Alternate versions of files

[swirlythingy]

Right now, the database has a lot of files called things like "mod.example", "mod.example.long" and "mod.example.sht".  This makes it clear that they're all alternate versions of the same file.

The problem is, sometimes simply calling the files similar names to each other isn't enough.  The worst offender I've found so far is Nuke (Spaceman on AMP), where a lot of music used in productions and named after those productions was recycled from other songs called something quite different.

To take one particularly mysterious example, the Wonder Dog title music appears to be almost the same as a track called "sunday best" - in spite of the fact "sunday best" is listed as a collaboration with Supernao and Wonder Dog isn't!

I think what's needed is some sort of formalised reference system, to warn downloaders that certain tracks are alternate versions of each other or even exactly the same.

Quite possibly the most duplicated track on AMP is one of Spaceman's called "silicon-sector".  This also appears as "kings of dawn" and "digital innovation", exists in a slightly changed form as "silicon-sector v2.0", and has a shortened version called "glocloader" - which has also been remixed by 4-Mat as "glocloader-51k"!

[Axxy]

Finding dupes is quite hard when the files have been collected over a number of years and probably not properly checked some years ago either. Believe me when I say, it's really quite difficult when your dealing with a massive amount of files that a few slip through the net. It's a constant battle and to this day, I still find dupes even though I check and double-check as I add new ones, and the buggers still get through.

I no longer have my list in a database program, so I don't run a find-dupes query over all the files, but I do sometimes do a scan in Total Commander to find dupes, but it's quite a limited function, mainly filesize, but the times I've found a module that differs by just a few bytes and I don't spot it.  I too use -long and -short for different versions, but I don't generally keep a module that has the same amount of patterns as another one.

I think you or someone else mentioned some of the modules in your post before, and probably that Asle or Crown have lives other than AMP, I don't know, but they can answer that for themselves.

[swirlythingy]

I think you or someone else mentioned some of the modules in your post before

I see I did: http://amp.dascene.net/forum/index.php/topic,315.msg1660.html#msg1660

This is the first time I've seriously investigated the issue, though.  Another example: the two Stolen Data tunes are also known as "d-funked memory" and "sky drift".  (Also, "stolen data6 tune" and "stolen data tune" are exactly the same as each other, so I have no idea how that ever got uploaded.)

[Axxy]

This is the first time I've seriously investigated the issue, though.  Another example: the two Stolen Data tunes are also known as "d-funked memory" and "sky drift".  (Also, "stolen data6 tune" and "stolen data tune" are exactly the same as each other, so I have no idea how that ever got uploaded.)

You see, this is the problem. I rename all my files "author_mod name", always have done, because cryptic filenames back in the days were a pain in the arse to organise and keep track of.

I then send 5 or 6 CDs/DVDs to AMP or Modland.  I think the 1st lot I sent to here was 18,000+ modules. Of course they get added I presume, but I doubt every last one was checked thoroughly. Although I tried to send everything that I considered not on AMP, I know doubt that some were bad rips, different filenames/filesizes or whatever... But that was like 3, 4 or 5 years ago, not sure, maybe longer....

I still find modules today beacuse of the different filesizes or I identified wrongly the author/filename, even Modland contains dupes still.  As a basis, I still use AMP as the main place to check for Protracker modules, I just wish the search had better facilities.

I don't use AMP or Modland to check for PC formats, ie. s3m/xm/it. I sent Coma 4 or 5 rar compressed DVDs a number of years ago, so effectively those are on Modland. I again think that even those aren't 100% accurate.

As the tracker module scene has dwindled, I find less and less time to track down and download files or just not bother at all. I doubt there are many people who want to be involved in it, even though a lot of people still find mod music relevant and want to listen to it, for whatever reasons. Apart from AMP/Modland allowing some admin rights to the database, it is down to just 1 or 2 people to maintain the sites. I noticed that Modland hasn't been updated in awhile either.

[Asle]

We _try_ to detect dupes. The days "quantity over quality" are long gone, addition-wise. There's, however, some catch up to do ...
I'm short of spare time just now to investigate the example you listed. I'll see to squeeze some minutes soon and come back to you.

Oh, and any doubt about a possible dupe, just don't hesitate, report it back to us
In advance, thanks !

Cheers
Sylvain

[Asle]

All right. Could squeeze some minutes to reach the following conclusion:
MOD.stolen data music was a 100% dupe of MOD.stolen data6 music which was a dupe (bad conversion) of MOD.d-funked memory and are now gone.
MOD.stolen data6 charts was a dupe (bad conversion) of MOD.sky drift and is now gone.

I'm a little short in time just now, but I'll check the other stuff when possible.
Thanks a lot for pointing out those obvious mistakes !

Sylvain