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The biggest issue that we have on this topic is that we have lots of R1 users that post in this forum and that were part of the rules team that do not collect non-English language DVDs. The use of accents in names (and other words) is very rare in the US, so many US users see it as a minor issue. Based on quick looks at Ken Coles' collection in the past, he does not collect many non-English DVDs, this makes it hard for him to fully understand how much it affects those of us that do (or who live in a region where accents are common).

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Quoting TheMadMartian:

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In the above example there's no reason why we can't have both effective filtering on accented names and capturing on-screen roles. It is more an illustration that there are more important concerns than whether profile data is copied exactly as on screen.

Not trying to be an arse, but how do you know there's no reason why we can't have both?  If there weren't, I am quite sure that Ken would have added that ability some time during the past 10+ years that I have been using Profiler. 

Because there is a simple way of achieving this that doesn't even require any programming: When transforming credits from all caps to mixed case, do include accents. This will allow linking and filtering of cast and crew with accented names regardless of the style chosen by the person in charge of the on-screen credits. The only downside I can think of is that data entry becomes slightly more complicated. However, sacrificing correct name display, linking and filtering for the sake of data entry is a strange priority and really underestimates the power and ability of the contributing membership.

Ken's instruction on this topic has yet to make it into the rules, so here's hoping he will have a change of heart. 

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Quoting pdf256:

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The biggest issue that we have on this topic is that we have lots of R1 users that post in this forum and that were part of the rules team that do not collect non-English language DVDs. The use of accents in names (and other words) is very rare in the US, so many US users see it as a minor issue. Based on quick looks at Ken Coles' collection in the past, he does not collect many non-English DVDs, this makes it hard for him to fully understand how much it affects those of us that do (or who live in a region where accents are common).

I also think this is the main problem. The online has been shaped by and for Zone 1/US users collecting american movies, and has become useless for many of us. Fortunately, local possibilities of the program are not affected.

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For whatever reason, Ken decided not to go that route...

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...thank GOD the french don't run the world anymore. I don't care much about who does, but PLEASE not the French. Incessant they are. Good grief.

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I always chuckle when I see Skip calling a person's real name "imaginary data" 

No matter how hard you try to avoid it, spelling issues and cultural issues always enter into the equation and you'll be forced to interprete data from time to time, whether you like it or not. Some examples:

1) credits that are all caps: When credits are all caps, how can you tell the correct family name is Van Damme or van Damme? Because both exist in Belgium and you need to rely on external sources to validate your choice

2) Romanization of Eastern names. I don't even know where to begin:
  a) no romanized credits are on the disc: you're forced to romanize yourself and you need to heavily rely on external data as well as romanization conventions
  b) there are romanized credits in the subtitles but they don't correspond with the original credits: here, the "hard data" as Skip calls it even contradicts itself. Which one do you take? How do you know which is correct?

I can probably find more examples but these are issues I myself have encountered in the past when profiling Blu-ray and I have to say that I did need to rely on external data or official conventions, because neither the rules nor the disc itself offers a clear answer.


I think the ideal that Skip and the current rule-set strive for is basically sound: avoid user-interpretation and stick to actual data. The problem is that that "hard data" isn't as hard as one could believe. Many credits not only contain errors, but are also impossible to enter into DVDP (eastern credits, all caps credits, etc) or worse, contradicts itself (same person, credited in two different ways on the same disc).

I believe it's time to wake up to the fact that credits on a disc alone won't cut it in some cases and we need adapted rules to help us deal with that. I tried to help by providing an as concise as possible rule set for romanzing Japanese credits, but even if it makes it into the rules, it's a drop of water in a bucket.