Quoting reybr:

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But with the middle name we gain absolutely nothing

If it was me to decide I would kick the middle name field out ot the program, but that would be a lack of respect to the people who use it. Just like it's a lack of respect for anybody's name to be used the wrong way.

Quoting northbloke:

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If we weren't supposed to parse names correctly, why bother having three fields called first, middle and last?
If we're not supposed to be accurate in terms of how a person's name is meant to be written why not just have two fields or just one?
If we have fields that take first, middle and last names it seems only right and respectful that we fill them in correctly.

I said the same thing in my previous two posts, but I think it won't hurt to repeat it.

Quoting northbloke:

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If we weren't supposed to parse names correctly, why bother having three fields called first, middle and last?

North, you hit the nail on the head.
I understand that determining the correct parsing can be a PITA! (and oftentimes there is now way to be 100 percent sure), but that's what we are required of by the Program, which asks for "First Name", "Middle Name" and "Last Name" (not necessarily all of them, though, and allowing to enter compound names, either with a hyphen or without).
Since the content of those fields is not defined in DVDP, afaik, I gather we use their common definition in common language, but the definition of what a name is is primarily a cultural issue that varies with cultures.

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If we're not supposed to be accurate in terms of how a person's name is meant to be written why not just have two fields or just one?
If we have fields that take first, middle and last names it seems only right and respectful that we fill them in correctly.

Indeed. If correct parsing appears to someone as an unnecessary complication, here is an easy way to avoid it: just enter any family name in the Last Name field and any given name in the First Name field. Never use the Middle Name field, since that would require to determine whether it's actually a Middle Name and that's not easy and would not affect the alphabetical order anyway, so why bother?   

Quoting hal9g:

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Last names are important for searching and sorting. 

True.

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First names aren't.

Neither Middle names. 


Quoting Skip:

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Sometimes the attitudes I see on display here about things such as this almost sound to me like some of us are personally offended or have some odd sort of personal involvement.

I rather see desire for accuracy. Of course, a correct parsing is also more respectful towards the people we enter and their cultures.
No way to be "neutral": if you stick with the US current standard and want to apply it to names that more likely belong with other cultures, such as traditional double-barreled first names from the Southern US, that doesn't sound as very "neutral" to me.

Quoting jmbox:

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All I care about is that if I click on someone, it tells me every movie they are in in my collection and has the correct name as in the credits for that movie. The "common name" could be 12345678 and it would still work as long as "credited as" was correct.

You might be right on that. 
Let's be practical: the Common Name serves just that purpose, to "tell me every movie they are in my collection".

Quoting hal9g:

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Quoting Unicus69:

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.... but that doesn't mean we should make it worse by creating arbitrary standards that 95% of the user base will never see.

If they were incorporated into the Rules and everyone was forced to read them before contributing as was once the case, then everyone who codntributes would know exactly what they are.

Agree. Besides, that 95% of the user base wouldn't know how to determine a Common Name, unless they read the Rules and Invelos forums. 

Quoting hal9g:

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Quoting Unicus69:

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.... but that doesn't mean we should make it worse by creating arbitrary standards that 95% of the user base will never see.

If they were incorporated into the Rules and everyone was forced to read them before contributing as was once the case, then everyone who codntributes would know exactly what they are.

True enough, but Ken has already stated what the standard is supposed to be...the most credited form of the actors name.  To me, that is the easiest standard to use as it is based on a verifiable source rather than arbitrary standards.

Quoting Martin_Zuidervliet:

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Quoting reybr:

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But with the middle name we gain absolutely nothing

If it was me to decide I would kick the middle name field out ot the program, but that would be a lack of respect to the people who use it. Just like it's a lack of respect for anybody's name to be used the wrong way.

I doubt anyone would consider it lack of respect to have a single field for fornames/middle names.

Quoting Martin_Zuidervliet:

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The middle name is part of the American culture, so not wanting a separate field for middle names would be disrepectful.

I can't see where this respect is granted when it comes to eastern names such as Chow Yun-Fat, where Chow is declared "first name".