| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3 4] > | Would you bother answering if the points system were abolished? Thread poster: Anne-Marie Grant (X)
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Jerzy Czopik 
Germany
Local time: 13:32
Member (2003)
Polish to German
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| Declining number of questions, if not for points? | Jun 25, 2009 |
Eva Straus wrote:
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I don’t believe it would have killed KudoZ if points were abolished. Though it’s likely we would see a steep decline in the number of (too) easy questions; they don’t present much of a challenge (and translators love a good challenge!), so I suppose a lot of people wouldn’t be motivated to answer them if it wasn’t for some form of recognition/reward.
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Sorry, but that's what I doubt very much. ProZ has already a name in the industry. And there were times, when external sites linked to KudoZ as "free human translation". That was and is a very misleading formulation. But I'm afraid, if we change the system and abolish points, people will even more think, that it is "free human translation". And I'm certainly not willing to provide "free human translation" to people who don't deserve that.
| | | | Eva Straus
Slovenia
Local time: 13:32
Member (2007)
English to Slovenian
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SITE LOCALIZER | for-points human translation sure beats free human translation :) | Jun 25, 2009 |
Jerzy Czopik wrote:
And there were times, when external sites linked to KudoZ as "free human translation". That was and is a very misleading formulation. But I'm afraid, if we change the system and abolish points, people will even more think, that it is "free human translation".
Didn't know that! I see your point. I guess KudoZ points do serve some useful purpose, it's just that the system could use some tweaking.
I'll just stick to the original question then. Yes, I would still bother answering KudoZ if points were abolished. Perhaps just a bit less often.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 13:32
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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Narcis Lozano Drago wrote:
IMHO, most problems with lack of quality in Kudoz answers chosen and the Proz glossaries can be traced down to askers that are poor translators. I am pretty sure that if translators had to pay Kudoz points for each question they ask, those askers (and also people abusing the system) would almost completely disappear, and Kudoz would be more like the peer-professional-translator-help-system-for-the-common-good that is supposed to be.
That, or maybe we should actually start asking for money for good answers. Why not? After all, good answerers are providing a service (especially when those answers are done in a professional manner), and deserve to be rewarded. If they don't get points (which translate into visibility in the member's list), then maybe they should be paid by the askers, who are obviously benefiting from these answers. Aren't you willing to pay for the advice of a lawyer or a doctor? Why not for that of a professional translator (especially when, as is the case of many askers, you are not one of them)? That way some people may think it twice and do their homework before posting some questions that show, if not lack of professionalism, at least sheer laziness.
Narcis
Knowing what kind of *unhealthy* things are sometimes happening on KudoZ because of the 4 points, I'm scared to even picture the things that would occur because of $ 4, for example.
I'm fully aware that there must be a motivator that will motivate people to participate ( other than sheer altruism). I'm not even against the points system. However, the points ( or money rewards, or any kind of rewarding) ought to be structured and designed in a way that will not:
1. create tension, hostility or abuse
2. affect/ ruin the accuracy of the selected terms
As long as these two conditions are met, I'm perfectly fine with whatever rewards you may choose: coins, pears, apples, points or anything.
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Anne-Marie Grant (X)
Local time: 12:32
French to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Thank you Eva Straus | Jun 25, 2009 |
You said everything I have been thinking.
[Edited at 2009-06-25 12:31 GMT]
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I started answering Kudoz in 2003 and would continue to do so if points stopped being awarded.
Although I love helping colleagues and non-translator askers, my primary reason to look up and answer questions is the challenge. To me, Kudoz and Sudoku are just as relaxing as any other puzzle. I do it for fun, not for the points.
I agree that the quality of some questions is a deterrent, though.
Happy translating, dear friends!
P.S.: I answer pro q... See more I started answering Kudoz in 2003 and would continue to do so if points stopped being awarded.
Although I love helping colleagues and non-translator askers, my primary reason to look up and answer questions is the challenge. To me, Kudoz and Sudoku are just as relaxing as any other puzzle. I do it for fun, not for the points.
I agree that the quality of some questions is a deterrent, though.
Happy translating, dear friends!
P.S.: I answer pro questions only. As my daughters would put it, "I play at the expert level"
[Edited at 2009-06-25 13:16 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | For money? No, thank you! | Jun 25, 2009 |
hazmatgerman wrote:
Some time ago a proposal was made for making the system commercial with the asker paying - that would be a great incentive to help those in need and skip those who might profit from a decent dic.
Hm... Well, Kudoz points are a satisfaction and also helps me receiving more enquiries via Proz, but doing this for money? No, thank you. It would create a very bad climate in so many questions, as we would be competing against each other for our families' daily bread and that is a very serious matter.
Let's keep money out of Kudoz; let's do it just for fun and a little bit of recognition via the points!
