Pages in topic:   [1 2] >
Would you use a "Not sure" tag (or similar) when you aren't able to help with a particular question?
Thread poster: Henry Dotterer
Henry Dotterer
Henry Dotterer
Local time: 18:26
SITE FOUNDER
Jan 22, 2020

Hi folks,

As you know, communities have developed around the various language pairs and specialty areas of KudoZ. We know that sometimes a person who has asked a question, after some time has passed, may wonder whether or not a certain other person has had an opportunity to visit the question. This gives me an idea. If there were a "like button"-type button that says something like "I don't know that term", or "I'm not sure how to translate that", or "Beats me", or "?", or whatever,
... See more
Hi folks,

As you know, communities have developed around the various language pairs and specialty areas of KudoZ. We know that sometimes a person who has asked a question, after some time has passed, may wonder whether or not a certain other person has had an opportunity to visit the question. This gives me an idea. If there were a "like button"-type button that says something like "I don't know that term", or "I'm not sure how to translate that", or "Beats me", or "?", or whatever, would you use it?

In other words, would it be useful to know that Amir, and Dan, and Geneve, and so-and-so, have all visited the page and don't immediately know the term?

Related, would there be value in an "I'm working on it" button?

Henry
Collapse


 
Elke Fehling
Elke Fehling  Identity Verified
Local time: 23:26
Member (2005)
English to German
+ ...
No Jan 22, 2020

No. I would get an alert that someone reacted, only to find out that he or she doesn't know either.

No thank you. It doesn't help me to see that others don't know, either.


Thomas T. Frost
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Katalin Horváth McClure
texjax DDS PhD
MollyRose
Erik Freitag
Tina Vonhof (X)
 
Ali Sharifi
Ali Sharifi  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 18:26
English to Persian (Farsi)
+ ...
The way it is now is the same Jan 22, 2020

It happens that the term is not in my specialty, and I do not answer it.
There is no need to add more buttons.
What is really needed is a warning not to copy previously answered questions as it is like plagiarism.


Yolanda Broad
MollyRose
Zibow Retailleau
Josephine Cassar
Laura Kingdon
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 22:26
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No Jan 22, 2020

But what about an alert to the asker: «Have you looked up in the glossary if your question hasn't been answered before?”. I don’t know how many times I have seen the same questions being asked over and over, occasionally by the same asker…

Yolanda Broad
David Lin
Maria Pia Giuseppina Nuzzolese
Alison Jenner
Barbara Carrara
ahartje
Yvonne Gallagher
 
David Lin
David Lin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:26
Member (2013)
English to Chinese
+ ...

MODERATOR
It's a "Yes" and "No" for me. Jan 22, 2020

It's a "No" for Askers to know who can't give an answer because it is just not helpful to my immediate job. All I need is possible answers quick and correct.

It's a "Yes" for "Working on it" because as an Asker, to know who is "working on it" and how many are working on my question will help me plan ahead to complete my translation job. As every translator knows, running into difficulties will delay the delivery time. Knowing how many ProZers are working on my question will be helpf
... See more
It's a "No" for Askers to know who can't give an answer because it is just not helpful to my immediate job. All I need is possible answers quick and correct.

It's a "Yes" for "Working on it" because as an Asker, to know who is "working on it" and how many are working on my question will help me plan ahead to complete my translation job. As every translator knows, running into difficulties will delay the delivery time. Knowing how many ProZers are working on my question will be helpful for my planning.

Related also, I as an Answerer, would be interested in knowing why the Asker chose my answer but gave me only 2 or 3 points. Not that I want the full marks of 4 but just feedback about why my answer does not meet fully what is needed (e.g. due to context, choice of words, lack of understanding and style perhaps).

I suggest a drop-down list for the Asker to tick the reason for those that are less than 4 points will help me (hopefully others too) improve and strengthen my ability to helping others in the future.

In addition, I'd be interested if after the Asker closed the question by citing "Found answer from other sources", he/she can also announce the answer found and used. The present format does not have this and make me feel like something is missing after I worked hard to suggest an answer.

Knowing the Asker's self-found answer will also help answerers, as well as readers, to improve learning to translate in the KudoZ process.

Hope this helps.

David
Collapse


 
Michele Fauble
Michele Fauble  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 15:26
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
Answer found elsewhere Jan 23, 2020

David Lin wrote:

In addition, I'd be interested if after the Asker closed the question by citing "Found answer from other sources", he/she can also announce the answer found and used


When an asker closes a question because “answer found elsewhere”, there should be an automatic request to provide the answer found for the benefit of future askers and as a courtesy to those who have taken the time and made the effort to help the asker.


