| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Should KudoZ asking limits be reduced? Thread poster: XXXphxxx (X)
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Ty Kendall 
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
Hebrew to English
Christine Andersen wrote:
This has been discussed at length, and even more in the moderators' forums
There's moderators' forums? Wouldn't mind being a fly on that wall......
| | | | | Off Topic: the 'old' Moderators' forums are no longer visible to anyone. | Aug 7, 2012 |
Ty Kendall wrote:
Christine Andersen wrote:
This has been discussed at length, and even more in the moderators' forums
There's moderators' forums? Wouldn't mind being a fly on that wall......
I served as a Mod for a couple of years, and naturally, I can't tell everyone what was in those confidential forums, but where relevant, the results were summed up and announced to all users of the site. Of course, that included the KudoZ rules as they developed, so I don't think I have revealed anything here that was not known before.
I also served as a Mod in 2009-2010 under the new system, and from then on each class only has access to its own discussions while serving as Mods.
Volunteering as a Moderator is a very rewarding experience - I recommend it!
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 20:28
Spanish to English
+ ...
Please. There is currently one person who is asking screeds of questions in my pair on a daily basis and I just wish they would "stick to the day job"... and perhaps pass the work on to someone more capable, with a better comand of the language and register required, who understands the particular content field in question, preferably a native English speaker.
| | | | | Fraud activities | Aug 7, 2012 |
With a little help from technology (e. g. proxy server, I think) you can create as many profiles as you like in order to ask questions, support your own answers and/or close them.
It's not possible to detect this kind of fraud with common tools.
Hi Susanne,
Some small scale fraud could go undetected, but there are in place tools and procedures that should in practice detect most fraudulent activities. This includes creating additional profiles for bypassing asking limits and any form of activities aimed to gaining undue advantages while asking or answering.
Regards,
Enrique
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| Filter askers who annoy you | Aug 7, 2012 |
You can filter out mails from askers who annoy you
(KudoZ settings on your profile -> Asker flags & filters)
There are other ways of regulating the mails you receive about KudoZ.
Of course, you cannot filter away irritating contributions from your view of the site, so it calls for a little self control to pass them by and not get too worked up.
One of the purposes this site serves is as a starting point for beginners (and inevitably wannabes), ... See more You can filter out mails from askers who annoy you
(KudoZ settings on your profile -> Asker flags & filters)
There are other ways of regulating the mails you receive about KudoZ.
Of course, you cannot filter away irritating contributions from your view of the site, so it calls for a little self control to pass them by and not get too worked up.
One of the purposes this site serves is as a starting point for beginners (and inevitably wannabes), which is the beauty of it for beginners, of course: they can learn from others. Serious beginners soon start contributing one way or another too.
No one should feel unwelcome, but it is possible that those who do not suffer fools gladly might be happier on websites that cater more exclusively for experienced professionals. ▲ Collapse
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | @ Enrique & Christine | Aug 7, 2012 |
Can you please explain on what basis it was decided that 60 questions a week (15/day) was necessary? While I commend the practice of providing support and guidance to beginners, I don't believe that we're currently helping them by allowing them to rely heavily on the support of colleagues (some of whom are "points-grabbers" and only have their own interests at heart). The web is crawling with useful and sound resources (specialist and general glossaries & dictionaries) for translators, and I fee... See more Can you please explain on what basis it was decided that 60 questions a week (15/day) was necessary? While I commend the practice of providing support and guidance to beginners, I don't believe that we're currently helping them by allowing them to rely heavily on the support of colleagues (some of whom are "points-grabbers" and only have their own interests at heart). The web is crawling with useful and sound resources (specialist and general glossaries & dictionaries) for translators, and I feel that beginners should learn to use these and turn to KudoZ as a last resort. IMHO, three questions a day should certainly suffice for queries that beginners really cannot find the answers to anywhere else on the web. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | On the current limits | Aug 7, 2012 |
Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:
Can you please explain on what basis it was decided that 60 questions a week (15/day) was necessary? While I commend the practice of providing support and guidance to beginners, I don't believe that we're currently helping them by allowing them to rely heavily on the support of colleagues (some of whom are "points-grabbers" and only have their own interests at heart). The web is crawling with useful and sound resources (specialist and general glossaries & dictionaries) for translators, and I feel that beginners should learn to use these and turn to KudoZ as a last resort. IMHO, three questions a day should certainly suffice for queries that beginners really cannot find the answers to anywhere else on the web.
Hi Lisa,
This limit was the result of a long discussion involving Henry and the original team of moderators (I was one of them at that time).
Some years later, in 2006, there was a quick poll last year on the issue of having stricter limits on the amount of questions that can be asked.
The question was: "Would you agree with lowering the weekly limits of KudoZ questions to 45/15 for member/non-members?"
Out of the 1223 who voted
36.6% selected "No, keep them at 60/20"
34.1% selected "I don't care
22.7% selected "Yes"
6.5% selected "I don't know"
One of ProZ.com guiding principles is that the person with the need sets the parameters. Whether it be KudoZ, the forums or the jobs system, the person who has the need is given options for setting parameters and directing the flow of an exchange.
KudoZ is a tool created for translators who need help on terminology. Tightening limits would not help askers. Of course answerers can ignore any question or even filter out any asker.
Regards,
Enrique
Regards,
Enrique
| | | | Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
French to English
+ ...
Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:
Can you please explain on what basis it was decided that 60 questions a week (15/day) was necessary? While I commend the practice of providing support and guidance to beginners, I don't believe that we're currently helping them by allowing them to rely heavily on the support of colleagues (some of whom are "points-grabbers" and only have their own interests at heart). The web is crawling with useful and sound resources (specialist and general glossaries & dictionaries) for translators, and I feel that beginners should learn to use these and turn to KudoZ as a last resort. IMHO, three questions a day should certainly suffice for queries that beginners really cannot find the answers to anywhere else on the web.
Hi Lisa,
As others have said, there are occasions when even experienced translators come across sections of their text which go beyond their areas of expertise. I translate in the nuclear and power generation field and as such often translate environmental impact reports for new power plants. Such reports contain a huge variety of subject areas and whilst I wouldn't accept anything solely outside my comfort zone, there are often sections on geology or civil engineering within texts that are otherwise will within my fields. That being so, there will be occasions when I find myself confronted with a number of terms which I can't track down via the usual research channels and in such cases, I may well post a number of questions in quick succession. I certainly don't think I've ever had fifteen on the go at once (!), but I'm sure I've had five queries on the odd occasion - and I really don't think that should be regarded as abusing the system!
There will always be people who abuse the system, whatever rules you put in place, but I think the current system works quite well. Just ignore anyone who obviously isn't worth helping!
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XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
Portuguese to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Time for another poll | Aug 7, 2012 |
Hi Enrique,
Thank you for your reply and the facts and figures, which help us to understand the current situation.
Might I suggest that six years is a long time in the history of this site? So, might it be time to consider another poll and furthermore, for such an important topic, perhaps we should hold on the "quick" in this instance and run the poll for several days, perhaps even for a week?
I still stand by the fact that tightening limits would actually... See more Hi Enrique,
Thank you for your reply and the facts and figures, which help us to understand the current situation.
Might I suggest that six years is a long time in the history of this site? So, might it be time to consider another poll and furthermore, for such an important topic, perhaps we should hold on the "quick" in this instance and run the poll for several days, perhaps even for a week?
I still stand by the fact that tightening limits would actually help askers. In reality, providing KudoZ as a crutch for beginners does not actually help them as they become overly reliant on colleagues, who may not be in a position to provide them with the correct answers. Directing them towards existing specialist resources on the web would, in my view, be of greater user to these askers and in turn benefit the reputation of KudoZ and the site at large.
Best regards
Lisa ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Guiding principles and limits | Aug 7, 2012 |
Hi Lisa,
The past polll was mentioned as a reference only.
As stated above, KudoZ is a tool created for translators who need help on terminology and, based on ProZ.com guiding principles, staff considers that tightening the limits would not contribute towards this goal.
Regards,
Enrique
| | | | Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 14:28
Spanish to English
+ ...
I think I see who you are talking about.
What would be wrong with prohibiting anonymous users from posting more than one question per day?
I also think that part of the problem is that out of a desire for ultimate politically correctness, we are prohibited from posting a note: "stop posting your entire job sentence by sentence" or "perhaps you consider letting someone else do this job" etc.
There may not be a way to prevent abusers, but if you want to abu... See more I think I see who you are talking about.
What would be wrong with prohibiting anonymous users from posting more than one question per day?
I also think that part of the problem is that out of a desire for ultimate politically correctness, we are prohibited from posting a note: "stop posting your entire job sentence by sentence" or "perhaps you consider letting someone else do this job" etc.
There may not be a way to prevent abusers, but if you want to abuse the system, you should not be allowed to do so anonymously and without reprisals.
neilmac wrote:
Please. There is currently one person who is asking screeds of questions in my pair on a daily basis and I just wish they would "stick to the day job"... and perhaps pass the work on to someone more capable, with a better comand of the language and register required, who understands the particular content field in question, preferably a native English speaker. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 12:28
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
| Monthly or quarterly limits | Aug 8, 2012 |
I think adding monthly or quarterly limits might be an improvement. Competent translators might find themselves needing to ask many questions over a short period of time, but who needs to ask as many as 15 questions day after day? Or 60 questions week after week?
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Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 14:28
Spanish to English
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| Apples and oranges | Aug 8, 2012 |
Annamaria Amik wrote:
I've only asked one KudoZ question during my entire ProZ presence and answered about 700, but I noticed that every now and then, well-established and reputed colleagues ask questions obviously beyond their areas of expertise. This happens because sometimes their regular customers have smaller jobs in those fields and would like them to do those jobs. I see nothing wrong in asking for help in such cases.
Quite right. I find myself in this situation from time to time. There is also the similar circumstance of having to deal with some unfamiliar subset of terminology within a kind of document that is generally familiar. Nobody knows everything, few of us get to work exclusively within narrow specialties where our command of terminology is overpowering, and it is nice that kudoz is there if needed.
But this is very different from someone asking dozens of questions per week, week after week, month after month, and year after year, frequently regarding easy terms and having shown no evidence of any effort to research the answers him/herself. Allowing such behavior makes a mockery of the notion that Kudoz is a forum where professional translators assist their peers with "tough terms."
To my mind, a limit of 100 posted terms per month would be more than sufficient to cover the needs of those deserving the right to call themselves professional translators, even at the novice level and accounting for occasional spurts of heavy use.
[Edited at 2012-08-08 09:57 GMT]
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Michele Fauble wrote:
I think adding monthly or quarterly limits might be an improvement. Competent translators might find themselves needing to ask many questions over a short period of time, but who needs to ask as many as 15 questions day after day? Or 60 questions week after week?
A monthly limit.
| | | | XXXphxxx (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:28
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Have suggested a monthly limit as a quick poll. Look out for it.
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