| Pagina's in het onderwerp: < [1 2 3 4] > | KudoZ... illness or addiction? De persoon die dit onderwerp heeft geplaatst: Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
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| It's an addiction...but not too serious... | May 4, 2002 |
If you check the top 10 overall or in most of the main language pairs, you will probably find that the leading answerers will have changed over time. You also see it in the questions, the same handful of people are in there answering every question, yet 3 months or 6 months ago, there was an entirely different handful there.
I was a persistent answerer at one point, I spent hours of each day in ProZ and got high up on the lists of my combinations, maybe even top. It\'s not t... See more If you check the top 10 overall or in most of the main language pairs, you will probably find that the leading answerers will have changed over time. You also see it in the questions, the same handful of people are in there answering every question, yet 3 months or 6 months ago, there was an entirely different handful there.
I was a persistent answerer at one point, I spent hours of each day in ProZ and got high up on the lists of my combinations, maybe even top. It\'s not that I lost interest, I just suddenly didn\'t have the time. So now I still try and answer an occasional one, but I\'m no longer obsessed.
I don\'t think it makes any difference to one\'s profile. Just cos you can answer a question, or provide a translation for a single item or phrase does not mean you can produce a good quality translatiuon on time. I have more work than ever, and it\'s probably due to a number of factors, but I always refer enquirers to my Pro Z profile, which I alwys keep up-to-date and which is flexible enough to allow one to add lots of relevant info.
The obsession had a great plus side, and that was learning to investigate and follow up leads. It was definitely worth it, and when I have more time I hope to be able to spend more time on answering questions.
What i think is really useful is the forum, which I try to keep up with. Sadly the design is such that once a topic goes off the main page, it\'s pretty much lost to everyone that hasn\'t the time to wade through all the other stuff to get to it.
So when is it going to be improved, I wonder?
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| | | | Lydia Molea 
Duitsland
Local time: 07:12
Engels naar Duits
+ ...
The main reason for KudoZ is not competition! It is helping each other. Sure, the points are a nice bonus, but if someone was quicker than you, just agree (or disagree) to help the asker decide. I also deactivated the e-mails, but whenever I have time, I pop in and see if there is anything for me to answer or to agree/ disagree to. I haven\'t asked many questions on KudoZ yet, but the ones I did ask were urgent, and I am very grateful that there are colleagues out there who take the time to do t... See more The main reason for KudoZ is not competition! It is helping each other. Sure, the points are a nice bonus, but if someone was quicker than you, just agree (or disagree) to help the asker decide. I also deactivated the e-mails, but whenever I have time, I pop in and see if there is anything for me to answer or to agree/ disagree to. I haven\'t asked many questions on KudoZ yet, but the ones I did ask were urgent, and I am very grateful that there are colleagues out there who take the time to do the research and help others! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Always too late | May 4, 2002 |
For my part, when I see a question I could answer or be useful, it is always to late. I ask myself regularly how it can be possible to find so \"good\" answers within a so short time.
I am suite respectfull and admirative in front of those who win so many kudoz. Because sometimes, I have to work all night to finish a translations to respect the deadline. And some people seem to have so much time to spend on something else than working. Admirative, yes... that is how I feel.
| | | | Dave Greatrix
Verenigd Koninkrijk
Local time: 06:12
Nederlands naar Engels
+ ...
Over the last few months, I have been translating:
A report on the efforts by The Netherlands to improve professionalisation of Hungarian public libraries.
Hydraulic gearing units.
An environmental plan for a crisps factory.
A users manual for a thermal imager........
And you think KudoZ is boring?
It makes for a little light relief in our sometimes boring job.
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Werner George Patels, M.A., C.Tran.(ATIO) (X)
Local time: 01:12
Duits naar Engels
+ ...
Like when A accuses B: \"You stole my KudoZ!\"
Hilarious and enlightening! 