OK, Kudoz is not perfect. We can't expect it to be: it was made by humans and is fed by humans... and we humans are far from being perfect!
| | | | Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 05:32
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
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| Usefulness rate | Jun 25, 2009 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote: hazmatgerman wrote:
Some time ago a proposal was made for making the system commercial with the asker paying - that would be a great incentive to help those in need and skip those who might profit from a decent dic. Hm... Well, Kudoz points are a satisfaction and also helps me receiving more enquiries via Proz, but doing this for money? No, thank you. It would create a very bad climate in so many questions, as we would be competing against each other for our families' daily bread and that is a very serious matter. Let's keep money out of Kudoz; let's do it just for fun and a little bit of recognition via the points! OK, Kudoz is not perfect. We can't expect it to be: it was made by humans and is fed by humans... and we humans are far from being perfect!
I agree. As a matter of fact, I think your opinion here complements our support to the usefulness rate function proposed by you in the other thread.
Nice day!
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Duncan Dos S (X)
Local time: 13:32
| After all.....it´s business | Jun 25, 2009 |
Narcis Drago wrote:
IMHO, most problems with lack of quality in Kudoz answers chosen and the Proz glossaries can be traced down to askers that are poor translators. I am pretty sure that if translators had to pay Kudoz points for each question they ask, those askers (and also people abusing the system) would almost completely disappear, and Kudoz would be more like the peer-professional-translator-help-system-for-the-common-good that is supposed to be.
That, or m... See more Narcis Drago wrote:
IMHO, most problems with lack of quality in Kudoz answers chosen and the Proz glossaries can be traced down to askers that are poor translators. I am pretty sure that if translators had to pay Kudoz points for each question they ask, those askers (and also people abusing the system) would almost completely disappear, and Kudoz would be more like the peer-professional-translator-help-system-for-the-common-good that is supposed to be.
That, or maybe we should actually start asking for money for good answers. Why not? After all, good answerers are providing a service (especially when those answers are done in a professional manner), and deserve to be rewarded. If they don't get points (which translate into visibility in the member's list), then maybe they should be paid by the askers, who are obviously benefiting from these answers. Aren't you willing to pay for the advice of a lawyer or a doctor? Why not for that of a professional translator (especially when, as is the case of many askers, you are not one of them)? That way some people may think it twice and do their homework before posting some questions that show, if not lack of professionalism, at least sheer laziness.
Narcis
I greatly agree. We are primarily here for business purposes. But i wouldn´t bother to help those members to whom i had close work relationshps.
Duncan Dos Santos ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tony Keily
Local time: 13:32
Italian to English
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| I'd start to answer | Jun 25, 2009 |
I'd START to answer. I generally don't because of the essential flaws in the points system. My only motivation is to help other translators.
| | | | Nicole Schnell
United States
Local time: 04:32
English to German
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In memoriam | A question for Tony | Jun 25, 2009 |
Tony Keily wrote:
I'd START to answer. I generally don't because of the essential flaws in the points system. My only motivation is to help other translators.
To know the essential flaws in a system you need to know it inside out. Soooo, how come...?
| | | | | Evil points system | Jun 25, 2009 |
Tony Keily wrote:
I'd START to answer. I generally don't because of the essential flaws in the points system. My only motivation is to help other translators.
Indeed the points system is an evil thing if it completely deprives you from the pleasure of helping others.
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| paying with kudoz points | Jun 25, 2009 |
Lingua 5B wrote:
Knowing what kind of *unhealthy* things are sometimes happening on KudoZ because of the 4 points, I'm scared to even picture the things that would occur because of $ 4, for example.
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
Hm... Well, Kudoz points are a satisfaction and also helps me receiving more enquiries via Proz, but doing this for money? No, thank you.
I believe that when Narcis talked about people having to "pay" to ask, he was not talking about paying with money, but with their own KudoZ points (points would be subtracted when you ask a question).
I find it a very good idea.
[Edited at 2009-06-25 14:39 GMT]
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Andreas Nieckele wrote:
I believe that when Narcis talked about people having to "pay" to ask, he was not talking about paying with money, but with their own KudoZ points (points would be subtracted when you ask a question).
I find it a very good idea.
Oh I see! Sorry folks. I don't think it is a good idea either, as Kudoz points are consideresd in the directory searches. As spending them in questions would lower your chances of getting customer contacts, nobody would ask anything... therefore there would be no questions... therefore no new points.
| | | | hazmatgerman (X)
Local time: 13:32
English to German
| @Cano Binder | Jun 25, 2009 |
You're right about potential for bad vibes from money, but how about another "currency"? Perhaps asking questions only if one has answered some before? However, the site needs to be kept running, and that does require money in the end. So that can be an argument for stating it openly; especially as points for some users in this thread do seem to have commercial value eventually. Regards.
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