Philip Lees
Wilsonn Perez Reyes
Alison Jenner
Barbara Carrara
Christel Zipfel
neilmac
ahartje
 
Maria Pia Giuseppina Nuzzolese
Maria Pia Giuseppina Nuzzolese  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 23:26
English to Italian
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Visitor count Jan 23, 2020

What about a visitor count? This might be visible only to the asker, or better to everybody. Personally I only open questions I might be able to answer, and if that's not the case, I simply leave the page, so my visit equals to a "Not sure" tag.

Yolanda Broad
Platary (X)
Katalin Horváth McClure
Laura Kingdon
 
Barbara Carrara
Barbara Carrara  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 23:26
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
Other things that need to be fixed Jan 23, 2020

Hi, Henry

As others have mentioned in reply to your latest messages, I personally don't see the need to keep updating stuff that doesn't really need updating, esthetically or otherwise, whereas there are other things on the site that should be looked into, fixed and improved.

For instance, how about expanding the field list currently available when asking KudoZ questions? I've noticed that areas such as jewellery, antiques, gardening, ethnography, animal welfare, etholo
... See more
Hi, Henry

As others have mentioned in reply to your latest messages, I personally don't see the need to keep updating stuff that doesn't really need updating, esthetically or otherwise, whereas there are other things on the site that should be looked into, fixed and improved.

For instance, how about expanding the field list currently available when asking KudoZ questions? I've noticed that areas such as jewellery, antiques, gardening, ethnography, animal welfare, ethology, ethnography, theatre, performing arts are missing. These are just a few I could think of on the top of my head, but there are many more, as I am sure our colleagues will tell you.
Other fields also need to be more specific than they currently are, e.g. 'Arts, Arts&Crafts, Painting' (too vague, and what about sculpture and other art forms), or 'Mining&Minerals/Gems' vs. 'Gems, Precious Stones, Metals = Mining* (confusing).

While I'm here, KudoZ-wise, there are other 'details' that need to be improved, like answerers who, instead of the Explanation required when suggesting an answer, repeatedly use a '.' or a '*' or similar symbols, which don't provide any explanation as such, and are virtually of no use to the asker.

Another (off-topic) issue is a missing item I've noticed in the 'Submit Quote' page in the jobs section, and more specifically under 'Pricing', where in the 'Unit' dropdown list, the 'per minute' option is missing, essential when quoting for transcription or subtitling assignments.

And while I'm here, what happened to the Browniz issue? As far as I know, no explanation has been provided yet as to what we can use those for.

Thank you.
Collapse


Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Yolanda Broad
Yvonne Gallagher
Michele Fauble
writeaway
P.L.F. Persio
Laura Kingdon
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
Yes Jan 23, 2020

In fact, many of my suggestions in kudoz queries are simply inspired guesses or shots in the dark. I'm the kind of person who prefers to try to propose a solution rather than just give up. "I'm not sure but…" could be the lead-in to many of my proposals.

P.L.F. Persio
 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
Glass half full Jan 23, 2020

Elke Fehling wrote:

No. I would get an alert that someone reacted, only to find out that he or she doesn't know either.

No thank you. It doesn't help me to see that others don't know, either.


On the contrary, I often find it a relief when other people are as baffled as I am by some term or other. It lets me know that it's not my ignorance that is the problem, and helps dispel any self-doubt that might hamper the process.

[Edited at 2020-01-23 09:35 GMT]


Yolanda Broad
Philip Lees
P.L.F. Persio
 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 23:26
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Henry Jan 23, 2020

Henry Dotterer wrote:
We know that sometimes a person who has asked a question, after some time has passed, may wonder whether or not a certain other person has had an opportunity to visit the question. This gives me an idea. If there were a "like button"-type button that says something like "I don't know", would you use it?


I might use it, but I don't think you should implement it. I understand why you might want to: it's cheap and easy to add a button, but it's expensive to develop a whole new feature.

Bumping

If the problem you're trying to solve is that some questions remain unanswered, you should add a feature that asks the question again. The original asker should have some way of bumping the question (within reason) and people who subscribe to KudoZ should be given the option to subscribe to bumped questions. Allow the asker to bump his question a maximum number of 2 times (and not within less than 30 minutes of the original question). People who subscribe to bumped questions will receive a notification about the question when it gets bumped. The fact that a question is bumped communicates to potential answerers that either there hasn't been an answer yet or the asker doesn't consider the answers to be good enough. Subscribing to bumping should be optional.

Related, would there be value in an "I'm working on it" button?


Again, a button is cheap and easy to add, but people are going to use these buttons for different things and their use will be interpreted in different ways by both askers and answerers. Will you then also have a button "I'm no longer working on it", or will your "working on it" expire after e.g. 30 minutes?

