As we all know the Invelos filter does the following

When you submit

Fred//Smith Jr. it places the following in the online database Fred//Smith, Jr.[Fred Smith Jr.]

So because of that we count Fred Smith Jr./Fred Smith, Jr. as the same name for counting purposes since the filter forces the common name.

But what I have noticed in many common name threads is the same is not being done for other filter based common name alterations that the filter does.

For example (and I ran some tests to validate this)

A.J.//Smith is filtered to be A./J./Smith[A.J. Smith] - The filter forces the common name to be A. J. Smith
A.J.//Smith[Albert Smith] is filtered to be A./J./Smith[Albert Smith] - The filter forces the common name to be A. J. Smith
A./J./Smith is filtered to be A./J./Smith
A./J./Smith[Albert Smith] is filtered to be A./J./Smith[Albert Smith]
A. J.//Smith is filtered to be A./J./Smith
A. J.//Smith[Albert Smith] is filtered to be A./J./Smith[Albert Smith]

Now since the common names are the same in the online profile why do most common name threads count these separately.  From an online database perspective they have the same common names.

I know the download process preserves what you have locally. as far as parsing First/Middle/Last names, but that does not affect the common name. 

It seems to me as far as common names are concerned we should be considering A.J. Smith to be the same as A. J. Smith since the filter transforms it for the online profile.  It seems to me that our common name counting should take into account everything that the Invelos filter does for accuracy and consistency.  After all as far as common name determination is concerned we combine titles counts for " jr."/", Jr" situation where the filter does the same type of manipulation.


Now if it were AJ//Smith or A/J/Smith (no periods to separate as initials) - Those would be separate since the filter does nothing to alter those.

Makes sense to me.

Bad example - how many of the profiles that he is credited in are not news footage/archive.