| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15] > | Let's improve ProZ.com! (Three things I would do to improve ProZ.com if I were in charge.) Thread poster: Henry Dotterer
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Puicz (X) 
Local time: 08:22
Swedish to English
| A couple things.... | Sep 20, 2006 |
1) Verification of native speaker status
This is a can of worms waiting to be opened and I strongly advise against it. Little does it matter whether a translator considers her/himself to be a native speaker if they do a good job. Surely that is the crux of the matter?
Is the German translation of Shakespeare ‘better’ than the original? How many angels dance on a pinhead?
Some time ago I suggested to moderators and community alike – to the clamour of zero replies �... See more 1) Verification of native speaker status
This is a can of worms waiting to be opened and I strongly advise against it. Little does it matter whether a translator considers her/himself to be a native speaker if they do a good job. Surely that is the crux of the matter?
Is the German translation of Shakespeare ‘better’ than the original? How many angels dance on a pinhead?
Some time ago I suggested to moderators and community alike – to the clamour of zero replies – that proz should have an assessment system where translators are assessed – by outsourcers, naturally – on the work which they obtain through the site. Assessments need not be seen by the whole community, but they could be made available to outsourcers, much as the Blue Board is to all of us. Not only would this greatly increase the numbers of outsourcers using the site, it would motivate and encourage translators in the work we do.
2) Points
I agree with many others. Abolish Kudoz and Browniz points. Surely we finished with all that in kindergarten? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Puicz (X)
Local time: 08:22
Swedish to English
| Third point [Mod:please add to the previous posting editing it] | Sep 20, 2006 |
I thought the bookmarking idea a very good one. It would then be simple to find threads, etc.
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2006-09-20 10:03]
| | | | | Professionalism, Honesty and Decency | Sep 20, 2006 |
1. Verify native language(s) - ProZ.com members wishing to include "native language" information in their profile should be subjected to a short but rigorous test. This could be done online by an institution to be set up within ProZ.com with qualified, authorized representatives worldwide.
2. Encourage professionalism, allow (well-founded and precise) criticism of peers as a means of raising the standards on this site. If this means losing members who are not willing to subject them... See more 1. Verify native language(s) - ProZ.com members wishing to include "native language" information in their profile should be subjected to a short but rigorous test. This could be done online by an institution to be set up within ProZ.com with qualified, authorized representatives worldwide.
2. Encourage professionalism, allow (well-founded and precise) criticism of peers as a means of raising the standards on this site. If this means losing members who are not willing to subject themselves to a certain standard, so be it. Raise my yearly fee instead, if you like. It is my opinion that if some folks are unwilling to be / incapable of being honest about their abilities, they need to be removed (following due process, of course).
3. This is more a comment on existing suggestions than an independent suggestion: I'm all for having my ID verified as an outsourcer, but I don't feel like jumping through hoops. If a ProZ.com rep wants to visit our premises or check out our Commercial Register entries, please do. But I don't want to have to travel hundreds of miles to have my ID verified in order to be able to use this site. Sorry.
My two (three) cents, 195 words.
Regards,
Benjamin
[Edited at 2006-09-20 11:34] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:22
Flemish to English
+ ...
| Tests and resulting linguistic level of translator/interpreter in profile | Sep 20, 2006 |
1. Would it be possible to introduce a near-native level symbol for a person reaching level C2?
2. Introduce tests to test the linguistic level of the working languages of a translator and indicate the results in his or her profile. Explain those levels on Proz.com.
Native is not always equal to the definitons given below:
35 words, not taken into account the classification by the COE
Council of Europe's upper levels.
---------------------------------... See more 1. Would it be possible to introduce a near-native level symbol for a person reaching level C2?
2. Introduce tests to test the linguistic level of the working languages of a translator and indicate the results in his or her profile. Explain those levels on Proz.com.
Native is not always equal to the definitons given below:
35 words, not taken into account the classification by the COE
Council of Europe's upper levels.
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B2.I can write clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects related to my interests. I can write an essay or report, passing on information or giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view. I can write letters highlighting the personal significance of events and experiences.
C1. I can express myself in clear, well-structured text, expressing points of view at some length. I can write about complex subjects in a letter, an essay or a report, underlining what I consider to be the salient issues. I can select style appropriate to the reader in mind.
C2. I can write clear, smoothly-flowing text in an appropriate style. I can write complex letters, reports or articles which present a case with an effective logical structure which helps the recipient to notice and remember significant points. I can write summaries and reviews of professional or literary works.
