| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Use of Internet Resources vs. Kudoz Thread poster: Henry Hinds
|
|---|
Krys Williams 
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:18
Member (2003)
Polish to English
+ ...
| I have the mirror-image problem with Kudoz | Feb 4, 2015 |
One can also assume that some people do not have the skills to do a focused web search, especially if it involves two languages!
I was put off answering after seeing incorrect answers selected over correct, well justified and/or well researched answers supplied by myself or others.
My real problem with Kudoz is the mirror image. The few times I have asked questions there, it has been after extensive web searches did not supply an answer. I posted my questions with as fu... See more One can also assume that some people do not have the skills to do a focused web search, especially if it involves two languages!
I was put off answering after seeing incorrect answers selected over correct, well justified and/or well researched answers supplied by myself or others.
My real problem with Kudoz is the mirror image. The few times I have asked questions there, it has been after extensive web searches did not supply an answer. I posted my questions with as full contextual information as I had, sometimes more, sometimes less. In the majority of cases, the answers when they finally came (usually too late to be useful), consisted of nothing more than the same (incorrect/inadequate/ambiguous) information I had already found on the Net myself, or even showed a total lack of comprehension of what the question was about.
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert. Unfortunately, such an event was too rare, so I no longer view Kudoz as a viable option for my own queries.
[Edited at 2015-02-04 20:52 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:18
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Googling lessons | Feb 4, 2015 |
Neil Coffey wrote:
judicious Googling
That seems to be something that not everyone has mastered. There are many upskilling courses offered on Proz.com but so far I haven't seen one on "How to improve your googling skills". Perhaps I should organise one.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:18
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| I'm not surprised. | Feb 4, 2015 |
Krys Williams wrote:
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert.
I tend not to offer suggestions to Kudoz questions that fall within the fields in which I have expertise, for the simple reason that the person doing that translation is someone obviously less skilled than I am but who is charging less than I would, and so got the job instead of me. So I'm certainly not going to help them. So who's being nasty - them for charging less and then going looking for help with terminology they ought to know, or me for not helping them?
[Edited at 2015-02-04 21:01 GMT]
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 16:18
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER In memoriam
"How to improve your googling skills" sounds like a great idea to me. It's the best idea I've heard so far!
| | |
|
|
|
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:18
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Henry Hinds wrote:
"How to improve your googling skills" sounds like a great idea to me. It's the best idea I've heard so far!
How much should I charge? My eyes have turned into dollar signs already...
$ $
[Edited at 2015-02-04 21:02 GMT]
| | | | Cesar Silva (X)
Brazil
Local time: 19:18
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| I still like Kudoz | Feb 4, 2015 |
I several times wondered the same: "If I am capable of answering all my questions during translations, even the hard ones, why there are some people who can't?". Although I agree that some lack of professionalism may be there, I also think in most cases it may be that the person is just time constrained.
What I like in Kudoz is that you never really waste your time. Even when the person choose the wrong answer, which sucks, I learned a new difficult term and that will be useful when... See more I several times wondered the same: "If I am capable of answering all my questions during translations, even the hard ones, why there are some people who can't?". Although I agree that some lack of professionalism may be there, I also think in most cases it may be that the person is just time constrained.
What I like in Kudoz is that you never really waste your time. Even when the person choose the wrong answer, which sucks, I learned a new difficult term and that will be useful when I find the same in my translations. Also, after answering several questions we improve our research capabilities, a thing that we always use. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Krys Williams
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:18
Member (2003)
Polish to English
+ ...
| Not necessarily, Tom. | Feb 4, 2015 |
Tom in London wrote: Krys Williams wrote:
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert. I tend not to offer suggestions to Kudoz questions that fall within the fields in which I have expertise, for the simple reason that the person doing that translation is someone obviously less skilled than I am but who is charging less than I would, and so got the job instead of me. So I'm certainly not going to help them. So who's being nasty - them for charging less and then going looking for help with terminology they ought to know, or me for not helping them? [Edited at 2015-02-04 21:01 GMT]
I have a PhD in biomedicine and more than 10 years experience as a medical translator. Many of my clients tell me I am one of the best translators on their books. I think my rates are within the normal range charged, and I never enter into negotiations if I am asked to lower them. I have more than enough work as it is and am not struggling to find new clients.
Nevertheless, medicine is a broad and rapidly changing field. Even though I do not accept work in certain areas of medicine with which I am less familiar, I still find at times that I am suddenly having to do terminology research and, on rare occasions, draw a blank in my searches. A prime example is a hospital report that is mainly in a specialism with which I am comfortable, but suddenly there is a paragraph regarding a consultation with a practitioner from another specialism with which I am not comfortable. Then there are those infuriating non-standard abbreviations...
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 16:18
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER In memoriam
I don't know how much you should charge, Tom, but to my way of thinking such a course is certainly worth money, especially to a lot of people here. In my own case I learned it on my own, as I also learned how to translate, but a good course would be a real advantage for many!
| | |
|
|
|
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:18
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Henry Hinds wrote:
I don't know how much you should charge, Tom, but to my way of thinking such a course is certainly worth money, especially to a lot of people here. In my own case I learned it on my own, as I also learned how to translate, but a good course would be a real advantage for many!
Yes Henry - that is the problem. Having acquired a skill that gives me an advantage, wouldn't it be better to keep it all to myself?
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:18
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Krys Williams wrote: Tom in London wrote: Krys Williams wrote:
Very, very rarely I did receive a timely and helpful response from a subject expert. I tend not to offer suggestions to Kudoz questions that fall within the fields in which I have expertise, for the simple reason that the person doing that translation is someone obviously less skilled than I am but who is charging less than I would, and so got the job instead of me. So I'm certainly not going to help them. So who's being nasty - them for charging less and then going looking for help with terminology they ought to know, or me for not helping them? [Edited at 2015-02-04 21:01 GMT] I have a PhD in biomedicine and more than 10 years experience as a medical translator. Many of my clients tell me I am one of the best translators on their books. I think my rates are within the normal range charged, and I never enter into negotiations if I am asked to lower them. I have more than enough work as it is and am not struggling to find new clients. Nevertheless, medicine is a broad and rapidly changing field. Even though I do not accept work in certain areas of medicine with which I am less familiar, I still find at times that I am suddenly having to do terminology research and, on rare occasions, draw a blank in my searches. A prime example is a hospital report that is mainly in a specialism with which I am comfortable, but suddenly there is a paragraph regarding a consultation with a practitioner from another specialism with which I am not comfortable. Then there are those infuriating non-standard abbreviations...
If you substitute "architecture" for "medicine" it would describe my situation too.
| | | | Inga Petkelyte
Portugal
Local time: 23:18
Lithuanian to Portuguese
+ ...
I quitted with KudoZ a long time ago. For the same reasons as Henry and others have pointed out.
Once here was a similar topic about KudoZ, and I wondered how it is allowed at all to ask on a pro-level to help translate Legal Department. My post was banned!
Curious, how long this one will survive
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Use of Internet Resources vs. Kudoz | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
| | CafeTran Espresso | You've never met a CAT tool this clever!
Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer.
Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools.
Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
