Comments on: Facebook Turns 1,500 Users Into Spanish Translation Slaves http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/ Startup and Tech News Tue, 13 May 2008 10:03:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Leo’s Top Five | Whooah.biz http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2157881 Leo’s Top Five | Whooah.biz Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:27:04 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2157881 [...] http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/ [...] […] http://www.techcrunch.com/2008.....on-slaves/ […]

]]> By: Business News Research » Facebook Gets Aggressive On Translations, Adding 22 More Languages http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2068878 Business News Research » Facebook Gets Aggressive On Translations, Adding 22 More Languages Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:52:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2068878 [...] isn’t just messing around with a few European language translations any more. They’re using their new user-powered translation engine to [...] […] isn’t just messing around with a few European language translations any more. They’re using their new user-powered translation engine to […]

]]> By: Facebook Gets Aggressive On Translations, Adding 22 More Languages http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2067746 Facebook Gets Aggressive On Translations, Adding 22 More Languages Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:59:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2067746 [...] isn’t just messing around with a few European language translations any more. They’re using their new user-powered translation engine to [...] […] isn’t just messing around with a few European language translations any more. They’re using their new user-powered translation engine to […]

]]> By: Madrid Spain » Blog Archive » Facebook Turns 1500 Users Into Spanish Translation Slaves http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2039191 Madrid Spain » Blog Archive » Facebook Turns 1500 Users Into Spanish Translation Slaves Sat, 15 Mar 2008 10:42:59 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-2039191 [...] Prozium wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptFacebook has 2.8 million active users in Latin America and Spain. Today Facebook opened up the Spanish version of the site. If you visit Facebook from a Spanish-prevalent country starting next week, the default language will be auto set … [...] […] Prozium wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptFacebook has 2.8 million active users in Latin America and Spain. Today Facebook opened up the Spanish version of the site. If you visit Facebook from a Spanish-prevalent country starting next week, the default language will be auto set … […]

]]> By: mojbiznes.pl http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1985643 mojbiznes.pl Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:00:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1985643 <strong>Facebook Turns 1,500 Users Into Spanish Translation Slaves...</strong> ...czyli o tym jak za darmo przetłumaczyć swój biznes na inny język... Facebook Turns 1,500 Users Into Spanish Translation Slaves…

…czyli o tym jak za darmo przetłumaczyć swój biznes na inny język…

]]> By: BritishYosef http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1982564 BritishYosef Sun, 10 Feb 2008 09:43:16 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1982564 This might explain a glitch giving me a spanish log in page for facebook mobile in Israel yesterday. This might explain a glitch giving me a spanish log in page for facebook mobile in Israel yesterday.

]]> By: Furies http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981925 Furies Sat, 09 Feb 2008 17:00:29 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981925 Great...I clear my cache and cookies every day after I quit Firefox, so every time I visit the site I have to see it in spanish? WHAT THE HELL FACEBOOK.... Great…I clear my cache and cookies every day after I quit Firefox, so every time I visit the site I have to see it in spanish? WHAT THE HELL FACEBOOK….

]]> By: Nir Levin http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981357 Nir Levin Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:49:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981357 Innovative? Not really, Wikipedia, Meebo, Netvibes and Snap.com did it long time ago. Innovative? Not really, Wikipedia, Meebo, Netvibes and Snap.com did it long time ago.

]]> By: leo http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981324 leo Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:20:33 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981324 Hi Michael, just thought I would let you know that this post my made my top five posts over at: http://www.workconnexions.com/blog/Leo/LeosTopFive.aspx Great stuff.. :-) Hi Michael, just thought I would let you know that this post my made my top five posts over at: http://www.workconnexions.com/.....pFive.aspx

Great stuff.. :-)

]]> By: MikeT http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981208 MikeT Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:09:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981208 sorry my message was to randy sorry my message was to randy

]]> By: MikeT http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981206 MikeT Fri, 08 Feb 2008 20:08:19 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981206 @34: nobody holds the social networking addictees with a certain network. People are naturally interested in each other - from the times we walk on this planet till this day. The fact that 1500 people put in their time and efforts to translate for free a web site into their own language does not make them losers. They did it voluntarily, which does not conform to the definition of slavery. Yes, FB is a commercial beast now, yes it will make money using those people's work and it is not obliged to share any of its profits with them. Were the 1500 exploited? Some will say they were, some will say they were not, but it was their choice, so let them decide how to feel about it. @34: nobody holds the social networking addictees with a certain network.
People are naturally interested in each other - from the times we walk on this planet till this day.
The fact that 1500 people put in their time and efforts to translate for free a web site into their own language does not make them losers. They did it voluntarily, which does not conform to the definition of slavery.
Yes, FB is a commercial beast now, yes it will make money using those people’s work and it is not obliged to share any of its profits with them.
Were the 1500 exploited? Some will say they were, some will say they were not, but it was their choice, so let them decide how to feel about it.

