MovieChat Forums > Contributors Help > ANSWERED: Too many...

ANSWERED: Too many...

posted 11 years ago by Jeorj Euler
8 replies | jump to latest

(1) dead external links on IMDb

There is no shortage of links to defunct websites, missing webpages or webpages lacking the relevant content, on IMDb. I recommend the creation of a renewal interface and automated removal of links that are not manually renewed within 180 days after being created or renewed. The problem with such an approach is more or less obvious, but it would reflect policy more so than technical resolution.

An alternative would be for a volunteer to host a bot that scans links for lack of relevant content and deletes the ones meeting the criteria. The problem with such an alternative approach is that links to sites or pages that have merely relocated will be deleted rather than updated. I don't yet know how to form an automated process that can determine the new location of a moved site or page, because the process requires judgment.

The bottom line: The dead links do no justice for users of IMDb. Why can't something be done about the situation? Is anybody besides me bothered by it?

(2) other things on IMDb

I'm sure there are other things of which there are too many on IMDb, but I'm not sure in what way contributors come into play, as of this time.

[–] haynes-2 11 years ago

You can still resurrect dead links on archive.org.

[–] Jeorj Euler 11 years ago

You can still resurrect dead links on archive.org. Generally speaking.

[–] Jimwax 11 years ago

Hi there.

Yes, we are aware of the issue of links expiring.

If you know of specific domains that are now dead, please let us know on this thread or the CH board here and we can remove them in bulk.

Thanks.

Jim

[–] haynes-2 11 years ago

URL expired
obscurehorror.com
evildread.com
fatally-yours.com

Links expired:
eyeweekly.com

Behind paywall:
globeandmail.com
thestar.com

[–] Jeorj Euler 11 years ago

If you know of specific domains that are now dead, please let us know on this thread or the CH board here and we can remove them in bulk. O, alright. Thank you.

[–] Jeorj Euler 11 years ago

I like how wiki software has the transclusion feature which can be used to format links across the board for every unique domain name. The syntax of a reference in markup takes the particular resource identifier as a parameter, like {{IMDb title|0000001|Carmencita|1894}} would render Carmencita (1894) if configured accordingly (an example that happens to be similar to how Wikipedia does it). An "external link" general template might be referred to with {{External link
|site_name=
|resource_type=
|resource_id=
|resource_title=
|resource_author=
|publication_year=
|publication_month=
|publication_date=
|extra_parameter=
|override_path=
}} ...Of course each parameter can simply be a web page form field, instead of a component of a markup statement, as far as entry into the database is concerned (since most people are not fond of markup and "formal language"). As much as I would like to mention this on Get Satisfaction, I cannot until I actually manage to have the relevant parts of the site recognize the fact that I've signed in whenever I sign in. (Maybe my web browser is due for an upgrade. I don't know, at the moment. The irony of course is that in order to inquire about Get Satisfaction's web interface, a user has to use said interface, which cannot be done if it is broken, or perhaps dial the telephone number that the site's maintainers have provided there.)

[–] Jeorj Euler 10 years ago

movieseer.com
think.com.my

[–] Jeorj Euler 8 years ago

I will propose this at some point.