How would you translate the written side if the writing is blurred? How could you decide if you’re able to translate it?
I’m sorry, but this is getting a bit absurd here…
Did you read my concerns about private translation?
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With reference to my proposal:
The answer relates to the 1st and 3rd points in the pros.
- It is opaque because it is not mentioned on the main site.
- The rule does not read “don’t publish the written side except somewhere on the forum”.
It can be done in private.
Addressed in the cons in my main argument.
I think it’s inappropriate in a conversation to repeat general arguments if the other party gets more concrete by asking questions.
If you don’t want to refer to answers, you shouldn’t start a discussion.
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Some suggestion were posted by me here. The technicalities relate to the cons in my main argument, but to me, they are worthwhile considering the pros.
A popular counter-argument to my proposal can be phrased like this: Postcard writings can be posted temporarily yet publicly. Although it means creating an exception to the community guidelines, posing a bigger burden of the poster as well as the moderators to screen the contents, and moreover, avoiding mentioning it on the main site, it is more convenient for the translation/transcription subgroup.
Honestly, not everyone is reading the F.A.Q. & Community Guidelines and not everyone is remembering everything what is written there.
If someone is seeking for help because she/he can’t read the handwriting or the foreign language they won’t read first what is written in FAQ und C.G. but they will go straight to a place where she/he will get help. Not everyone’s first choice is the forum. I know a lot of people who are in Postcrossing groups on Facebook. And as @Cassiopheia already said there are a lot of pictures of the backside of postcards (not only because of translational questions there are much more reasons why people show backsides of cards). And all the groups on Facebook are out of the control of the admins. How will you manage this problem in the groups?
Even if you put a big banner on the home page of Postcrossing saying that posting the backs of postcards is not allowed, there will always be people who will do it anyway. There is nothing you can do about it.
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I’m not targeting individual behavior but rather the structural problem I spotted within Postcrossing. Kindly read a few posts above and the opening post.
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Be sure that I have read the whole topic!
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It’s not clear. When someone joins, there is no mentioning their card might be published on the open forum.
Also the decorating threads, once there was a decorated envelope with blurred address, but I could still read the address clearly. I flagged it but it stayed there long after that.
I know Postcrossing can’t monitor all internet and social medias, but they could be a good example.
The least, people should be told (when joining) that their message is allowed to be published in translation thread, open for non member to see too. (This would be more transparent.)
But like here is written, there is not many cards published, then it would not be a big problem to ask the translation privately. Now the messages are visible for long time, even it’s translated.
Edit. Also, if there are so few cards published here, that it should not be seen as a problem, maybe there is no need for the translation thread after all.
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They’re visible for 14 days, that’s not really long. But as usually translations are there quite fast, there shouldn’t be an issue to lower this time, e.g. to 7 days.
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No, it may not be long, but as the Internet goes, one hour can mean forever. Referring back to the three pros in my main argument, I just don’t think it’s worth it to introduce such an exception.
Let’s assume forum members are more tech-savvy than non-forum members (personally I dislike this characterization, but just for the sake of argument). If one stumbles upon their postcard writings published on the forum and feels upset about it, what sorts of recourse do they have? Write to the admin from the main site, elaborate the issue. Or to be forced to join the forum to voice concerns? Echoing @S_Tuulia and @Tara_Bell, that’s unfair because it’s not what users have signed up for. So part of my effort is to lay out the case here for reference.
Similar to the legal concept of presumption of innocence, when we’re not sure if a certain Postcrosser cares or doesn’t care about being published, it’s prudent to assume they do unless they explicitly say otherwise. Once harm or bad feelings are inflicted, it’ll be too late.
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Does that mean posting the backside of a postcard is okay for you, as long as it does not happen in the Postcrossing forum?
Why don’t you just ignore what you call a problem?
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Same answer: I’m not targeting individual behavior but rather the structural problem I spotted within Postcrossing. You’re free to open a new thread to discuss posts outside of Postcrossing.
Once again, kindly refer to the opening post or a few posts upthread for my main argument. As usual, any comments are welcomed but new major (counter-)points are greatly appreciated.
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What or where is outside of Postcrossing?
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Neither of your replies answers my questions, so again:
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No, it is not okay for me. But that’s out of the scope of this thread.
To use a constant refrain, I wouldn’t dignify the question with an answer (well, despite the fact I’ve responded).
In terms of website infrastructure, Postcrossing = main site (postcrossing.com) + forum (community.postcrossing.com). Anywhere else means outside of Postcrossing.
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So it is a grace to get an answer from you.
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But if you think further, removing that topic would increase number of postings outside of Postcrossing. The only reason for opening that topic was to reduce the number of issues out of control. As there were many complaints / concerns about it but Postcrossing team had no control about it. Here they have. That’s why I called it a compromise earlier.
You can’t target a very specific point of this problem without scratching the others.
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Again my question: how will you manage / control whatever you want that outside of Postcrossing no backside will be shown? Shall e.g. all Facebook groups be forbidden?
And still… there will always be someone who is showing a backside somewhere outside of Postcrossing.
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Yes, this is a valid point. Thanks for emphasizing that. I’ve added it to the cons of my main argument.
Personally, posting outside of Postcrossing is a secondary concern (in the sense that it is less relevant). The structural problem is right here whereas the relocation effect on post venues is difficult to quantify. The very observation that you’d shared on the common practice in chat groups, other social media can be considered evidence of the limited effect of the translation thread in attracting people to post here. Meanwhile, the translation thread here has created its own problems.
Yes, Postcrossers can always complain either through the main site or on the forum here. Again, I take it as a matter of fairness, not only of convenience.
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