In a nutshull, it is a fun activity, and that\'s why it can become addictive (like gambling): \"You stole my KudoZ\" - this was uttered by a person who spends a couple of hours every day \"playing\" KudoZ, clearly showing signs of a nervous breakdown and of being an addict.
Call 1-800-NO-KUDOZ for a free broch... See more Like when A accuses B: \"You stole my KudoZ!\"
Hilarious and enlightening!
In a nutshull, it is a fun activity, and that\'s why it can become addictive (like gambling): \"You stole my KudoZ\" - this was uttered by a person who spends a couple of hours every day \"playing\" KudoZ, clearly showing signs of a nervous breakdown and of being an addict.
Call 1-800-NO-KUDOZ for a free brochure on how to lick this type of addiction.
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| | | | Jerzy Czopik
Duitsland
Local time: 07:12
Lid 2003
Pools naar Duits
+ ...
| KudoZ becomes a kind of drug... | May 4, 2002 |
I fully agree with Mats and all other, who do not think KudoZ are boring.
I startet with ProZ first in Febraury this year, only for Polish-German and German-Polish. Since that time I learned how to search and where to search to find good answers, so in this short time since then I was able to make English-German to a language pair I´m interested in and English-Polish to working language.
Answering questions made me able to think a bit different (and I´m translator since 12+... See more I fully agree with Mats and all other, who do not think KudoZ are boring.
I startet with ProZ first in Febraury this year, only for Polish-German and German-Polish. Since that time I learned how to search and where to search to find good answers, so in this short time since then I was able to make English-German to a language pair I´m interested in and English-Polish to working language.
Answering questions made me able to think a bit different (and I´m translator since 12+ years).
Boring is only, that I mostly get all emails regarding questions far too late. As my Internet connection is running the whole day, I let the ProZ page open in Internet Explorer and take a look up there regularly.
So I´m able to answer questions or to discuss with other answerer via \"agree\" and \"disagree\" buttons.
And it is a kind of sport for me to gain some KudoZ - it is a quite nice feeling to have helped somebody, because on the other hand you can hope on her/his help too - and this works realy very, very good.
Let the \"KudoZ\" be with you...
JC ▲ Collapse
| | | | Oleg Rudavin
Oekraïne
Local time: 08:12
Lid 2003
Engels naar Oekraïens
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| Why blame others for doing something? | May 4, 2002 |
I\'d understand it if the accusation (it sounds like one) was for NOT doing something; now, if the top-ranked ProZ members have time and patience and wish to answer KudoZ questions, why being irritated with it? In addition to helping others, people confirm their professionalism (not just trying to enhance their visibility.) Being a leader is not like getting a life-long title, say, of Nobel prize winner. You have to prove it over and over again.
| | | | | cooking is boring too | May 4, 2002 |
While I was a freelance working at home (pretty boring, no exchange, and also doing the wash, putting a pot on the stove for supper etc.) I found Kudoz and the other exchanges on the site very entertaining. The days when work was slack I gave myself two difficult Kudoz questions to research and answer as a sort of exercise of the mind; being terminally curious, I always or almost always ended up discovering something I did not know. Being addicted to words in most forms and shapes, and not lik... See more While I was a freelance working at home (pretty boring, no exchange, and also doing the wash, putting a pot on the stove for supper etc.) I found Kudoz and the other exchanges on the site very entertaining. The days when work was slack I gave myself two difficult Kudoz questions to research and answer as a sort of exercise of the mind; being terminally curious, I always or almost always ended up discovering something I did not know. Being addicted to words in most forms and shapes, and not liking crosswords very much, I found that Kudoz was really a Godsend.
Now I work in an office and my time is not mine to \"waste\" (or invest) in Kudoz. Yet, whenever I have to consult the site (at least once a day, I take a peak at the job offerings (competitors or good jobs coming up) and at the new questions. I may respond to some easy ones, but I certainly do not have the time to do the research I used to do.
Pity!
And, from the other side of the fence, as recruitment and professional development manager of a translation company, when I find a truly good answer, with terminological references and what not, I look up the profile.
