|
 |
| | | Author: | Leftoverbricks  | | Posted: | Dec 19, 2020 11:22 | | Subject: | Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 130 times | | Topic: | Catalog | | Status: | Open | |
|
| New parts that already can be found on Rebrickable and Brickset are not in the
catalog on BL.
Rebrickable and Brickset extract the information from the LEGO website.
example parts: 69958 and 71772 (https://rebrickable.com/search/?show_printed=on&include_accessory=1&q=71772&search_type=all).
Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP) when they can at least search for the
new parts. This way new parts would also be available to sellers to sell - and
for buyers to buy.
Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
It would be nice to get a reply from @Admin - I'm looking at Julia and Marvin
from TLG.
|
|
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Dec 19, 2020 11:58 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 63 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| How would a raw and unknown part be listed here? Just by its mold number? What
category? How about its 7 digit part color code? Wouldn't it be difficult
for sellers to sell without weight and dimensions? Wouldn't it be hard for
buyers to find without an item name or a link to sets it appears in?
What if the part turned out to be a close variant or duplicate of another part
in the catalog? Would the initial 'raw' listing then be deleted with
all its price guide and other relevant data?
New parts are added by members. You can add a new part the very day it comes
out if you please. You can upload your own image or grab the stock image from
LEGO and upload it that very same day. Our catalog volunteers are pretty great
and approve new stuff in a very timely way.
This is a problem that already has a solution. If you want to sell something
here right away, the process is already in place. You would also be helping everyone
else which is pretty great.
Jen
In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | New parts that already can be found on Rebrickable and Brickset are not in the
catalog on BL.
Rebrickable and Brickset extract the information from the LEGO website.
example parts: 69958 and 71772 (https://rebrickable.com/search/?show_printed=on&include_accessory=1&q=71772&search_type=all).
Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP) when they can at least search for the
new parts. This way new parts would also be available to sellers to sell - and
for buyers to buy.
Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
It would be nice to get a reply from @Admin - I'm looking at Julia and Marvin
from TLG.
|
|
|
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | StormChaser | | Posted: | Dec 19, 2020 12:20 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 60 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
|
I understand it's frustrating that the catalog isn't updated more frequently.
Some thoughts:
Rebrickable and Brickset aren't marketplaces.
Adding parts to our catalog before they're actually released enables multiple
problems.
The catalog team doesn't have physical access to new parts.
Of the activities you mentioned, we can only consider submissions. We can't
weigh, photograph, or measure things we don't have. It's true that
all of us have personal LEGO part collections, but we don't get new parts
when they're released - we have to buy them in sets like everyone else.
BrickLink is a community effort.
It sounds like you want to sacrifice what BrickLink has always been to gain convenience.
If the catalog is not updated with new items in a timely manner, the community
(including the catalog team) is responsible. Instead of shifting that responsibility
to others, why not accept it?
Why have you not submitted these new parts to the catalog with renders or photos
so that we can have them ready to go on January 1st when the new wave of sets
is released?
Be careful what you ask for.
If you were to keep pushing, you might eventually convince the LEGO Group to
come in and take over the catalog from the community. Your success may (or certainly
may not - don't be so sure of it) give you the convenience you want, but
you will also have succeeded in giving away the catalog and the community's
say-so in how it's kept.
Do you really want the LEGO Group running the catalog? If you do, then I can
assure you with complete confidence that you don't know the LEGO Group as
well as you imagine.
| | Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP)
|
I don't know about you, friend, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone
having a good experience on XP.
| | Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
|
I'll explain it simply: a year after they bought the site, TLG is keeping
their word and allowing the community to retain control of the catalog.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | Leftoverbricks | | Posted: | Dec 23, 2020 11:21 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
|
I understand it's frustrating that the catalog isn't updated more frequently.
Some thoughts:
Rebrickable and Brickset aren't marketplaces.
Adding parts to our catalog before they're actually released enables multiple
problems.
The catalog team doesn't have physical access to new parts.
Of the activities you mentioned, we can only consider submissions. We can't
weigh, photograph, or measure things we don't have. It's true that
all of us have personal LEGO part collections, but we don't get new parts
when they're released - we have to buy them in sets like everyone else.
BrickLink is a community effort.
