Please, don't set wrong descriptions as "default"

[Moloch]

I'm really careful at putting one description as "default", I try to do it only if it's in the same language of the original work and if it's not too specific.
I see that some work have the default description in foreign languages, even if it's English I don't think it's correct.

This one, for example, http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45...

not only has the default description to an English one, even though it's a famous work by an Italian author, but also from an Audiobook edition (so it's clear that it's not really suited for all editions!). *

Please, set as "default" only when you're sure. Thanks

* I have fixed that now, but before it was: "(The CD MP3 format will play on most NEW CD players and also DVD players and computers. It may not play on older CD players).

Giancarlo Previati's unabridged reading of Pirandello's last novel is mesmerizing. Relax at home, in your car, or even using an IPod while walking or jogging while listening to great and entertaining Italian literature."

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Many default descriptions have been selected by the system automatically, and not manually set by a librarian.

[Lynge]

Just to get it straight... is there an official policy on this subject?
Shouldn't the default description preferably be in english, even though the title in question is originally in another language (unless of course the title has never been translated to english)?

And so on the matter of the above title "Uno, nessuno e centomila" shouldn't an english description be prefered (of course non-edition specific)?

Whereas this title fx.: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14...
a description in the original language is ok, since it hasn't been translated to english (or any other widely spoken language)?

Just trying to get the policy straight... :-)

[Cheryl]

I'd vote for having the default be in the original language, as Moloch requests, regardless of existence of an English translation. An English reader can always look for an English edition.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "I'd vote for having the default be in the original language"

Even if there are 3 editions in the original Russian, 15 in English, and 2 each in French and Italian?

We don't really have a policy for default descriptions, largely because so many have been set by the system (not by a librarian), and that will continue to be the case. But is such a case, I see no reason the default shouldn't be English.

[Alessandra]

I thought of this thread today when I found the default description of I Sing the Body Electric, by Ray Bradbury, was in Russian (I popped over to another edition and made its English description the default -- it seemed a good description, but I didn't check them all to find the best).

I think sometimes people must accidentally check the "make this the default" box without realizing it affects *all* editions of that book.

[rivka, Former Moderator]

Alessandra wrote: "I think sometimes people must accidentally check the "make this the default" box without realizing it affects *all* editions of that book."

It does seem highly likely.

[Cheryl]

Well, I see your point, rivka, about the Russian.
But default only applies to imported / automatic entries, right? Librarian edits are the final word, right?

So, if a GR librarian changes the default Russian language to English, on an English edition, won't that change stick?

(And, yes, I agree that Alessandra has probably correctly diagnosed the cause of the problem.)

[Manybooks]

I have to admit that I get a bit annoyed if I see a German language book (a book originally in German) where the default description is not in German (default descriptions should be in the original language, be it German, Italian, French, Chinese, whatever).

[rivka, Former Moderator]

The default description is applied to any edition that does not have a description of its own. It can be changed by librarians on an individual book, or for all editions in a work that have the default assigned to them.

And I still disagree that the default should necessarily be in the language of the original edition. And point out again, that since the majority of defaults are not set by people but by scripts, it will frequently not be true regardless.

[Kadri]

Is there a way to find out which edition had the default description set before a librarian changed it?

The Hobbit has a default description in Irish right now and I'd like to change it, but I'm not sure how. I guess I could go to the most popular edition and check the "make default" box there, but the description there is pretty edition-specific, so it wouldn't be quite right.

What would happen if I undid the edit that made the description the default one? I'm guessing it's the second one here (is it?):
http://www.goodreads.com/book/edits/1...

Hi, I'm new (can't you tell?) :)

[Paula]

In this case I would go to the book, it is in the link you have, title is "An Hobad".

Edit that book, edit the description add something at the bottom or top (you are going to remove it). Save make sure the "Use as default is not selected. Then re edit and remove the text you added.

Then find another edition of the book with a good description and set that as the default.

That way the Irish book keeps the Irish description. If you want some to do if for your post back

[Kadri]

I think I got it to work, thank you!