[mb-users] Group had to change there name - two artist entries?

[Chris B]

On 26/02/2008, Alexander Kiel <alexanderkiel at gmx.net> wrote:
>  I don't like to begin a debate on fundamental
>  concepts of MusicBrainz, but look at Discogs: they seem to have only one
>  concept of an artist alias and I think that would be sufficient.

off topic now, but no they don't :)

at discogs they have 2 systems: alias and artist name variation (ANV).
eg - http://www.discogs.com/artist/John+Lydon

Aliases are for significant name changes, but from a string-comparison
point of view. that is, if the name is significantly different to the
other (eg "Johnny Rotten" vs "John Lydon" = alias). They can also be
used if an insignificant name change is used but represents a strong
ArtistIntent (eg say "John Lydon" used "J. Lydon"  on all of his drum
and bass releases, then it would be an alias). These create new
discographies, linked at the top to the other aliases of that artist.

ANVs are for insignificant name changes (eg "John Lydon" vs "J. Lydon"
 vs "J Lydon" ... etc), and enable the discography of all ANVs to be
viewed on the one page (or separated out if you want, though there's
seemingly no discographical benefit to doing this).

getting very off topic now, but...

IMO, their system is great, but their application of it is flawed.

discographies shouldn't actually care *how* the name changes,  but
*why*. I would sooner see 'ANV' used for name changes with no
discographical significance (it would have to be called something
different from 'ANV', though), and 'Alias' for ones that have
discographical significance. a big name change isn't necessarily an
important name change. more @
http://www.discogs.com/groups/topic/154659#2009397