Do you blame me?
paola
And yes cooking is boring: do you know how many breakfasts, lunches and dinners/suppers I have had to cook through my life of daughter, wife and mother? Boring as hell, let me tell you, and yet it is a crucial part of being alive and somebody\'s gotta do it.
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Erika Pavelka (X)
Local time: 01:12
Frans naar Engels
| KudoZ proof of expertise? I think not | May 4, 2002 |
Quote:
On 2002-05-04 11:32, MatsWiman wrote:
I told you: Visibility is not the point. The accumulated proof of a certain amount of expertise is.
I have to disagree with you, Mats. More KudoZ get you higher up on the list, but that\'s no guarantee of expertise. From what I see on French-English, there are lots of kids asking for homework help (which they should be doing themselves!), people try... See more Quote:
On 2002-05-04 11:32, MatsWiman wrote:
I told you: Visibility is not the point. The accumulated proof of a certain amount of expertise is.
I have to disagree with you, Mats. More KudoZ get you higher up on the list, but that\'s no guarantee of expertise. From what I see on French-English, there are lots of kids asking for homework help (which they should be doing themselves!), people trying to get entire letters, songs, etc. translated sentence by sentence and some actual relevant questions. Getting points for telling someone how to say \"I love you\" in German hardly makes a translator an \"expert\".
If you believe that the translators on ProZ with lots of KudoZ are experts, then you must also believe that those with few KudoZ aren\'t. I don\'t have many KudoZ (even though I\'ve been a ProZ member for 2 years) because I disactivated the function in the beginning. Nevertheless, I like to think I am expert in my fields and language combinations, and I hope that clients will choose my services based on my expertise and knowledge.
To me, KudoZ is a useful forum to give and receive help. The points system just makes many crazy because they\'ll do anything to get those points. That\'s sad.
My 2 cents,
Erika
[ This Message was edited by: on 2002-05-04 22:07 ] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Maya Jurt
Zwitserland
Local time: 07:12
Frans naar Duits
+ ...
| Cooking ? As creative as creating your own words! | May 4, 2002 |
Paola, that\'s a pity. I should send you some of my recipes. You\'ll transform them working with the ingredients at your disposal. When you have a son that tells you - if you serve a dish twice in two weeks - \"I already had that some days ago!\", creativity is the only way out.
Dishwashing and cleaning is what kills me.
Back to words. I fully agree with you. With all the negative sides it has, KudoZ is still very instructive. For people that cannot let ... See more Paola, that\'s a pity. I should send you some of my recipes. You\'ll transform them working with the ingredients at your disposal. When you have a son that tells you - if you serve a dish twice in two weeks - \"I already had that some days ago!\", creativity is the only way out.
Dishwashing and cleaning is what kills me.
Back to words. I fully agree with you. With all the negative sides it has, KudoZ is still very instructive. For people that cannot let a question go unanswered (in the positive sense of the word), the internet resources are just a gift from heaven.
And there is a reward: you know that you helped someone, you know that someone will be there for you when you need help. And here is a toast to one of our very discreet members, Yves Georges, who is always there for you (sometimes it takes time) but who helps you understand the most difficult technical questions, with kindness and modesty. Vive Georges! And thanks. The hall of fame should be for members like him. Because there are others. ▲ Collapse
| | | | John Kinory (X)
Local time: 06:12
Engels naar Hebreeuws
+ ...
| The mad scramble for points is, indeed, sad | May 4, 2002 |
Quote:
On 2002-05-04 22:03, epavelka wrote:
I have to disagree with you, Mats. More KudoZ get you higher up on the list, but that\'s no guarantee of expertise. From what I see on French-English, there are lots of kids asking for homework help (which they should be doing themselves!), people trying to get entire letters, songs, etc. translated sentence by sentence and some actual relevant questions. Getting points for telling someon
... See more Quote:
On 2002-05-04 22:03, epavelka wrote:
I have to disagree with you, Mats. More KudoZ get you higher up on the list, but that\'s no guarantee of expertise. From what I see on French-English, there are lots of kids asking for homework help (which they should be doing themselves!), people trying to get entire letters, songs, etc. translated sentence by sentence and some actual relevant questions. Getting points for telling someone how to say \"I love you\" in German hardly makes a translator an \"expert\".
