Depict official translations differently than unofficial ones [Already do]

[panzerkampfwagyu]

I believe most of the disconnect of the dev team and the community in regards to official scanlations, comes from the fact the official translations are put in the same space as the ones made by the translation groups.
While this is not the intention, it comes over as an official site coming here, sniping popular series, and in many cases locking them behind unethical monetization models, instead of Mangadex just doing a notification that an official TL exists.

Maybe put them in a sidebar that shows official translations, available chapters, region locks and other relevant information and instead of mass uploading chapter 1's, which really gives that scamlator feeling.
Maybe replace the chapter upload with a special notification that the official translation is now available for this manga or so.
You could even do an opt-in feature that allows official TL's to show up in the update feed & seed, so that they can be followed if so desired.

I do think that making the distinction clearer would help a lot in solving this disconnect.

 

[CiceroCiceronis]

It's not like official sites are stopping scanlators from continuing to scanlate the series; calling licensed releases "sniping" suggests that official licensors have some kind of moral obligation not to license a series if it's already receiving a fan translation. (On the contrary—fan translators are more often than not quite happy to stop translating a series when it receives a license, not only because that encourages people to support the author through the official release, but also because working on something that's being done by someone else would be a huge waste of time that could otherwise be spent on unlicensed series not available in English.)

Moreover, I'm not really sure what's "unethical" about the monetisation models of official sites. You are, of course, welcome not to support any given licensor if you find their business model objectionable, but it's pretty unsurprising that an official licensor that has paid money for a license and translation would need to charge a fee to view some chapters of the series. It's pretty disappointing to see the entitlement in readers' comments on this topic, especially when they're directed against e.g. JNC, which is known for positive practices like offering high-resolution volumes without DRM. Go pirate the official release if you want—I won't stop you, and it's not like I've never pirated anything before—but don't try and suggest that you're hard done by because the publisher isn't giving you every single chapter for free.

Insofar as there's a "disconnect" between readers and scanlators, it's because readers don't know or have forgotten their history. A scroll down memory lane at InsideScanlation should remind readers that scanlation has always been an activity primarily aimed at providing access to series that otherwise wouldn't be available in English, rather than one seeking to compete with official releases, and that where readers can support official releases they should. I won't tell people not to pirate, like I said, but I do think that the idea of pointing them towards official releases where those exist is really quite unobjectionable, and falls well within the scanlator ethos.

 

[kuma]

i guess you people are blind or something.....

 

[kuma]

I believe most of the disconnect of the dev team and the community in regards to official scanlations, comes from the fact the official translations are put in the same space as the ones made by the translation groups.
While this is not the intention, it comes over as an official site coming here,

they always has been here since the site made. official english license link was one of first hotlink added to site.

sniping popular series

they are the one who have copyright license to do so. scanlation is NOT supposed to exist to begin with how the hell is that sniping?

and in many cases locking them behind unethical monetization models

of course some monetization are more beneficial than others, but there is nothing unethical about you know, trying to make profit from a marketable ENTERTAINMENT product. also lmao using moral high ground argument to be defensive on piracy, is this some kind of bad joke?

instead of Mangadex just doing a notification that an official TL exists.

yeah, no, even as reader it's useful to get reminder that official exist.

Maybe put them in a sidebar that shows official translations, available chapters, region locks and other relevant information and instead of mass uploading chapter 1's, which really gives that scamlator feeling.

none of official chapter linked on mangadex are region locked, unless it's the recepient nation own policy. like mangaplus was blocked in east asia because they have their own simulpub service and bilibili blocked in my country because "commie reee" content (welcome to conservatives post rightist dictator nation).

also using word scamlator

lmao. MFW leviathan scans coins is MORE pricy than KManga. or TCBScans "exclusive" content literally more pricy than VIZ.

Maybe replace the chapter upload with a special notification that the official translation is now available for this manga or so.
You could even do an opt-in feature that allows official TL's to show up in the update feed & seed, so that they can be followed if so desired.

it's called block button. again, already made early in this site history.

I do think that making the distinction clearer would help a lot in solving this disconnect.

there is nothing to disconnect. people just dumb and ignorant.

 

[Bentoki]

There is like 5 official publishers, I know that you have the recall ability of a goldfish but you can remember them 🫡