Appeal for more useful references Thread poster: Noni Gilbert Riley
|
|---|
I've just been reminded, by yet another frustrating experience, of the importance of giving more than just the link when offering an Internet reference. This may be OK if a very small, non-dense page will come up when clicked through, but not fine when, as in this case, I find myself faced with a long long page of quotation from Spanish legislation. The poster had already taken the trouble to dredge through the information, but having done that it would have been SO useful if he could have said ... See more I've just been reminded, by yet another frustrating experience, of the importance of giving more than just the link when offering an Internet reference. This may be OK if a very small, non-dense page will come up when clicked through, but not fine when, as in this case, I find myself faced with a long long page of quotation from Spanish legislation. The poster had already taken the trouble to dredge through the information, but having done that it would have been SO useful if he could have said sth like "half way down" or "in paragraph starting xxx" (in other cases it is possible to say "Paragaph headed xxx" or similar).
As it is, I haven't got the time right now to find the reference in its context and see whether I think the context is right, and give the chap my agree.
While on the this point, another appeal would be for people to check that their links from google searches actually do work; this is quite frequently not the case. (And I am seriously guilty of missing out this step on occasions- the other day I had to rectify twice over, but of course I should have checked them in the first place).
And once you're in the page which you are planning to provide as a reference, do check that the context really is what you thought it was going to be...
Cheers
Noni ▲ Collapse
| | | | | What's wrong with using "search"? | Apr 30, 2009 |
Couldn't you just have searched for the relevant term? Not to detract from your main point, which I'd certainly agree with, but I don't see why you need to read the whole thing just to find the bit you're interested in...
| | | | | Yes, Marie-Hélène, but... | Apr 30, 2009 |
... (and I may be getting the wrong end of the stick here) if I do the search again (and I won't always hit on the same combination of search key words) I'm back to square one, with a link which takes me to a page but not to a word, unless it's available in HTML format, which at least highlights the words.
Some web pages have a search feature incorporated which is wonderful, but unfortunately this is not the norm.
Of course there may be software which offers this featu... See more ... (and I may be getting the wrong end of the stick here) if I do the search again (and I won't always hit on the same combination of search key words) I'm back to square one, with a link which takes me to a page but not to a word, unless it's available in HTML format, which at least highlights the words.
Some web pages have a search feature incorporated which is wonderful, but unfortunately this is not the norm.
Of course there may be software which offers this feature which I don't know of, or the feature may already be available to me and I'm just being ignorant...! ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Hi Noni,
I might be missing something here, but are you aware that you can search any web page by hitting Ctrl and F at the same time?
Hope this helps!
Andrea
| | |
|
|
|
| Andrea: thank you! (I told you I was ignorant!) | Apr 30, 2009 |
Andrea Jarmuschewski wrote:
Hi Noni,
I might be missing something here, but are you aware that you can search any web page by hitting Ctrl and F at the same time?
Hope this helps!
Andrea
This is the problem with being self-trained with regard to computer skills, working away from other users, and genetic resistance to using help pages and reading manuals.
You and M-H have just doubled my working speed!
| | | | | Silent apology to the "chap" referred to! | Apr 30, 2009 |
He now has his agree!
| | | | John Cutler 
Spain
Local time: 15:56
Spanish to English
+ ...
Andrea Jarmuschewski wrote:
Hi Noni,
I might be missing something here, but are you aware that you can search any web page by hitting Ctrl and F at the same time?
Hope this helps!
Andrea
I didn't know this either. I'm taking it all the way to the bank!
| | | | | Or simply use edit/find on the toolbar... | Apr 30, 2009 |
Andrea Jarmuschewski wrote:
Hi Noni,
I might be missing something here, but are you aware that you can search any web page by hitting Ctrl and F at the same time?
Hope this helps!
Andrea
Noni wrote:
... (and I may be getting the wrong end of the stick here) if I do the search again (and I won't always hit on the same combination of search key words) I'm back to square one, with a link which takes me to a page but not to a word, unless it's available in HTML format, which at least highlights the words.
Edit/find is what I meant, not doing a Google search! Sorry Noni, it never occurred to me that you wouldn't be aware of this function, or I'd've explained myself better.
Internet Explorer, Firefox etc. all have a page search function: in both IE and Firefox it's on the tool bar under Edit (second option from the left)/Find (in the drop down menu). Which is where Andrea's Ctrl+F comes in (I didn't know this either, even though it's been staring me in the face every time I do Edit/Find...)
[Edited at 2009-04-30 14:30 GMT]
| | |
|
|
|
Erik Freitag
Germany
Local time: 15:56
Member (2006)
Dutch to German
+ ...
| CTRL+F: Not only IE, Firefox | Apr 30, 2009 |
Might I add that CTRL+F (the F is for "find") is a standard function of pretty much any standard Windows program?
| | | | | For Mac users | Apr 30, 2009 |
efreitag wrote:
Might I add that CTRL+F (the F is for "find") is a standard function of pretty much any standard Windows program?
For Macs, it's COMMAND+F. With reference to browsers, it works for IE, Firefox, and Safari.
Kathryn
| | | | | Glad to hear that I'm not the only one... | Apr 30, 2009 |
And I'm sure there'll be a few more, even if they don't 'fess up like John and yours truly!
Going back to the second part of the original point though, while you may be amazed that I didn't know about the search feature, I am amazed at people who, when searching through google hits, don't really read what they're copying, meaning that you end up with an example like this in supposed support of "vehicles park" (I'm inventing a translation for parque de vehículos from Spanish): "By e... See more And I'm sure there'll be a few more, even if they don't 'fess up like John and yours truly!
Going back to the second part of the original point though, while you may be amazed that I didn't know about the search feature, I am amazed at people who, when searching through google hits, don't really read what they're copying, meaning that you end up with an example like this in supposed support of "vehicles park" (I'm inventing a translation for parque de vehículos from Spanish): "By encouraging people to consider alternatives to traditional petrol vehicles, Park & Charge is seeking to improve the quality of life by reducing carbon"...(and the answerer will have carefully entered the expression between inverted commas). And it wouldn't take me long to come up with lots of real examples instead of politely inventing one! ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Appeal for more useful references | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