[Edited at 2006-09-20 15:47] ▲ Collapse
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| End of members only - non-members, we invite you, too, to make your suggestions now | Sep 21, 2006 |
Thanks again for all the suggestions so far.
Having given members the first opportunity to make suggestions, I have decided to now open the floor for suggestions from non-members as well...
This is your chance to make ProZ.com better, folks, whether you are a fan or a critic. The analysis and action plan will be posted here... so let's hear your ideas, please!
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Change the search engine indexing:
1. All kudoz questions and forum discussions should be private and only accessible to members. They would not be indexed in the search engines. Glossary entries would be public.
2. The profiles would only be indexed in our language. No more duplicates in google results, which desorient potential clients! The same goes for published articles or any oth... See more Change the search engine indexing:
1. All kudoz questions and forum discussions should be private and only accessible to members. They would not be indexed in the search engines. Glossary entries would be public.
2. The profiles would only be indexed in our language. No more duplicates in google results, which desorient potential clients! The same goes for published articles or any other material.
See: http://www.proz.com/topic/55694
3. Lower membership fee.
[Edited at 2006-09-21 17:26] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 08:22
Member (2002)
English to German
+ ...
| My three points (apologies if mentioned already) | Sep 21, 2006 |
Hi Henry,
I originally hesitated because many things have already been mentioned that I had in mind, too, but here goes (at the risk of being repetitive):
1. Deal with support tickets more swiftly at all times: achieve a(n initial) response time of less than 24 (or even 12?) hours across the board. From various forum postings, I got the impression that this was not always the case.
2. Redesign the jobs system: take rates out of the equation at the po... See more Hi Henry,
I originally hesitated because many things have already been mentioned that I had in mind, too, but here goes (at the risk of being repetitive):
1. Deal with support tickets more swiftly at all times: achieve a(n initial) response time of less than 24 (or even 12?) hours across the board. From various forum postings, I got the impression that this was not always the case.
2. Redesign the jobs system: take rates out of the equation at the point when outsourcers get in touch with service providers. In other words, remove the rates field(s) included in the current job post design so that outsourcers and service providers can freely negotiate on equal footing, without a rate pre-set by the outsourcer. Let the market powers act on both sides of the equation.
3. Expand the moderator programme to KudoZ language pairs, forums and other areas not yet covered. Get more helping hands on board.
Steffen
{157 words} ▲ Collapse
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Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 09:22
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
Re: Third point [Mod:please add to the previous posting editing it]
I'd like to clear that misconception- moderators cannot (are not able to) edit the text field of any forum posting except their own- just as any other poster.
What we can edit is only other postings Subject lines- in order to make them more precise/descriptive.
Uldis
| | | | | only one - for now... | Sep 21, 2006 |
Perhaps not quite as 'necessary' as some of the above but I'd love a floating tool bar with time zone clocks from around the world - would help me keep tabs on client turnaround deadlines worldwide.
Just a thought Henry...
Thanks for keeping Proz.Com so "Proz"...
Keep up the good work!
Steve
| | | | Roland Peiler
Germany
Local time: 08:22
Member (2005)
English to German
+ ...
| One priority only | Sep 21, 2006 |
Hi Henry,
I would strongly suggest limiting the term section to paying members and preventing it from being searchable via search engines.
The current system does one of two things:
If the answer is good, it supports the idea that translations can be -- or should be -- had for free, or is a cheap service to get etc. Surely not a good idea for our industry. One of its key problems just lies in this kind of wrong perceptions about translation services.
... See more Hi Henry,
I would strongly suggest limiting the term section to paying members and preventing it from being searchable via search engines.
The current system does one of two things:
If the answer is good, it supports the idea that translations can be -- or should be -- had for free, or is a cheap service to get etc. Surely not a good idea for our industry. One of its key problems just lies in this kind of wrong perceptions about translation services.
If the answer is bad (bad quality or made in haste because the answerer, somewhat childishly, wanted to "be the first"), it supports the idea that the translation industry is crowded by unprofessional people anyway. Not really a good idea for our industry, either.
(Of course if the question is ridiculous in the first place, it just wastes everybody's time and resources and makes it all look like a joke.)
But I was wondering anyway: who likes to be watched by the whole world while working? -- I don't, and I stopped using the term system altogether a long time ago though I liked it at first and it could be a brilliant tool. It strikes me that apparantly only one other colleague has mentioned this latter issue of privacy.
