would records be described properly, there would be no need to worry about additional information
it could be included later on, by different people, different project perhaps - it wouldn't matter
we'd have done the best we can on our part - preservation of CD images in a way relating them to a source material
so if somebody later thinks, that release date is important or publisher or something else -
there would be no bariers for such information's inclusion
it would relate with records exactly like with original medium
but unfortunately lack of information is only one of problems associated with current naming scheme
certain amount of misinformation is being produced:
apparently Sony assigned serials to editions (not titles) for PSX Japan market
now serials are being included in filenames
but, except for a few instances, you will never be able to find later editions (such as PlayStation the Best, PSone Books, etc)
in redump.org's PSX Japan set (outside website, that is)
currently all kinds of serials are being treated on the same level:
Sony's assigned, Publisher's assigned, EXE names, Others (missprints and such)
and, when filename is generated, only first one from set will be included,
which mostly, not always, is EXE name
this creates an illusion of Sony's edition<->serial relationship presence
(to which people are used to - since it's association you'll find everywhere on web,
so i believe this is how they will translate serial: as describing edition),
when in fact it's lost and crooked
also systems would get increasingly diversified for no sound reason -
solely because different ways are implemented to separate colliding records, when there could be one
Maybe a hand-edited clrmame dat would be sufficient for most info that is now only available on the website.
indeed it is possible to create scripts that would leech this information from redump.org and reassemble .dat
but it's not a rational solution
it's a hacking in a sense
besides nobody would care about it
why would they, when you're getting data directly from website and even images (CD) organized accordingly?
this is of course my subjective view of things
to one problem there can be several answer
so i wouldn't want to propagandize this (maybe deluded) opinion further on
but rather would like to see people think about those matters, on their own - not being so passive
i hope then, if ther's enough interest, an sensible solution will be reached