| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Your opinion? A certain KudoZ asker always awards points to the same answerer. Thread poster: Daniel Frisano
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Daniel Frisano 
Italy
Local time: 23:45
Member (2008)
English to Italian
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Let's assume this hypothetical situation: as an asker, user A always awards points to user B (except in rare cases in which user B does not answer, obviously), and this happens several times a day. When user B replies, other users simply don't stand a chance: 100% of the times user B's answer is selected.
What would you think?
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2017-12-14 18:43 GMT]
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Asker answers his/her own question, and wins 4 Kudoz every time = cheating on the directory ranking.
Except where B doesn't reply, in which case it might be a genuine question.
| | | | | Conspiracy theory | Dec 14, 2017 |
Maybe, user B is the alpha in this community? Highest authority for user A? Or his closest friend. This is clearly conspiracy)) Perhaps, even without jokes.
| | | | Morano El-Kholy
Egypt
Local time: 23:45
Member (2011)
English to Arabic
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| A great frustration.... ! | Dec 14, 2017 |
I think that will definitely cause a great frustration to all other participants....! Not a favorable status though!
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| You should contact a moderator | Dec 14, 2017 |
If you see a situation like that, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, where you can see whether there is a moderator for the language pair the asker and answerer work in.
You can explain your view of the problem and ask the moderator to look into it.
Otherwise you can find another moderator here
https://www.proz.com/?sp=moderators&sp_mode=current_mods... See more If you see a situation like that, scroll down to the bottom of the screen, where you can see whether there is a moderator for the language pair the asker and answerer work in.
You can explain your view of the problem and ask the moderator to look into it.
Otherwise you can find another moderator here
https://www.proz.com/?sp=moderators&sp_mode=current_mods
Alternatively, you can file a support ticket and ask site staff to check what is going on.
However, you must have real evidence before you make any accusations. You should probably provide links to relevant KudoZ questions, and show that it is not just coincidence, or for instance a 'small' language pair, where there are not many answerers who know enough about a particular field, so it is often the same person who deserves the points anyway. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | My thoughts on the matter | Dec 14, 2017 |
First of all, don't take Kudoz too seriously.
The days of challenging Kudoz questions are long gone. Most questions now just involve doing the necessary research that (too) many askers seem loathe to do themselves. This in turn means that anyone who can copy/paste from a dictionary is able to "earn" sacred Kudoz pointz. It's very rare nowadays to see a term that really is difficult and/or needs true expertise for the translation.
Apparently there are mini-cliques in some language pa... See more First of all, don't take Kudoz too seriously.
The days of challenging Kudoz questions are long gone. Most questions now just involve doing the necessary research that (too) many askers seem loathe to do themselves. This in turn means that anyone who can copy/paste from a dictionary is able to "earn" sacred Kudoz pointz. It's very rare nowadays to see a term that really is difficult and/or needs true expertise for the translation.
Apparently there are mini-cliques in some language pairs. Just laugh it off. Life is too short and it's best to avoid getting terminal Kudozitis. ▲ Collapse
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Some people use KudoZ as a hobby, they have the time for it. It can be fun. Some use it - as I do - to keep the brain ticking over on a coffee break. Looking into someone else's language puzzles means my concentration is diverted from my own work, but I am still able to engage efficiently when I return to my own work.
I also simply like to help out when I can. That may sound banal, but it's true. I first came onto ProZ in 2003 and although I had been freelancing for 8 or 9 years at... See more Some people use KudoZ as a hobby, they have the time for it. It can be fun. Some use it - as I do - to keep the brain ticking over on a coffee break. Looking into someone else's language puzzles means my concentration is diverted from my own work, but I am still able to engage efficiently when I return to my own work.
I also simply like to help out when I can. That may sound banal, but it's true. I first came onto ProZ in 2003 and although I had been freelancing for 8 or 9 years at that time, I learnt a lot from observing how people used the internet to check their sources. I became more efficient in doing so myself and it was a skill that I have been able to use in further study also. In fact I reckon that my search skills took a real boost thanks to ProZ.
I was also co-moderator for a number of years, which I enjoyed. When I stopped enjoying it, I stopped moderating. I still enjoy Kudoz from time to time. There are all sorts of personalities out there. If there is coniving going on behind the scenes, then it might be worth drawing it to the mod's attention. When it does occur, it's usually fairly obvious. Playground behaviour. If the rules are not being respected then certain meaures can be taken, of course.