This to me, would be "thinking big": thinking about how our profession is perceived.
Thanks for listening,
Roland
[Bearbeitet am 2006-09-21 22:35] ▲ Collapse
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One request
Slow down a bit with the introduction of new features/options/tabs/layouts. Too many new things are being introduced, all the time. Just relax for a bit. And enjoy the view.
A colleague once put it this way: ‘You’ve built a great house, Henry, now it’s time to move in and live in it’.
Thanks for a great site!
johanna
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| short and sweet | Sep 21, 2006 |
1) I wholeheartedly agree with those who would like less censorship, and I see they are not limited to the Spanish-speaking members.
2) Let´s keep the site "The Translators Workplace", and not let it turn into "The Outsourcers Prime Source of Cheap Labor".
3) Simple technical improvement for KudoZ questions. Allow the askers to upload graphics.
Many times we need to translate a slogan or tagline and when we ask for ideas in KudoZ we need to describe the graphi... See more 1) I wholeheartedly agree with those who would like less censorship, and I see they are not limited to the Spanish-speaking members.
2) Let´s keep the site "The Translators Workplace", and not let it turn into "The Outsourcers Prime Source of Cheap Labor".
3) Simple technical improvement for KudoZ questions. Allow the askers to upload graphics.
Many times we need to translate a slogan or tagline and when we ask for ideas in KudoZ we need to describe the graphics. It would be nice if we could just upload the picture. People upload images in the forums, so why not in the KudoZ? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Endre Both
Germany
Local time: 08:22
English to German
| Quality; criticism; public relations | Sep 21, 2006 |
1. Shift focus towards quality and professionalism. In particular:
- Recognise the value that experienced professionals bring to the site beyond their membership fee.
- Take a stronger stance against unprofessional behaviour, including patently false claims about qualifications and consistently erratic KudoZ contributions.
- Expand the identity verification scheme as suggested above.
... See more 1. Shift focus towards quality and professionalism. In particular:
- Recognise the value that experienced professionals bring to the site beyond their membership fee.
- Take a stronger stance against unprofessional behaviour, including patently false claims about qualifications and consistently erratic KudoZ contributions.
- Expand the identity verification scheme as suggested above.
2. Improve public relations. In particular:
- Keep track of suggestions (why not have a wish list maintained by ProZ.com staff and visible to all?).
- Respond more promptly and efficiently to support requests.
- Give more consideration to the way the site and its evolution is presented to and perceived by the community.
3. Provide more space for criticism (even if not constructive). I understand that letting false statements stand without objection has legal implications for ProZ.com. But maybe you (and your legal counsels) could work out ways of responding to statements that you consider unjustified criticism or even defamation without compromising your legal position or spending disproportionate amounts of energy. I think this would make ProZ.com stronger rather than weaker.
Thank you for the enormous amount of work you have put into this site,
Endre ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jonathan Lukens (X)
Local time: 02:22
Russian to English
+ ...
| Generally satisfied | Sep 21, 2006 |
First off, I would like to apologize if I am repeating anything if I missed it, and secondly I would like to say that I hate to sound like I'm not going to renew my membership -- being a paying member of the site for the past year and a half has yielded tremendous returns on a small investment. That said, a few suggestions:
1. I say "Aye" to the notion of mandatory VID, outsourcers included.
2. Make verification of credentials compulsory as well, wherever possible. It... See more First off, I would like to apologize if I am repeating anything if I missed it, and secondly I would like to say that I hate to sound like I'm not going to renew my membership -- being a paying member of the site for the past year and a half has yielded tremendous returns on a small investment. That said, a few suggestions:
1. I say "Aye" to the notion of mandatory VID, outsourcers included.
2. Make verification of credentials compulsory as well, wherever possible. It was terribly easy to have my ATA certification verified. It took all of five minutes to scan and e-mail my certificate. There are numerous users here who are not ATA certified but state that they are anyway, possibly because they do not understand that there is an exam you must sit for. Those of us with this and similar credentials paid to take these tests. Many outsourcers might not realize that they should be looking for the word "verified".
3. For outsourcers who are not paying members, levy a one-time fee for every job posting, put this extra cash towards levelling the playing field for translators who live in countries where rates are lower, some sort of purchasing power parity scheme. $120 isn't a bargain if you're working for $.03/word. ▲ Collapse
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