Order of search results in ProZ.com directory - more opinions? Thread poster: Rossitsa Iordanova
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I have often wanted to draw attention to this issue, so today I'm doing it.
I personally find the listing of language services providers (freelances, outsources, agencies, companies) which appear after hitting the "Search" - button, very much inappropriate and unfair.
Why?
Because, it is obvious that those providers who have most BrowniZ and/or KudoZ take leading positions.
Now, even though I do resp... See more I have often wanted to draw attention to this issue, so today I'm doing it.
I personally find the listing of language services providers (freelances, outsources, agencies, companies) which appear after hitting the "Search" - button, very much inappropriate and unfair.
Why?
Because, it is obvious that those providers who have most BrowniZ and/or KudoZ take leading positions.
Now, even though I do respect their active participation on the site, as well as their knowledge, and their willingness to help other colleagues out in difficult situations, the fact only that someone has the time to answer every and any question on these boards and has received n* quantity of kudoZ and browniZ still does not make him/her/them the "best choice" and/or the "best professional"; at least in comparison to those who do not actively participate in such activities of the site.
I understand that this is a way to stimulate and "compensate" these participants, however, placing them on the top positions of the lists is not fair to the other colleagues!
Another "wrong" which is clearly noticed in these lists, is the presence - and on leading positions, too!- of agencies/outsources in countries different from either the source or the target language in the needed language combination, or even different from both these. This is wrong, IMO.
Why?
Because such "foreign" outsources/ agencies definitely use local native translators or local outsources/ agencies, the latter however, ironically, may come enlisted too in the 'Search'-results-lists, but on much further positions. I can't see any logic?
Thanks for your attention, and it'd be good to read some more opinios.
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2008-02-03 13:32] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Niraja Nanjundan (X) 
Local time: 23:56
German to English
Hi Rossitsa,
I agree with you that KudoZ points as a way of determining directory positioning is unfair. It is particularly unfair to new members, since it would take some time for them to catch up with older members who have a lot of points. Some of the newer members may be more specialised or qualified to take up certain assignments, but may be overlooked because of their lower position in the directory.
I feel a "rotating" system, where each member's position keeps ... See more Hi Rossitsa,
I agree with you that KudoZ points as a way of determining directory positioning is unfair. It is particularly unfair to new members, since it would take some time for them to catch up with older members who have a lot of points. Some of the newer members may be more specialised or qualified to take up certain assignments, but may be overlooked because of their lower position in the directory.
I feel a "rotating" system, where each member's position keeps changing would be better. Everyone would then get a chance to be higher up in the directory at some point or the other.
I think this has been suggested before, but I suppose it is quite difficult to implement now, since KudoZ is a very established and extremely popular feature of the site.
Best regards,
Niraja
P.S. Participating in KudoZ is also not compulsory, so why should those who don't want to participate, but who are paying membership be at a disadvantage where directory positioning is concerned? It somehow doesn't make sense to me.
[Edited at 2008-02-04 01:30] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Uldis Liepkalns
Latvia
Local time: 21:26
Member (2003)
English to Latvian
+ ...
| Sorry, do not agree | Feb 4, 2008 |
Just an example- nobody is using "rotating" system in world football (or tennis, golf, you name it) ranking, just to give the opportunity for some God-forsaken team from my country to become equal or ahead of, say, with FC Liverpool or FC Bayern. These positions are hard earned during many many years and deservedly so. I sure would like to see some Latvian team to be be ranked above the said clubs, but as the result of hard work and victories, not a lottery.
The same goes for ProZ ... See more Just an example- nobody is using "rotating" system in world football (or tennis, golf, you name it) ranking, just to give the opportunity for some God-forsaken team from my country to become equal or ahead of, say, with FC Liverpool or FC Bayern. These positions are hard earned during many many years and deservedly so. I sure would like to see some Latvian team to be be ranked above the said clubs, but as the result of hard work and victories, not a lottery.
