Okay, so we've got an official DVD Profiler standard for initials, as explained by Ken here:

Quoting Ken Cole:

Quote:
I've added a new filter to standardize initials.  It will operate to move the second initial to the middle name if there is no middle name entered.  If a change is made that affects the displayed name, the Credited As field will be set, if not already set, and if not an uncredited member.

So:

J.D./Dawodu becomes J./D./Dawodu [J.D. Dawodu]
J D/Dawodu becomes J./D./Dawodu [J D Dawodu]
J. D./Dawodu becomes J./D./Dawodu

Not affected by this filter:
JD/Dawodu
J/Dawodu
J.D./Bob/Dawodu

My question is: does this affect how we deal with names where the initials are in the middle name field? There's no automatic filter for this, but do we apply it by hand or not? Example: sound editor/designer Paul N. J. Ottosson. You'll note that the database contains 48 profiles with a space ("N. J."), and 58 profiles without a space ("N.J.") - with pretty much the same titles under either variant, showing that the contributors certainly are divided on the matter.

So my question is: is it, like normal initials, always "N. J." and do we use the "credited as" feature for when it's "N.J." on the screen, or don't we use a standard, meaning we'll have to find out the most-credited form and use "credited as" for when a credit differs from that most-credited form? The latter will be pretty difficult since people haven't entered it consistently (do we really need common name-finding threads just to determine whether there's a space or not?), and it will lead to similarly formatted names to be formatted in different ways in DVD Profiler: depending on what the most-credited form is, we'd have to enter one such name without the space, and next one with it.

I would do it the same way that Ken has handled the first name field (except not move the second initial to another field:

'Paul N. J. Ottosson' is entered 'Paul/N. J./Ottoson'
'Paul N.J. Ottoson' is entered 'Paul/N. J./ Ottoson [Paul/N.J./Ottoson]'

I also would do it that way.

+1

Also voted for the first option.

Thanks for bringing this up. Saw it yesterday in a contribution and asked me the same.

That's how I've actually been doing it in my contributions. I think it was after a contribution I saw from you T!M.

My notes on the matter usually say something along the lines of:

Paul/N. J./Ottosson [Paul/N.J./Ottosson]. Credited As applied to reflect, like initialed first names, the lack of space between middle initials.

I have yet to receive a single no vote on a contribution like this.

Quoting scotthm:

Quote:
Quoting T!M:

Quote:
So my question is: is it, like normal initials, always "N. J." and do we use the "credited as" feature for when it's "N.J." on the screen, or don't we use a standard, meaning we'll have to find out the most-credited form and use "credited as" for when a credit differs from that most-credited form?

Given the way Ken is handling initials in the first name field, I believe we should put the space between initials.

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For consistency I would agree

Quoting Scooter1836:

Quote:
This makes a lot of sense.

I am thinking the OP should use this poll and use the process outlined in this thread http://www.invelos.com/Forums.aspx?task=viewtopic&topicID=605472 to see if we can get that put in the filter/rules or at the very least a ruling

Here you go.