]]> By: randy http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981162 randy Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:21:28 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981162 COME ON, people. Social Networking = SLAVERY. Not just because it's now overrun by marketing thugs, but essentially because it is a form of ubiquitous computing, and ubiquitous computer turns REAL UGLY, REAL FAST when it is programmed with needy instincts. Thank god finally somebody with a popular blog has posted about this. The other day I read about the plant that uses RFID to beep you when it needs water. Oh MY GOD, don't you people realize what is happening here? BEEP! Patrick has upgraded his Hotwire account! BEEP! Stacy pinched you! BEEP! 13 new photos were uploaded by Herb. BEEP! Stacy pinched you! BEEP! Bob Parker wishes Yoa Lin a happy Birthday! BEEP! Stacy pinched Jesse! BEEP! BEEP! COME ON, people. Social Networking = SLAVERY. Not just because it’s now overrun by marketing thugs, but essentially because it is a form of ubiquitous computing, and ubiquitous computer turns REAL UGLY, REAL FAST when it is programmed with needy instincts.

Thank god finally somebody with a popular blog has posted about this.

The other day I read about the plant that uses RFID to beep you when it needs water. Oh MY GOD, don’t you people realize what is happening here?

BEEP! Patrick has upgraded his Hotwire account!
BEEP! Stacy pinched you!
BEEP! 13 new photos were uploaded by Herb.
BEEP! Stacy pinched you!
BEEP! Bob Parker wishes Yoa Lin a happy Birthday!
BEEP! Stacy pinched Jesse!
BEEP!
BEEP!

]]> By: Ambrosius Amadeus http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981112 Ambrosius Amadeus Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:28:05 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981112 Several years ago, when IBM was faced with updating a massive customer database, they took a similar approach by having their global sales reps update data pertaining to their clients. The end result was a highly accurate database that was reconstructed in record time. When you have a community of people working together to create or rebuild data you get better data. This is why Wikipedia is successful. And getting community members to participate at no cost... all the better for any company's bottom line. Several years ago, when IBM was faced with updating a massive customer database, they took a similar approach by having their global sales reps update data pertaining to their clients. The end result was a highly accurate database that was reconstructed in record time.

When you have a community of people working together to create or rebuild data you get better data. This is why Wikipedia is successful. And getting community members to participate at no cost… all the better for any company’s bottom line.

]]> By: rubu http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981020 rubu Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:47:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1981020 http://vanguardetf.net/ Una exelnte noticia para inmenzo mundo de habla castellana. Equal information for all most of the world is all out bilingual http://vanguardetf.net/ Una exelnte noticia para inmenzo mundo de habla castellana. Equal information for all most of the world is all out bilingual

]]> By: SEO tips http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980969 SEO tips Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:00:37 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980969 Good information in social networking perspective. Its like localizing globally. I hope the guys can help Wikipedia also.. Good information in social networking perspective. Its like localizing globally. I hope the guys can help Wikipedia also..

]]> By: vozome http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980912 vozome Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:57:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980912 linguist, I agree with you. I've checked the Facebook-> French translation process, which is similar. I have been impressed by the quality of the tools deployed. they run all kind of tests on your submitted translation, for instance, to check if punctuation is kosher, if you are using the right terms from the glossary, etc. and the validation system of the phrases is also quite powerful. Yet, the overall quality of the translation is poor. why? people don't bother to use the {=syntax} suggested by facebook. the incentive is really to do as many phrases as possible, as opposed to do them as well as possible. speaking of incentive, i guess that pro translators that can claim a spot in the translation leaderboard (yes, just like in kongregate...) gain more than bragging rights. to get contracts, they need to be able to showcase their achievements... linguist, I agree with you.
I’ve checked the Facebook-> French translation process, which is similar. I have been impressed by the quality of the tools deployed. they run all kind of tests on your submitted translation, for instance, to check if punctuation is kosher, if you are using the right terms from the glossary, etc. and the validation system of the phrases is also quite powerful.
Yet, the overall quality of the translation is poor. why? people don’t bother to use the {=syntax} suggested by facebook. the incentive is really to do as many phrases as possible, as opposed to do them as well as possible.
speaking of incentive, i guess that pro translators that can claim a spot in the translation leaderboard (yes, just like in kongregate…) gain more than bragging rights. to get contracts, they need to be able to showcase their achievements…