Claiming

A better solution to what you're trying to solve would be allow answerers to claim a place in the "first answer" list. It would help people who want to research their answers better not to lose their place in the list to other people who answer quickly but carelessly. It would work like this: when you visit a KudoZ question, and you want to answer it, you click "claim" (or similar) which claims your place in the "first answer" queue for 15 minutes. Multiple people can click "claim" as and when they arrive at the KudoZ question. If you claim a spot and you submit your answer within 15 minutes, your answer is listed in the position of the time when you claimed (not in the position based on the time that you submitted the final answer). If you fail to answer within 15 minutes after claiming, the claim simply expires, but obviously you can still submit an answer. Of course, anyone can answer without claiming, but if you answer after someone has claimed, and the claimee submits his answer before his claim expires, then his answer is listed above yours and is "higher" in line for unrated answers. The claims will help the asker and other answerers to see that there are people busy writing or researching the answer. The claim does not claim the question -- it claims only the position in the list of answers, and it does not affect which answer is chosen by the asker for points.



[Edited at 2020-01-23 11:55 GMT]


Yolanda Broad
Riccardo Schiaffino
 
Henry Dotterer
Henry Dotterer
Local time: 18:26
SITE FOUNDER
TOPIC STARTER
Good idea, Maria Jan 23, 2020

Maria Pia Giuseppina Nuzzolese wrote:

What about a visitor count? This might be visible only to the asker, or better to everybody. Personally I only open questions I might be able to answer, and if that's not the case, I simply leave the page, so my visit equals to a "Not sure" tag.

This may be the way to go with it. Thanks, Maria!


Platary (X)
 
Henry Dotterer
Henry Dotterer
Local time: 18:26
SITE FOUNDER
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks, Barbara! Jan 23, 2020

Barbara Carrara wrote:

... how about expanding the field list currently available when asking KudoZ questions
... answerers... repeatedly use a '.' or a '*'
- in the 'Submit Quote' page... the 'per minute' option is missing
... what happened to the Browniz issue

Thanks for your feedback! Trying to do one thing at a time... limiting my response to KudoZ, can you think of something to do about the '.' / '*' issue?

I don't see us going through the process of expanding the number of fields (which has implications on jobs, too) at this particular moment.


 
Henry Dotterer
Henry Dotterer
Local time: 18:26
SITE FOUNDER
TOPIC STARTER
Good insight and ideas, Samuel Jan 23, 2020

Samuel Murray wrote:
... it's cheap and easy to add a button, but it's expensive to develop a whole new feature.

So true! (I'm glad we have a few members who understand this fact of web development!)

...people are going to use these buttons for different things and their use will be interpreted in different ways by both askers and answerers. Will you then also have a button "I'm no longer working on it", or will your "working on it" expire after e.g. 30 minutes?

Exactly.

If the problem you're trying to solve is that some questions remain unanswered

It's not. My thinking was more along the lines of what neilmac said.

Bumping
... you should add a feature that asks the question again.

This is an interesting idea. I'll kick it around in my head. Maybe in the future.

Claiming
... allow answerers to claim a place in the "first answer" list.

Another nice idea! I'd like to hear others' opinions on this one.


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 23:26
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
@Maria, @Neil Jan 23, 2020

Henry Dotterer wrote:
Maria Pia Giuseppina Nuzzolese wrote:
What about a visitor count?

This may be the way to go with it. Thanks, Maria!


I also thought of a visitor count, but sometimes people visit the question and then leave because they're not interested (not because they do not know the answer). A visitor count would be good nonetheless.

neilmac wrote:
In fact, many of my suggestions in KudoZ queries are simply inspired guesses or shots in the dark. I'm the kind of person who prefers to try to propose a solution rather than just give up.


I know there is the option to select "Lowest - I'm guessing", but I would never use that option myself, because my name will forever be connected to that guess. Like you, I do believe in the power of guesswork. But with KudoZ, one's reputation is at stake, even if you say "I'm guessing".

Anonymous guessing

If I could submit answers anonymously, then I would be more willing to give lower confidence answers. I'm not suggesting that any random person should be allowed to answer anonymously, but specifically registered users who qualify for the question. Or: if I could submit the answer in such a way that my answer is visible to everyone, but my identity is visible only to the asker, then that would be a step in the right direction, too (although "thank you, Samuel!" will give the game away). If posting anonymously, I would also be okay with it if my identity is known to moderators.

Say, is there currently an option for people to get notifications of new replies only if the confidence lever is higher than X, or will a lower confidence level answer be posted as a notification to everyone as well?


[Edited at 2020-01-23 16:01 GMT]

[Edited at 2020-01-23 16:01 GMT]


 
Pages in topic:   [1 2] >


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Would you use a "Not sure" tag (or similar) when you aren't able to help with a particular question?






CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »
Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »