Off topic: Facebook asks users to translate new version for free Thread poster: Trudy Peters
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Trudy Peters 
United States
Local time: 01:06
German to English
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Jianjun Zhang
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:06
English to Chinese
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FB already launched some languages such as French and Spanish. Chinese translation is underway as some of my friends (none of them translators) reported they'd received such requests.
There virtually have been FB groups protesting the French localization as some French speakers don't think the translation reflects a respect to this beautiful and precise language.
Accord... See more FB already launched some languages such as French and Spanish. Chinese translation is underway as some of my friends (none of them translators) reported they'd received such requests.
There virtually have been FB groups protesting the French localization as some French speakers don't think the translation reflects a respect to this beautiful and precise language.
According to this article: http://snurl.com/250x4, Spanish translation reads mechanical at best. And there are lots of interesting discussions and a video interview on that page.
Free localization from fans is no replacement for systematic, organized and well QAed professional localization team. We have so many examples, don't we?
Best,
Jianjun
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Taylor Kirk
United States
Local time: 00:06
Portuguese to English
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| I guess it's up to the individuals... | Apr 20, 2008 |
...but I don't feel particularly altruistic towards Facebook, a COMPANY. The Spanish translator quoted mentioned Wikipedia, which I agree is more worthy of free translation, localization, and any other work since it's part of a community more than a profit-making enterprise. In fact it's fun to do Wikipedia stuff (for nerds like me anyway). In any case I guess FB will get the quality it pays for (or doesn't).
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Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 07:06
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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| Crowdsourcing | Apr 20, 2008 |
It is called "crowdsourcing". It is a trend which I think will continue and become more popular, and I think professional translators should take note of it. There are various advantages and disadvantages to crowdsourcing (and it also depends on how the translation system is implemented).
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| Isn't it the same... | Apr 20, 2008 |
...as the proz localization? The only difference is that proz has been localized by professionals.
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| I had been contacted to translate Facebook in French | Apr 20, 2008 |
... and refused. They wanted to pay $ 500 for the job, which is a joke, especially considering the fact that Facebooks founder M.Z. is the youngest billionaire ever, and that Facebook has a profit of several billion dollars A YEAR.
Anybody translating Facebook for free is practising voluntary slavery.
Facebook is NOT a non-profit organisation! It is a normal company making profit from persons working for free !
Anyway, those "translators" can only blame th... See more ... and refused. They wanted to pay $ 500 for the job, which is a joke, especially considering the fact that Facebooks founder M.Z. is the youngest billionaire ever, and that Facebook has a profit of several billion dollars A YEAR.
Anybody translating Facebook for free is practising voluntary slavery.
Facebook is NOT a non-profit organisation! It is a normal company making profit from persons working for free !
Anyway, those "translators" can only blame themselves.
I cannot believe that any professional translator would do such a job for free. ▲ Collapse
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Sylvain Leray wrote:
Isn't it the same...
...as the proz localization? The only difference is that proz has been localized by professionals.
Just what I thought. The quality of the localization of ProZ might be higher, but in the end ProZ is also a for profit company.
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Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 23:06
English to Spanish
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In memoriam | The only difference... | Apr 21, 2008 |
"The only difference is that ProZ.com has been localized by professionals."
Though it still could use some improvement, I think that difference makes all the difference in the world.
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| Yes, of course | Apr 21, 2008 |
Henry Hinds wrote:
"The only difference is that ProZ.com has been localized by professionals."
Though it still could use some improvement, I think that difference makes all the difference in the world.
Of course, but the principle remains the same : a company asking his users for a free translation of its site.
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