User talk:Helpful Pixie Bot/ISBN

Hi, ISBN numbers are changing! You may know that they came from 9 digit SBN numbers in 1966-1974, well, due partly to running low in certain ranges, the book industry is moving to a 13 digit code. This is compatible with the bar code on modern books. The move started on 1 January 2005 and should be complete by 1 January 2007. For example, Amazon now supports the 13 digit format giving for Mc Diarmid et al.
 * ISBN-10: 1893777014
 * ISBN-13: 978-1893777019

For more detail see ISBN or come to my talk page Rich Farmbrough, 12:19 23 December 2006 (GMT).


 * I am not so sure it is a good idea to change all ISBN's to ISBN-13 before a majority of the search functions that are linked from Special:Booksources can handle such numbers. I've reverted one instance of SmackBot doing the ISBN-10 to ISBN-13 thing as it made the book in question not show up on the standard search for Swedish books, while a search for the ISBN-10 number shows the book in question. – Elisson • T • C • 12:27, 23 December 2006 (UTC)


 * "For example, Amazon now supports the 13 digit format giving" - I just tried a few examples from recent SmackBot changes and while Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk work when you enter the 10 digit code they don't appear to for the 13 digit one . Could I suggest that, during this transitional period, that the 13 digit number is tagged on with the 10 digit and then further down the line another run removes the 10 digit one? Because as it stands it seems to be breaking things rather than helping. (Emperor 19:59, 23 December 2006 (UTC))
 * Yep, but drawbacks to that too, so process on hold for now. Rich Farmbrough, 08:53 27 December 2006 (GMT).
 * Amazon have now caught up with us. Rich Farmbrough, 10:55 17 January 2007 (GMT).

Changing bibliographic references
I'm not convinced that it's appropriate to change the ISBNs used in bibliographic references to the new format, except for those books which are new enough to have been printed with the ISBN-13 code. My general rule is that bibliographies should show exactly what was printed in the text being discussed, even if it would now be considered outdated. Changing all the ISBNs indiscriminately is to me akin to changing all the references from Houghton Mifflin to Houghton Mifflin Riverdeep, just because the company recently changed hands. 121a0012 22:27, 23 December 2006 (UTC)


 * This process is currently on hold, while external links catch up. However the standards body say: "ISBN data output – general considerations All external transmission of the ISBN should utilise the 13-digit manifestation after 1 January 2007." Rich Farmbrough, 10:20 17 January 2007 (GMT).