]]> By: Niraj http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980895 Niraj Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:40:16 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980895 As Ben (#2) mentioned, there's more to expanding internationally than just translations. In particular, what about support? Their site may be in Spanish, but can they answer Spanish support questions? And can they add features that would make sense to those specific regions but maybe not the US? Myspace's approach seems to make more sense. As Ben (#2) mentioned, there’s more to expanding internationally than just translations. In particular, what about support? Their site may be in Spanish, but can they answer Spanish support questions? And can they add features that would make sense to those specific regions but maybe not the US?

Myspace’s approach seems to make more sense.

]]> By: Pietro http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980883 Pietro Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:29:37 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980883 Hi guys, we at FON are hosting a Facebook Developers Garage in Madrid. Facebook will present the translation project and the opportunities for developers wishing to create FB applications in Spanish. Developers will demo their apps. All the details on Martin Varsavsky's blog. http://english.martinvarsavsky.net/general/facebook-launches-in-spanish-french-and-german.html Hi guys, we at FON are hosting a Facebook Developers Garage in Madrid. Facebook will present the translation project and the opportunities for developers wishing to create FB applications in Spanish. Developers will demo their apps. All the details on Martin Varsavsky’s blog.

http://english.martinvarsavsky.....erman.html

]]> By: John http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980846 John Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:39:03 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980846 I'd like to see these loyal facebook users be compensated....not sure how much, maybe even a draw for some prizes or something...instead they'll just get more ads (in spanish or some other language) in their news stream! I’d like to see these loyal facebook users be compensated….not sure how much, maybe even a draw for some prizes or something…instead they’ll just get more ads (in spanish or some other language) in their news stream!

]]> By: Linguist http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980837 Linguist Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:35:00 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980837 'Too many cooks spoil the broth' may be a cliché, but 'crowd-sourced' localisation attempts are often disastrous. I don't know Spanish, but look at the Tamil version of Orkut, Wordpress, and Microsoft's now-defunct BhashaIndia.com glossary project. Techies and people who've no clue about translation or software/web interfact localisation take charge and completely mess it up. ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ may be a cliché, but ‘crowd-sourced’ localisation attempts are often disastrous. I don’t know Spanish, but look at the Tamil version of Orkut, Wordpress, and Microsoft’s now-defunct BhashaIndia.com glossary project. Techies and people who’ve no clue about translation or software/web interfact localisation take charge and completely mess it up.

]]> By: CanCar http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980833 CanCar Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:33:28 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980833 I think since they have managed to get users to work like this, they should create local translations for latins… some users will be happy to do this, and then have a final QA run by an expert. I think since they have managed to get users to work like this, they should create local translations for latins… some users will be happy to do this, and then have a final QA run by an expert.

]]> By: Helen Clark http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980800 Helen Clark Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:54:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980800 This post just shows how fucking ignorant Michael Arrington is. By the way I love your site...keep up the good work. This post just shows how fucking ignorant Michael Arrington is. By the way I love your site…keep up the good work.

]]> By: Rodney Rumford http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980729 Rodney Rumford Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:42:59 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980729 Classic example of crowdsourcing. Facebook has got serious game. Innovative thinking for sure. I love it. Did you know that application translation is also coming very soon! http://facereviews.com/2008/02/07/facebook-applications-in-multiple-languages-coming-soon/ Classic example of crowdsourcing. Facebook has got serious game. Innovative thinking for sure. I love it.

Did you know that application translation is also coming very soon!

http://facereviews.com/2008/02.....ming-soon/

]]> By: Rodrigo Asensio http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980673 Rodrigo Asensio Fri, 08 Feb 2008 10:44:52 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980673 Slaves ??? horrible post, they are willing to do it. Slaves ??? horrible post, they are willing to do it.

]]> By: JP http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980623 JP Fri, 08 Feb 2008 09:47:55 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/02/07/facebook-turns-1500-users-into-spanish-translation-slaves/#comment-1980623 Well innovative approach yes, but this way of translating a website was already used 2 years ago by http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/11/21/cucumis-a-small-free-translation-community/ and 5 years ago by http://www.pepere.org/ Well innovative approach yes, but this way of translating a website was already used 2 years ago by

http://www.techcrunch.com/2006.....community/

and 5 years ago by http://www.pepere.org/

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