I also see a number of people who post a lot of fairly basic questions in great number and who do effectively choose the same person fairly often. You can take another angle on it which is this: serial posters often ask large nubers of fairly basic questions and people can get fed up answering them. So they don't. That leaves one or two who may actually be quite good who take the time to post and whose answers are selected as they stand out as being better informed, better documented and simply more convincing. So they get the points. When they cease to contribute, the pecking order changes and other get the points. It doesn't really matter.
In short, take it for what it is: a useful forum for exchange, a showcase eventually, and a place where you can thrash out passing difficulties of language and pick other peoples' brains. There are some extremely good people here I have learnt from and others from whom I am yet to learn. There are some from whom I will never learn anything - ever!
A couple of stable factors though: there is a mix of skills. There are some very good translators out there, but there are also some fairly poor translators who seem to have a phenomenal amount of work. Good luck to them (and their clients). I know who I enjoy working with, I know who I enjoy helping. There are times when I do not contribute as the playground bullies have come out to play.
[Edited at 2017-12-14 19:08 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 17:45
Spanish to English
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| Scant information | Dec 14, 2017 |
Daniel Frisano wrote:
Let's assume this hypothetical situation: as an asker, user A always awards points to user B (except in rare cases in which user B does not answer, obviously), and this happens several times a day. When user B replies, other users simply don't stand a chance: 100% of the times user B's answer is selected.
What would you think?
Given that you have not said anything about the quality of the answers proferred by person B relative to the other answers in your scenario, there is no basis upon which to take your hint of collusion seriously. Perhaps “B” consistently offers what a consensus of informed and objective observers would consider the best suggestion among the answers posted to each of the queries at issue.
If you want to demand that site staff take the time to look into the matter, you need to present evidence indicating that what I am suggesting here is not the case.
If you do have a case here, then the persons who have consistently had their (superior) answers rejected ought to be able to support your allegation.
[Edited at 2017-12-14 15:32 GMT]
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Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 14:45
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
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| Has happened | Dec 14, 2017 |
Daniel Frisano wrote:
Let's assume this hypothetical situation: as an asker, user A always awards points to user B (except in rare cases in which user B does not answer, obviously), and this happens several times a day. When user B replies, other users simply don't stand a chance: 100% of the times user B's answer is selected.
What would you think?
Sounds like Oso, a real situation a few years ago.
| | | | | Report it to Proz!! | Dec 14, 2017 |
Sounds fishy. I would ask Proz.com to research the matter. Gather some examples. They can research from where questions and answers were issued and can try to detect fishy patterns.
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I could easily be accused of such a crime! I translate exclusively into European Portuguese, which in the speaking Portuguese world might be considered as the least widely used language (comparing to Brazilian Portuguese). On the other hand, the number of Portuguese active members on Proz is very small, so, without a conspiracy theory to call my own, it’s only natural that person A selects person B’s answer and vice-versa.
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This is called "collusion" and if you are able to establish a consistent pattern, consider reporting it to ProZ.
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Daniel Frisano
Italy
Local time: 23:45
Member (2008)
English to Italian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | One more thing | Dec 14, 2017 |
I forgot something about this (hypothetical) scenario: not only all points assigned by A go to B, but in this particular language pair, B barely gets any points by any other asker. It goes both ways... an almost perfect symbiosis.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:45
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Daniel Frisano wrote:
I forgot something about this (hypothetical) scenario: not only all points assigned by A go to B, but in this particular language pair, B barely gets any points by any other asker. It goes both ways... an almost perfect symbiosis.
I am 100% sure that the practice of collusion, asserted by Daniel, does exist and I have little doubt that some translators who have a high score of Kudoz points do not deserve them.
[Edited at 2017-12-15 07:47 GMT]
| | | | Joohee Kim
South Korea
Local time: 06:45
Member (2017)
English to Korean
+ ...
| I agree with Tomas | Dec 15, 2017 |
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT wrote:
Sounds fishy. I would ask Proz.com to research the matter. Gather some examples. They can research from where questions and answers were issued and can try to detect fishy patterns.
I agree with Tomas. I also think user A is a cheating in order to earn Kudoz point = get higher ranking on the translator directory. In this case, it would be better to report it to Proz.com.
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