The same goes for ProZ ranking by KudoZ- if somebody has earned hard to gain an insurpassable position, you just have to live with it and do what you can to become second or third best, not to advocate nullifying the efforts of the member, who has earned many KudoZ over the years the hard way- helping others and spending for that his most precious treasure- the time.
Mind you- KudoZ points in the first place is an indication of the time the member has devoted for helping other colleagues (and sure a proof of his knowledge too).
Uldis,
my two santims.
Niraja Nanjundan wrote: agree with you that KudoZ points as a way of determining directory positioning is unfair. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Niraja Nanjundan (X)
Local time: 23:56
German to English
| I know, Uldis... | Feb 4, 2008 |
.....and many people would agree with you, including the site management.
However, I wouldn't compare ranking in a directory of freelance translators to ranking in football, tennis and other sports. We're talking about something quite different here.
[Edited at 2008-02-04 04:00]
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| Sorry, Uldis, I strongly disagree! | Feb 16, 2008 |
As I said, I respect their help, but this does not make them 'the best of the best' !
Let's face it - I, personally, do not have lots of KudoZ ONLY because I do not have the time to waste on participating in such activities. I've got more serious stuff on my desk - stuff that makes me a real professional. Yet only because I have not participated in the KudoZ "game" and don't have enough KudoZ-s, I'm enlisted way down and behind the KudoZ-leaders. There is no logic in this!
And Ni... See more As I said, I respect their help, but this does not make them 'the best of the best' !
Let's face it - I, personally, do not have lots of KudoZ ONLY because I do not have the time to waste on participating in such activities. I've got more serious stuff on my desk - stuff that makes me a real professional. Yet only because I have not participated in the KudoZ "game" and don't have enough KudoZ-s, I'm enlisted way down and behind the KudoZ-leaders. There is no logic in this!
And Niraja is very right with her comment, too.
Moreover, being a ProZ member for several years now, let me tell you m'friend, that I HAVE tried a few times the Q&A system, looking for help on particular phrases/words...
Hmmm .... Not very successfully, I'm afraid!
Oh, and believe me, I can live with it all right!
The only thing that can change is that perhaps next year I shall think twice before paying for my membership. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Regi2006
Indonesia
Local time: 01:26
Member (2007)
English to Indonesian
+ ...
| Help is voluntary | Aug 22, 2016 |
Uldis Liepkalns wrote:
Just an example- nobody is using "rotating" system in world football (or tennis, golf, you name it) ranking, just to give the opportunity for some God-forsaken team from my country to become equal or ahead of, say, with FC Liverpool or FC Bayern. These positions are hard earned during many many years and deservedly so. I sure would like to see some Latvian team to be be ranked above the said clubs, but as the result of hard work and victories, not a lottery.
Sorry, but as far as a football competition is concerned, all teams competing in the same competition play from the same start, qualifying games, including FC Liverpool, FC Bayern and your Latvian team. After one team beats all the other teams, then they would come out as a winner. This actually cannot be applied to ProZ because not everyone has the same start. Despite of these obvious flaws, those with most points are still labeled as leaders. We might need to find a different term.
The same goes for ProZ ranking by KudoZ- if somebody has earned hard to gain an insurpassable position, you just have to live with it and do what you can to become second or third best, not to advocate nullifying the efforts of the member, who has earned many KudoZ over the years the hard way- helping others and spending for that his most precious treasure- the time.
Help is help. When you call it help, you should not feel that you are forced to help others at the expense of your most precious treasure - time. And insisting to be rewarded for something you call help makes the word help lose its meaning.
Mind you- KudoZ points in the first place is an indication of the time the member has devoted for helping other colleagues (and sure a proof of his knowledge too).
http://www.proz.com/forum/prozcom_suggestions/305705-improvement_of_the_translator_directory_search_results-page3.html
Verdi
[Edited at 2016-08-22 04:09 GMT]
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