Images used as documentation in the Comments field

Hi,

Even if images in the Comments section are not the best solution, they are commonly used on Numista. I propose an improvement to the way we are using them if we are to continue to accept them.

I added a documentation/image with no languages specifics (as a test). Tell me if we should continue exploring this solution. It will ease the referees work not having to maintain and publish a different version on each language page. Also members would have access to an up to date documentation regardless of their language selection. A win/win situation.

See an exemple here in the Comments section : Canada 25 cents Victoria

Best regards,

This seems valid for short comments

on the other hand, for this example, the use of the three current languages versions ​​can pose a problem

I prefer A/B/C markers in comment images, with text per language, so information remains searchable.  Only needs one image, much easier to fix spelling or grammar errors in plain text at a later date, and remains translatable into more languages by anyone.

[EN]

A: Large leaves, narrow date spacing.

B: Small leaves, wide date spacing.

[FR]

A : Grandes feuilles, espacement étroit des dates.

B: Petites feuilles, grand espacement des dates.

[ES]

A: Hojas grandes, espaciado de fecha estrecho.

B: Hojas pequeñas, espaciado entre fechas amplio.

To understand this a bit better, please see this thread

https://en.numista.com/forum/topic131243.html#p1059484

CREPOSUC

This seems valid for short comments

on the other hand, for this example, the use of the three current languages versions ​​can pose a problem

This proposition is for image documentations only.

As I mentioned, image documentations are not the best way to do documentation but since we won't easily update them (the one already created), I wish we make the new ones language independent from now on. 

inc7007

I prefer A/B/C markers in comment images, with text per language, so information remains searchable.  Only needs one image, much easier to fix spelling or grammar errors in plain text at a later date, and remains translatable into more languages by anyone.

 

[EN]

A: Large leaves, narrow date spacing.

B: Small leaves, wide date spacing.

 

[FR]

A : Grandes feuilles, espacement étroit des dates.

B: Petites feuilles, grand espacement des dates.

 

[ES]

A: Hojas grandes, espaciado de fecha estrecho.

B: Hojas pequeñas, espaciado entre fechas amplio.

 

I thought about this proposition and like it for the long term if we are to add more languages to Numista.

Edit: The problem is if you already have text in the Comments section, the image (or text) from another language page won't show. The referee will have to maintain a page by language and add the image on each one of them.

I was trying to see if we could find a way to avoid having to maintain different language pages for this kind of image documentation. Maybe  it’s just not realistic.

Question: Aren't the year lines text searchable ? It looks like it, it could solve this issue in some cases. I will do some more testing.

Regards,

Hello,

We already have some guidelines about how to describe varieties.

See the section 3.6 at https://en.numista.com/catalogue/contributions/instructions.php#comments

with some good examples:

• N#194
• N#23008
• N#187

The images should not contain text, since such documentation is difficult to update and to translate. Also, there should be separate pictures for each variety, again to facilitate future updates.

It's good practice to give a text explanation in addition to the pictures, to help the readers understand the difference between varieties.
The comment in the year lines should be short, just referring to the varieties already described in the general comments section (see section 3.8.5 of the guidelines).

Here is another topic of the forum, suggesting a separate section to describe varieties: https://en.numista.com/forum/topic115493.html
If this gets implemented, it would be good to have it well structured, with pictures separated from the text, so that they can be directly shared between the different language versions of the catalogue.

Xavier

Hello,

 

We already have some guidelines about how to describe varieties.

See the section 3.6 at https://en.numista.com/catalogue/contributions/instructions.php#comments

with some good examples:

• N#194
• N#23008
• N#187

 

The images should not contain text, since such documentation is difficult to update and to translate. Also, there should be separate pictures for each variety, again to facilitate future updates.

It's good practice to give a text explanation in addition to the pictures, to help the readers understand the difference between varieties.
The comment in the year lines should be short, just referring to the varieties already described in the general comments section (see section 3.8.5 of the guidelines).

Xavier ,

What  do we do with the actual images with text and only in one language ?   Delete them ?

No, we should not delete! Ideally they should be converted to the preferred format, but they are far better than nothing.

So from now on, we will only accept images in the Comments  section that complies with the new guidelines, correct ?

These guidelines are not new.

We still accept other formats as we appreciate Ole's work, although it would be preferable to use the recommended format. This was already discussed with Ole in the past if I remember well.

Well to me there is a guidelines version 2013 and a new version 2021 available only in English   .

From what we were told we were waiting for the  English final version before it gets  translated . That was 2 years ago. 

Is this still in the plans ? 

Québécois

See an exemple here in the Comments section : Canada 25 cents Victoria

Good work, but what if we decide to go to a 4 language version? And a fifth ect …

The effort to translate the guidelines of 2021 (which are regularly updated) is still ongoing. The translation was started by pejounet, and Compendium is currently on it. We very recently opted for a new approach, where we will deliver the translation incrementally. We should be able to share more about this topic very soon.

Indomini16

Québécois

See an exemple here in the Comments section : Canada 25 cents Victoria

Good work, but what if we decide to go to a 4 language version? And a fifth ect …

Thanks for your comment.

If you look closely, I think my proposition is an improvement over what was there before. It's less language dependent. It's not perfect but can be used in the 3 languages actually supported by Numista and has the advantage of not needing a referee to maintain 3 different pages in 3 different languages. This proposition require less work from referees and every members would have got the same info at the same time. Witch I consider a big win for everyone. Imagine what amount of work it will create in the future if we don't act now. The more we wait, the worst it will get.

But no need to discuss it further Xavier has rejected the format proposed. This being said, I don't agree with his “let it go” approach, what's good for Ole should be good for others. This aspect of the guidelines should be strictly enforce in my view (no exceptions).

I will not personally engaged in formatting the existing documentation to the “new” format/guidelines. So we will probably live with them forever and ever.  I don't accept the work load that comes with it to reformat the images. Nor will I accept new documentation not complying to the new format/guidelines. I don't want members to think it's ok not to use the proper format. It's ridiculous to think the referees will do the effort to translate and maintain 3 different pages. Most of them don't do it now and I don't see how things could get better if you add this to their workload.

When I look at the French or Spanish Comments section of this coin N#23008, I find it UGLY, I'd rather have only the pictures with no text. It's almost like members with native language other than English are considered as second class members.

Best regards,