I implemented a new system for ISBN links. Please check it out (for example, see "Oliver Goldsmith"),
I seem to be the only one around here with a visceral hatred for ISBN numbers, so I suggest the following experiment:
* Go to [[Oliver Goldsmith]] * Click on the first ISBN, for "The Vicar of Wakefield" * Click on the first search service, "Addall".
* Now, in a different window, go to www.addall.com * Do "Search by Title", enter "The Vicar of Wakefield" * Hit "Find it"
The first search gave you a single book, and in three years it won't give you anything, because that book will be out of print. The second search gave you 44 different editions, from different publishers, ranging from leather bound to softcover and even an audio edition.
Axel
Axel Boldt wrote:
I seem to be the only one around here with a visceral hatred for ISBN numbers, so I suggest the following experiment:
You are not unique, I have a personal library that exceeds 10,000 items, and I can proudly say that ISBN (or ISSN) numbers were never a factor in any acquisition.
The first search gave you a single book, and in three years it won't give you anything, because that book will be out of print. The second search gave you 44 different editions, from different publishers, ranging from leather bound to softcover and even an audio edition.
I've sometimes wondered about the purposes of the ISBN links in articles, especially when they appear without the author or title of the publication being mentioned. For me links to books are more in the nature of bibliography. Wikipedia is not in the business of book promotion, and even less in the business of promoting these books as produced by specific publishers. Your experience with the Goldsmith book is highly illustrative.
Eclecticology
Ray Saintonge wrote:
I've sometimes wondered about the purposes of the ISBN links in articles, especially when they appear without the author or title of the publication being mentioned. For me links to books are more in the nature of bibliography. Wikipedia is not in the business of book promotion, and even less in the business of promoting these books as produced by specific publishers. Your experience with the Goldsmith book is highly illustrative.
As a point of history, it just happened that the original Usemod software had this feature, for whatever reason, and so people started using it. I'm not sure we would have done it in that way had we started from scratch.
On the other hand, although wikipedia is not in the business of book promotion, I think it's very useful to have an easy way to auto-link book titles to places where people can obtain the book, either through purchase or interlibrary loan, or whatever.
Often, I might be researching some topic and of course I turn to wikipedia first. Having learned about such-and-such author, I now want to buy a book. It's nice to be able to just click and go.
I certainly agree that we should have a diversity of sources, so that we don't appear to be endorsing any specific merchant.
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