powerlord]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... hold up... did I just hear "user accounts" for the upcoming main website redesign? This is now beginning to get interesting.

Yes, that has been intended to be in the website redesign from the very beginning.

[X]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... hold up... did I just hear "user accounts" for the upcoming main website redesign? This is now beginning to get interesting.

They've been talking about this quite a few times. IIRC, the main reason(s) for the proposal were to curb those kinds of uploads and to have a sort of link to all available content submitted by a single particular user. I can't remember much after that.

[Blitz Lunar]

yeah it'd allow for easy viewing of all submissions by given users, and since registering would be obligatory for submitting files from then on, it'd be easier to deal with people trying to submit bogus files (plagiarised/conversions). having to constantly create new accounts to get around bans would probably be an adequate deterrent.

the system would be opt-in rather than opt-out - there's no way practical way we could create accounts and link up all the midis in the archive. however i reckon most of the major submitters of content here aren't out of reach and could be contacted in order to arrange account creation.

perhaps i'm saying too much. but then, perhaps not! it's good to talk about.