| Pages in topic: [1 2 3 4 5] > | What would your dream translators' website provide? Thread poster: XXXphxxx (X)
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XXXphxxx (X) 
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Portuguese to English
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Simple question. Nothing to add (at this stage).
[Edited at 2012-05-18 16:16 GMT]
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Hebrew to English
| Tough Question | May 18, 2012 |
I think everyone's going to have their own opinion on this one. I'm a sucker for visuals, so my dream translator's website would provide a visual feast - graphics, flashing things, animations - but I realise these aren't everybody's cup of tea and some people see them as unprofessional and positively loathe them.
**This answer could apply to both interpretations of the question - I've often said that the ProZ colour scheme really needs to be a bit more...appealing at the very least.... See more I think everyone's going to have their own opinion on this one. I'm a sucker for visuals, so my dream translator's website would provide a visual feast - graphics, flashing things, animations - but I realise these aren't everybody's cup of tea and some people see them as unprofessional and positively loathe them.
**This answer could apply to both interpretations of the question - I've often said that the ProZ colour scheme really needs to be a bit more...appealing at the very least.
[Edited at 2012-05-18 14:28 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Portuguese to English
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TOPIC STARTER | It's everyone's opportunity to dream/vent | May 18, 2012 |
So many disgruntled comments, here's the opportunity for constructive comments/solutions.
| | | | Liliana Alves
Portugal
Local time: 03:01
Portuguese to English
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| Contextualize | May 18, 2012 |
Mainly, it should include a network of translators who understand the difference between the literal meaning of each translated word , and the context of it in a sentence/conversation.
It is important to contextualize. I realized that there are many translators across the web (including ProZ.com) who do not contextualize - they just translate the word by its individual meaning, and people accept their suggestions,mainly because of their status on the site.
... See more Mainly, it should include a network of translators who understand the difference between the literal meaning of each translated word , and the context of it in a sentence/conversation.
It is important to contextualize. I realized that there are many translators across the web (including ProZ.com) who do not contextualize - they just translate the word by its individual meaning, and people accept their suggestions,mainly because of their status on the site.
That is totally wrong, and it may mislead those who are seeking for help.
[Edited at 2012-05-18 14:11 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Hebrew to English
A little less "openness" and a bit more exclusivity. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes think an open door policy is a good thing, but ProZ seems to have taken it to the extreme, there's not even a door. Just hinges where a door used to be.
| | | | | clarification? | May 18, 2012 |
Do you mean a website for one translator - the shop window/business card/online presence thing? Or a portal/forum website for translotors (plural)? 
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Hebrew to English
| I think she means.... | May 18, 2012 |
Charlie Bavington wrote:
Do you mean a website for one translator - the shop window/business card/online presence thing? Or a portal/forum website for translotors (plural)?
A website for translators....like ProZ....only bett...different
| | | | Phil Hand
China
Local time: 11:01
Chinese to English
| Community first | May 18, 2012 |
Agreeing with both Ty and Liliana: the most important thing is the community. For that you need:
(a) Well-moderated forums
I actually think that Proz does this well. I know sometimes people feel like they've been clobbered by a mod, but it really is a necessary price (in my experience, given what can happen when the moderation is too light). The policy of no comments on outsourcers is an excellent one. And generally there are enough friendly and helpful people (hi, Sheila!) to... See more Agreeing with both Ty and Liliana: the most important thing is the community. For that you need:
(a) Well-moderated forums
I actually think that Proz does this well. I know sometimes people feel like they've been clobbered by a mod, but it really is a necessary price (in my experience, given what can happen when the moderation is too light). The policy of no comments on outsourcers is an excellent one. And generally there are enough friendly and helpful people (hi, Sheila!) to outweigh the grumps (ahem).
(b) Interesting content
This is where Proz falls down a bit. I think because it's job oriented, and the front page is all jobs. The content is there, in the form of the news channel and the Proz articles, but it's not highlighted, and it doesn't spark that much conversation. So I'd have more prominent content & news feeds, regular links to trade papers and journals, more solicited input from agencies, etc.
If you can do that, and create a place where engaged and professional people gather, then the jobs will follow automatically. I haven't thought of exactly how they should be triaged yet... will come back when I have more ideas.
edited for typo
[Edited at 2012-05-18 15:05 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Ty Kendall wrote:
Charlie Bavington wrote:
Do you mean a website for one translator - the shop window/business card/online presence thing? Or a portal/forum website for translotors (plural)?
A website for translators....like ProZ....only bett...different
I had a feeling that could have been it, but the apostrophe position made me wonder...
I'm aware of a few rival sites, and for all its faults, Proz is by far the best one I've seen/used in terms of the user interface. I know of at least three others that have effectively failed by not gaining critical mass (altho I think one of those is soldiering bravely on, and good luck to them), and 2 others that are fairly moribund. So fast-moving user content, essentially, is vital.
Come to think of it, the section it's in was probably a major clue I missed!
[Edited at 2012-05-18 14:54 GMT]
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 19:01
English to German
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In memoriam | It will glow in the dark | May 18, 2012 |
And at night it will whisper into any CEO's ears: "She's the one. She's the one. The chosen one." My dream website will also emit pheromones, the kind that gets your victims totally hooked on you. The website will also send subliminal messages: "There is no such thing as cents. There is no such thing as cents. Each word shall be paid in dollars. Dollars, not cents. There is no such thing as cents."
| | | | | I think Nicole's on the right track | May 18, 2012 |
My ideal site would do the same, as well as doing my admin work and providing a regular supply of chai lattes.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 04:01
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| My dream translator's web site | May 18, 2012 |
Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:
What would your dream translator's website provide?
My dream translator's web site is one that:
* brings me customers
* raises my stature in the industry
* has room for lots of files
* has a simple yet efficient control panel
* has user-friendly hosting and registrar support
I'm quite happy with my current translator's web site... except that it has very little room.
Now it's your turn... what would *your* dream translator's web site provide?
Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:
So many disgruntled comments, here's the opportunity for constructive comments/solutions.
I don't recall threads here with translators complaining about their (or other translators') web sites. Can you give us a few URLs so that we can see what you're talking about?
[Edited at 2012-05-18 16:11 GMT]
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XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | You're right Charlie | May 18, 2012 |
Charlie Bavington wrote:
Do you mean a website for one translator - the shop window/business card/online presence thing? Or a portal/forum website for translotors (plural)?
I mean a portal for translators. Typing too quickly and not thinking.
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Inclined to agree | May 18, 2012 |
Ty Kendall wrote:
A little less "openness" and a bit more exclusivity. Don't get me wrong, I sometimes think an open door policy is a good thing, but ProZ seems to have taken it to the extreme, there's not even a door. Just hinges where a door used to be.
Not sure what benefit an open door policy provides apart from site traffic.
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 03:01
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Sorry Samuel, slip of an apostrophe | May 18, 2012 |
Samuel Murray wrote:
I don't recall threads here with translators complaining about their (or other translators') web sites. Can you give us a few URLs so that we can see what you're talking about?
[Edited at 2012-05-18 16:11 GMT]
I meant translators' websites like ProZ, not translators' personal websites used for marketing purposes/a shop window.
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