TRANSLATING YOUR WEB

Written by Paolo Risso


Considering that 43% of Internet users cannot read English, translating your web site into a foreign language is a powerful way to promote your business.

But getting your web site translated can be an expensive exercise. Rates can vary between 0.04 US$ and 0.12 US$ per source word, depending on target language, length and subject matter being translated.

However, translation is a must if you want to reach foreign Internet users, who actually make up a larger slice of your target market pie.

The following is a guide on how you can translate your web pages 'for free', or how visitors to your web site can translate your web pages themselves.

1) Finding partners

This is obviouslyrepparttar best solution -repparttar 134681 optimum, using a latinism. Using a human translator guarantees authenticity.

Luckily there are many freelance translators 'eager' to find a partner, especially one who is a web designer. Most translators are aware that having their own web site can enhance their business success. They will often accept a plan forrepparttar 134682 creation or enhancement of their web site in exchange forrepparttar 134683 translation of yours.

Before you look for a suitable partner, consider which language you would like your web site translated into. By far, Spanish isrepparttar 134684 most widely spoken language onrepparttar 134685 Internet. However, if your web site is science-orientated, then translating into German is probably more effective.

I recommend you choose a freelance translator rather than go through an agency, as freelance translators are usually less demanding.

To find a partner, browserepparttar 134686 following newsgroups:

sci.lang.translation sci.lang.translation.marketplace

2) Using online dictionaries

There are several web sites offering online dictionaries. Some of them allow you to copy their dictionary interface and place it on your web page. This is a good solution for foreign users who know English, but are not familiar with specific technical terms.

Adding a link or links to online dictionaries, will make it easier for users to look up certain terms and then return to your page.

Awards Programs: Judging Sites

Written by Richard Lowe


Okay, so you've takenrepparttar plunge and created your awards program. Your criteria are defined and well written, your purpose is understood and you've promotedrepparttar 134680 heck out of your program. Now you've started getting applications - andrepparttar 134681 real work begins.

This isrepparttar 134682 part of awards programs that is, well, both interesting and extraordinarily dull. The creative work has all been done. What remains is to examine each site that applies for your award and determine if they are good enough to deserve to be recognized.

So how does this work? It's pretty simple, really. It all starts from your criteria.

Let's use an example of a pretty standard set of criteria:

- Reasonable download time - Understandable navigation - Readable text - Not under construction - No broken links - Good quality content - Way to turn off music - Good HTML - Viewable in all screen resolutions - Does not violate copyright or steal bandwidth - No sites which promote illegal activities, pornography, hacking or warez.

What I like to do is set aside a few hours a week to go through my list of sites. Then you visit each and every site and compare it torepparttar 134683 criteria that you have created for your award. You should also keep in mind whetherrepparttar 134684 sites must meet ALL criteria or just most of them!

This is so important that I will repeat it again: comparerepparttar 134685 applying site against your criteria and only your criteria. In fact, you should only compare it againstrepparttar 134686 criteria that you had posted atrepparttar 134687 timerepparttar 134688 site was submitted.

So let's check a site againstrepparttar 134689 criteria. You surf to it and find that it seems to download very slowly. This, at first glance, appears to violate your criteria - but spend a couple more seconds to make a judgment call: is thisrepparttar 134690 result ofrepparttar 134691 site design or something beyondrepparttar 134692 webmasters control (such as slow server)? Ifrepparttar 134693 page has 500kb of graphics, thenrepparttar 134694 site flunks immediately - go on torepparttar 134695 next one. Ifrepparttar 134696 page looks reasonable (and it will not take long to figure this out), then continue with it.

Okay, what's next onrepparttar 134697 criteria? Understandable navigation. That's an easy one - can you figure out quickly how to navigaterepparttar 134698 site? Hmm, suppose a site has a JavaScript menu and you hate JavaScript? well, if you used these criteria, then you cannot flunkrepparttar 134699 site for this - but you can update your criteria sorepparttar 134700 next series of submissions cannot have JavaScript menus. Readable text is next onrepparttar 134701 list. Can you readrepparttar 134702 text? It does not matter whetherrepparttar 134703 characters are pink and green - can you read them? If so,repparttar 134704 site passes - if not, it doesn't.

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
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