It sounds like you want to sacrifice what BrickLink has always been to gain convenience.
If the catalog is not updated with new items in a timely manner, the community
(including the catalog team) is responsible. Instead of shifting that responsibility
to others, why not accept it?
Why have you not submitted these new parts to the catalog with renders or photos
so that we can have them ready to go on January 1st when the new wave of sets
is released?
Be careful what you ask for.
If you were to keep pushing, you might eventually convince the LEGO Group to
come in and take over the catalog from the community. Your success may (or certainly
may not - don't be so sure of it) give you the convenience you want, but
you will also have succeeded in giving away the catalog and the community's
say-so in how it's kept.
Do you really want the LEGO Group running the catalog? If you do, then I can
assure you with complete confidence that you don't know the LEGO Group as
well as you imagine.
| | Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP)
|
I don't know about you, friend, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone
having a good experience on XP.
| | Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
|
I'll explain it simply: a year after they bought the site, TLG is keeping
their word and allowing the community to retain control of the catalog.
|
I agree with most of what you said above. However, in my post I specifically
mentioned "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured by Bricklink's
catalog administrators"
Perhaps I should elaborate on this.
So, let's start the dream...
When new parts are made by TLG the main data from these parts, including the
part number and official LEGO pictures, is sent to BL. Of course the information
sent comes with all usual disclaimers large companies apply to this kind of information.
I fully understand that.
There also may be an embargo in effect on which date these data may be used for
the first time. Since TLG sends out new sets for review to sites like Brickset,
Brother's Bricks and New Elementary to name a few of the larger sites, the
embargo should ideally last no longer than the date they send out the review
sets.
Dream continues:
At this moment BL (the largest bricks marketplace in the world and owned by TLG)
have data from the first hand and what BL could do is list these new parts
with an even stronger disclaimer than the one TLG forced upon BL when sending
the data.
For instance: We provide the number of this part and the picture as a courtesy
to our marketplace. Please use it as is. We are not responsible blabla or
any wording that suits the admins and thus ascertains that only after the usual
approval time the new part gets a definite status. (And definite is not definite
on BL!)
Here my 'dream' ended.
And when I was fully awake, making coffee and preparing to go to work, I realized
it was not just a dream but a prophecy.
Anyway: please consider my proposal.
And have nice holidays - COVID-wise.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Author: | randyf | | Posted: | Dec 23, 2020 22:43 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| I actually like your dream, but the catalog/inventories admins are not the ones
you need to convince. This is something you would need to take directly to LEGO
BrickLink as the two work on their continued integration with each other.
Cheers,
Randy
In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
|
I understand it's frustrating that the catalog isn't updated more frequently.
Some thoughts:
Rebrickable and Brickset aren't marketplaces.
Adding parts to our catalog before they're actually released enables multiple
problems.
The catalog team doesn't have physical access to new parts.
Of the activities you mentioned, we can only consider submissions. We can't
weigh, photograph, or measure things we don't have. It's true that
all of us have personal LEGO part collections, but we don't get new parts
when they're released - we have to buy them in sets like everyone else.
BrickLink is a community effort.
It sounds like you want to sacrifice what BrickLink has always been to gain convenience.
If the catalog is not updated with new items in a timely manner, the community
(including the catalog team) is responsible. Instead of shifting that responsibility
to others, why not accept it?
Why have you not submitted these new parts to the catalog with renders or photos
so that we can have them ready to go on January 1st when the new wave of sets
is released?
Be careful what you ask for.
If you were to keep pushing, you might eventually convince the LEGO Group to
come in and take over the catalog from the community. Your success may (or certainly
may not - don't be so sure of it) give you the convenience you want, but
you will also have succeeded in giving away the catalog and the community's
say-so in how it's kept.
Do you really want the LEGO Group running the catalog? If you do, then I can
assure you with complete confidence that you don't know the LEGO Group as
well as you imagine.
| | Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP)
|
I don't know about you, friend, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone
having a good experience on XP.
| | Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
|
I'll explain it simply: a year after they bought the site, TLG is keeping
their word and allowing the community to retain control of the catalog.
|
I agree with most of what you said above. However, in my post I specifically
mentioned "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured by Bricklink's
catalog administrators"
Perhaps I should elaborate on this.
So, let's start the dream...