{snip}
To me, KudoZ is a useful forum to give and receive help. The points system just makes many crazy because they\'ll do anything to get those points. That\'s sad.
I agree. The same happens in German-to-English. And we haven\'t even touched on the fact that many, many of the answers chosen, those that end up in the glossary, are completely wrong! We know the reasons: people (often non-native speakers) answering in too much of a hurry - those who seem to spend 24/7 online and always answer within a minute or two; then we get those askers who see a reply popping up within a couple of minutes, are impressed by this show of \'erudition\' and choose that first answer with little regard for its quality; and so on.
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| | | | Mats Wiman
Zweden
Local time: 07:12
Lid 2000
Duits naar Zweeds
+ ...
In memoriam | KudoZ is just an indicator, not a guarantee | May 5, 2002 |
Dear Erika,
\"guarantee of expertise\"
Nobody ever said or meant that. NOTHING constitutes a guarantee in the world of translation - one of the more typical ones is having a certificate. The only \'guarantee\' is to test a translator and see if there is something ressembling a guarantee.
How do I find people with expertise? ONE way (with caution) is to look up your language pair in the PRO section, the appropriate field (tech/eng, medical etc.) and test o... See more Dear Erika,
\"guarantee of expertise\"
Nobody ever said or meant that. NOTHING constitutes a guarantee in the world of translation - one of the more typical ones is having a certificate. The only \'guarantee\' is to test a translator and see if there is something ressembling a guarantee.
How do I find people with expertise? ONE way (with caution) is to look up your language pair in the PRO section, the appropriate field (tech/eng, medical etc.) and test one of the top ones.
How do you think Sven and I got much more work?
\"If you believe that the translators on ProZ with lots of KudoZ are experts, then you must also believe that those with few KudoZ aren\'t.\"
No-one contends that top KudoZ earners are experts. They only have a higher PROBABILITY of being one. In the translation world of uncertainty on the Internet, it\'s all about reducing uncertainty. Aids are:
Profile page data (references, certificates and the like)
Profile page quality and style
KudoZ
Does the person in question show interest in linguistic and translation world matters?
Does s/he prove sense? (Customers watch us all!)
As usual, if something is true:
\"KudoZ proves a certain amount of expertise\" (my phrase) the opposite is by no means true. I know of a number of translators that aren\'t even members of ProZ, let alone KudoZ participants.
Finally: If you check the profiles I am convinced you won\'t find many where \'easy\' points constitute the major portion (many \'easy\' questions aren\'r easy either)
Best regards
Mats Wiman
[ This Message was edited by: on 2002-05-05 05:37 ]
[ This Message was edited by: on 2002-05-05 05:40 ] ▲ Collapse
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| Reality does not count, perception does! | May 5, 2002 |
Dear Erika,
People’s actions are not guided by reality, but by their perception of reality.
As long as a large number of purchasers consider a high KudoZ score to be indicative of expertise and a valid reason for offering the holder of the high score well paid jobs it is economically worth while to maintain a high KudoZ score.
Reality does not count, perception does!
Sven.
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Dear Werner,
Please try to avoid using this Forum for your vile personal attacks!
Don’t bother about sending your insults to me by email! Any email from you will be deleted automatically.
Thanking you in advance for your anticipated cooperation.
Sven.
| | | | Ralf Lemster
Duitsland
Local time: 07:12
Engels naar Duits
+ ...
Sven, maybe I\'m missing something here... but where\'s the \"vile personal attack\" you\'re referring to?
Relax... have a nice Sunday.
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