tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post5668772652690821506..comments2024-03-06T02:46:19.929+00:00Comments on Translation Tribulations: Kicking the habitKevin Lossnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-82312142042099088962011-08-25T23:06:24.131+01:002011-08-25T23:06:24.131+01:00Rebekka, ROI isn't really the issue for me. Fo...Rebekka, ROI isn't really the issue for me. For years I've recovered my membership fee many times over from referrals through the site, though lately the volume of spam from organ grinding agencies looking for new monkeys has in fact risen to ridiculous levels. It's more a matter of respect, ethics and developing better habits. In recent years, the management of ProZ has exhibited what I feel to be considerable contempt for the professional side of translation as well as the legal and ethical niceties of data handling and privacy. One of my friends become absolutely apoplectic when the subject of ProZ and Google Analytics and pay-for-click bait comes up. I don't agree with him on all points, but having had my data swiped twice from the site by various sleazebags, I have had occasion to doubt the site's competence and commitment in matters of security.<br /><br />Overall, the things you can do with ProZ you can do better elsewhere and develop better habits while you are at it. And frankly, the place has become deadly dull since the death of competent moderation and qualified feedback there. Just look at any day's latest forum posts and then another day's and tell me if there is any real difference. Different newbies asking the same questions about Trados (because they are too lazy to search the discussion archives) or how to write an invoice. This is not a platform where you will grow much as a professional on such a diet.<br /><br />You're much better off joining real organizations of real professionals, networking at trade shows and professional meetings and making more sparing use of the cattle call online portals. There are still some good things to be had from the site, but nothing that justifies supporting a regime with which I have serious disagreements.Kevin Lossnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-74954849428473500292011-08-25T22:44:39.371+01:002011-08-25T22:44:39.371+01:00Thank you for this post! I'm a newly graduated...Thank you for this post! I'm a newly graduated translator and I've always been made to feel like a Proz paid membership is a must! I haven't been convinced and also have been hesitant to pay the $120 fee (times that by approximately 8 to convert it to my local currency) and I expect a lot of ROI for that money. Thanks for the enlightening post- that it may not be all that it's cut out to be!Rebekkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16211124145135077697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-90262136988835045482011-08-25T21:59:41.344+01:002011-08-25T21:59:41.344+01:00Thank you, Valerij. That is an interesting story a...Thank you, Valerij. That is an interesting story about your eBook review and the odd response of ProZ censors to it. Pull one of the RuleZ out of a hat... any one will do. Show trials, anyone?<br /><br />Jill, the long accumulation of insults and the fact that the people who once made the environment there worthwhile have mostly long since departed or been purged made the decision easy in the end. Last year I had the excuse that I still needed time to migrate resources on a business domain from my former partnership and that I use the BlueBoard occasionally. But given that the partnership and everything behind it is now dead, I'll just let whatever links there are to content die and rebuild them at my leisure. And Zahlungspraxis is actually more useful for checking out most of my prospects than the BlueBoard ever was. It's free. Or I can shell out the minor fee for the <a href="" rel="nofollow">Payment Practices</a> board. It deserves support.<br /><br />Anonymous: Just search old posts about ProZ on this blog, and if things aren't clear enough then they never will be. I don't write much about that swamp of mediocrity and newbiedom these days because it's largely a waste of energy and the playground of peanut vendors from Asia and Eastern Europe, but most of the relevant issues are covered in my old notes.Kevin Lossnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14727800526216764023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-267541654483796452011-08-25T21:27:48.113+01:002011-08-25T21:27:48.113+01:00I have been a non-paying Proz member for a couple ...I have been a non-paying Proz member for a couple of years, or rather a lurker on the Proz forum, but my recent experience with the "duct tape" after I finally took the courage to post on the board has been more than discouraging. Funny how the latest entry on my blog ends with "So long, Proz". I am not a grouch, but, after my messages were removed from Proz board, thought it was worthwhile to state some facts, even if it is only a small story on my blog: www.tomarenko.de/Blog . <br />Thanks for mentioning Stridonium. I will certainly have a look.Valerij Tomarenkohttp://www.tomarenko.denoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-67350116738977055572011-08-25T14:43:35.350+01:002011-08-25T14:43:35.350+01:00I enjoyed reading your blog, and as it happens, I ...I enjoyed reading your blog, and as it happens, I am still a non-paying Proz member, considering to become a paying member. After reading this, I've started to wonder whether it's really a smart thing to do? Though opinions on forums seem to be quite divided. I just can't make up my mind. A bit more insight into your Proz experience might help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20155610.post-77514951872605873102011-08-25T14:43:10.927+01:002011-08-25T14:43:10.927+01:00Congratulations! You finally did it! I never under...Congratulations! You finally did it! I never understood why you put up with the abuse and even paid for it... Welcome to the world of ProZ unpaid lurkers. Come on in, the water's fine.bonnjillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00999568046599761603noreply@blogger.com