When new parts are made by TLG the main data from these parts, including the
part number and official LEGO pictures, is sent to BL. Of course the information
sent comes with all usual disclaimers large companies apply to this kind of information.
I fully understand that.
There also may be an embargo in effect on which date these data may be used for
the first time. Since TLG sends out new sets for review to sites like Brickset,
Brother's Bricks and New Elementary to name a few of the larger sites, the
embargo should ideally last no longer than the date they send out the review
sets.
Dream continues:
At this moment BL (the largest bricks marketplace in the world and owned by TLG)
have data from the first hand and what BL could do is list these new parts
with an even stronger disclaimer than the one TLG forced upon BL when sending
the data.
For instance: We provide the number of this part and the picture as a courtesy
to our marketplace. Please use it as is. We are not responsible blabla or
any wording that suits the admins and thus ascertains that only after the usual
approval time the new part gets a definite status. (And definite is not definite
on BL!)
Here my 'dream' ended.
And when I was fully awake, making coffee and preparing to go to work, I realized
it was not just a dream but a prophecy.
Anyway: please consider my proposal.
And have nice holidays - COVID-wise.
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | Speciale | | Posted: | Dec 24, 2020 09:47 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
|
I understand it's frustrating that the catalog isn't updated more frequently.
Some thoughts:
Rebrickable and Brickset aren't marketplaces.
Adding parts to our catalog before they're actually released enables multiple
problems.
The catalog team doesn't have physical access to new parts.
Of the activities you mentioned, we can only consider submissions. We can't
weigh, photograph, or measure things we don't have. It's true that
all of us have personal LEGO part collections, but we don't get new parts
when they're released - we have to buy them in sets like everyone else.
BrickLink is a community effort.
It sounds like you want to sacrifice what BrickLink has always been to gain convenience.
If the catalog is not updated with new items in a timely manner, the community
(including the catalog team) is responsible. Instead of shifting that responsibility
to others, why not accept it?
Why have you not submitted these new parts to the catalog with renders or photos
so that we can have them ready to go on January 1st when the new wave of sets
is released?
Be careful what you ask for.
If you were to keep pushing, you might eventually convince the LEGO Group to
come in and take over the catalog from the community. Your success may (or certainly
may not - don't be so sure of it) give you the convenience you want, but
you will also have succeeded in giving away the catalog and the community's
say-so in how it's kept.
Do you really want the LEGO Group running the catalog? If you do, then I can
assure you with complete confidence that you don't know the LEGO Group as
well as you imagine.
| | Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP)
|
I don't know about you, friend, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone
having a good experience on XP.
| | Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
|
I'll explain it simply: a year after they bought the site, TLG is keeping
their word and allowing the community to retain control of the catalog.
|
+1
|
|
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | axaday | | Posted: | Dec 19, 2020 13:23 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| You can correct me if I am wrong, because I really don't know how Rebrickable
and Brickset work, but I doubt that new pieces automatically appear there either.
I expect someone has to do it. And as the others pointed out, it is a lot easier
to get enough information to do what they do than it is to get information to
do what we do.
In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | New parts that already can be found on Rebrickable and Brickset are not in the
catalog on BL.
Rebrickable and Brickset extract the information from the LEGO website.
example parts: 69958 and 71772 (https://rebrickable.com/search/?show_printed=on&include_accessory=1&q=71772&search_type=all).
Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP) when they can at least search for the
new parts. This way new parts would also be available to sellers to sell - and
for buyers to buy.
Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
It would be nice to get a reply from @Admin - I'm looking at Julia and Marvin
from TLG.
|
|
|
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | zorbanj | | Posted: | Dec 19, 2020 15:56 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 49 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| I'm glad there are no restrictions to selling current sets/recently released
parts on Bricklink. You are competing directly with TLG when selling current
sets/recently released parts. Perhaps this sleeping dog should be left alone.
In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | New parts that already can be found on Rebrickable and Brickset are not in the
catalog on BL.
Rebrickable and Brickset extract the information from the LEGO website.
example parts: 69958 and 71772 (https://rebrickable.com/search/?show_printed=on&include_accessory=1&q=71772&search_type=all).
Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP) when they can at least search for the
new parts. This way new parts would also be available to sellers to sell - and
for buyers to buy.
Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
It would be nice to get a reply from @Admin - I'm looking at Julia and Marvin
from TLG.
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | axaday | | Posted: | Dec 19, 2020 16:49 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 50 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, zorbanj writes:
| | I'm glad there are no restrictions to selling current sets/recently released
parts on Bricklink. You are competing directly with TLG when selling current
sets/recently released parts. Perhaps this sleeping dog should be left alone.
|
I don't think it is really possible to be a direct competitor with your supplier.
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Author: | popsicle | | Posted: | Dec 19, 2020 19:43 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 67 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, axaday writes:
| | In Catalog, zorbanj writes:
| | I'm glad there are no restrictions to selling current sets/recently released
parts on Bricklink. You are competing directly with TLG when selling current
sets/recently released parts. Perhaps this sleeping dog should be left alone.
|
I don't think it is really possible to be a direct competitor with your supplier.
|
True. But you can be with their resellers 
TLG did practice a form of protectionism by adjudicating the purchase history
of individuals, specific to volume. It’s why today among other practices such
as price structuring, you have quantity limits. Before the builtin limits, you’d
get tagged and curtailed from making future purchases, at least volume. It used
to be commonplace here, reading posted anecdotes of being restricted in purchasing
from LEGO.
I assume it’s never been from a concern of fairness for the wider-consumer, as
many seem to believe, but more of an effort to protect their resellers' marketplaces.
It makes sense, it’s hard to contract with someone to resell/distribute your
products, asking for commitments of both time and capital risk, if you’re simultaneously
flooding the same market the reseller is to operate in.
-popsicle
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Author: | zorbanj | | Posted: | Dec 20, 2020 12:57 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| How so, if the supplier also sells to the public?
In Catalog, axaday writes:
| | In Catalog, zorbanj writes:
| | I'm glad there are no restrictions to selling current sets/recently released
parts on Bricklink. You are competing directly with TLG when selling current
sets/recently released parts. Perhaps this sleeping dog should be left alone.
|
I don't think it is really possible to be a direct competitor with your supplier.
|
|
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | Admin_Russell | | Posted: | Dec 24, 2020 09:34 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 106 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
|
BrickLink
ID CardAdmin_Russell
|
Location:  USA, California |
| Member Since |
Contact |
Type |
Status |
| May 9, 2017 |
 |
Admin |
|
|
| BrickLink Administrator |
|
| In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | New parts that already can be found on Rebrickable and Brickset are not in the
catalog on BL.
Rebrickable and Brickset extract the information from the LEGO website.
example parts: 69958 and 71772 (https://rebrickable.com/search/?show_printed=on&include_accessory=1&q=71772&search_type=all).
Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP) when they can at least search for the
new parts. This way new parts would also be available to sellers to sell - and
for buyers to buy.
Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
It would be nice to get a reply from @Admin - I'm looking at Julia and Marvin
from TLG.
|
To get a response from the admin account, you should have addressed this here:
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/community/newsview.page?msgid=1236889
However, replies to such a topic are invariably handed to me to answer, and I
have answered this question a number of times, both in public and also internally.
Our team is aware this is an idea that some people in the community would like
to see explored, and we will indeed look into this seriously when the integration
between LEGO and BrickLink gets to that place.
We have considered the idea of provisional entries since the advent of Brick
Owl in 2013, where inventory and part data was extracted from the Replacement
Parts website and used as live entries on the site. Ever since then, there has
been an increased use of that data on BrickLink to assist with creating and correcting
our data.
There have been many excellent points raised already in this thread as to why
we can't simply import data. But the one main reason has to do with the high
standards of the catalog. They were not always this high. In fact, BrickLink
was started off with imports from LDraw, and many color images were added which
were not grounded in reality.
In addition, thousands of inventories were initially added without the simplest
attempt at error checking. And set entries were added straight from the paper
catalogs.
In the ensuing years, however, the community has filled out and corrected most
of that data to produce the BrickLink reference tool we have today. The community
has also raised the standard considerably when it comes to new submissions. The
standard now is that all new submissions require the submitter to have the item
in hand. The submitter's username is attached to the entry as a form of trust
certificate.
Of course, we could go back to the days of automated uploads and tumbleweeds.
But I don't think the community as a whole wants to do that. The price we
pay for the higher standard is a delay in processing.
The root problem with a provisional anything is that because it causes things
to work at a basic level, there is less impetus for someone to come along and
complete the job. We have found that to let the standards slip in order to get
things moving faster inevitably results in permanently lower quality.
For example, if we did not require an image for sticker sheet submissions, we
would have a catalog half full of empty sticker images. We would have set inventories
missing parts, and a proliferation of part entries with an unconfirmed existence.
Minifigs would be a disaster. And in general our contributors would spend their
time cleaning up messes instead of cutting perfect, new entries that will still
be serving as a reliable guide in 50 years.
Concerning selling, if a seller has a new part, they can list it as a custom
item or add it to the catalog - it will usually go through in a day. There really
isn't any reason to have entries opened up for sale before sellers have the
parts in hand.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | Stellar | | Posted: | Dec 25, 2020 03:10 | | Subject: | Re: Why are new parts not added quicker to cat? | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, Leftoverbricks writes:
| | New parts that already can be found on Rebrickable and Brickset are not in the
catalog on BL.
Rebrickable and Brickset extract the information from the LEGO website.
example parts: 69958 and 71772 (https://rebrickable.com/search/?show_printed=on&include_accessory=1&q=71772&search_type=all).
Why can't BL just import all new parts from LEGO automatically (just like
RB and BS) and attach a label to them with something like "still to be considered/weighed/photographed/measured
by Bricklink's catalog administrators"?
Buyers who are reading reviews on the aforementioned sites (but also NewElementary)
would have a better experience on BL(XP) when they can at least search for the
new parts. This way new parts would also be available to sellers to sell - and
for buyers to buy.
Since BL is now owned by TLG I really, really don't get this!
It would be nice to get a reply from @Admin - I'm looking at Julia and Marvin
from TLG.
|
To get a response from the admin account, you should have addressed this here:
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/community/newsview.page?msgid=1236889
However, replies to such a topic are invariably handed to me to answer, and I
have answered this question a number of times, both in public and also internally.
Our team is aware this is an idea that some people in the community would like
to see explored, and we will indeed look into this seriously when the integration
between LEGO and BrickLink gets to that place.
We have considered the idea of provisional entries since the advent of Brick
Owl in 2013, where inventory and part data was extracted from the Replacement
Parts website and used as live entries on the site. Ever since then, there has
been an increased use of that data on BrickLink to assist with creating and correcting
our data.
There have been many excellent points raised already in this thread as to why
we can't simply import data. But the one main reason has to do with the high
standards of the catalog. They were not always this high. In fact, BrickLink
was started off with imports from LDraw, and many color images were added which
were not grounded in reality.
In addition, thousands of inventories were initially added without the simplest
attempt at error checking. And set entries were added straight from the paper
catalogs.
In the ensuing years, however, the community has filled out and corrected most
of that data to produce the BrickLink reference tool we have today. The community
has also raised the standard considerably when it comes to new submissions. The
standard now is that all new submissions require the submitter to have the item
in hand. The submitter's username is attached to the entry as a form of trust
certificate.
Of course, we could go back to the days of automated uploads and tumbleweeds.
But I don't think the community as a whole wants to do that. The price we
pay for the higher standard is a delay in processing.
The root problem with a provisional anything is that because it causes things
to work at a basic level, there is less impetus for someone to come along and
complete the job. We have found that to let the standards slip in order to get
things moving faster inevitably results in permanently lower quality.
For example, if we did not require an image for sticker sheet submissions, we
would have a catalog half full of empty sticker images. We would have set inventories
missing parts, and a proliferation of part entries with an unconfirmed existence.
Minifigs would be a disaster. And in general our contributors would spend their
time cleaning up messes instead of cutting perfect, new entries that will still
be serving as a reliable guide in 50 years.
Concerning selling, if a seller has a new part, they can list it as a custom
item or add it to the catalog - it will usually go through in a day. There really
isn't any reason to have entries opened up for sale before sellers have the
parts in hand.
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Very good explanation Russell, it might be useful to have something like this
in a Help page for when this questions arises from time to time?
Merry Christmas
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Netherlands, Overijssel
Belgium
Spain, Comunidad Valenciana