I pick up my phone and slowly place my thumb on the biometric sensor. A cornucopia of colourful icons and widgets greet me. Thanks to the latest version of android, they all match my wallpaper and settings. It is all aesthetically pleasing, just how I prefer it. But there is only one squiggly shaped icon that interests me. I point my finger at it, barely touching the brilliant sapphire with white engravings on it.
I soon find myself in a boundless sea with the following message:
It’s a nice simple design but I hope they expand more into Japanese and Thai dramas and continue to build up a large library. Right now it feels like things are fragmented (same with Western entertainment) and worse - a lot of stuff never gets picked up. I hope they work to live up to the slogan.
I don’t like that terrible glowing blue colour plus removing the info that it’s all done by fans is just another sign for abusive behaviour in regard of pretending being a streaming service like other companies with professional paid translators.
Maybe they’ll introduce a new machine translation software too…
But why exactly is that a bad thing? Everyone was in an uproar when Viki initially introduced an automatic language translator. Yet no one has a problem with some of these volunteers that have little or no respect for Grammar and Syntax and Vocabulary, churning out thousands upon thousands of weird and nonsensical lines of dialogue.
Because I never wanted to offend anyone, I’ve always avoided this subject.
But if everyone here is in it for the benefits without putting in the time and effort to do a good job, then maybe machine learning is the better proposition… Or hire actual translators and join the rest of the streaming world.
Otherwise you can’t expect people give even more of their time for free/without payment.
I remember that some years ago you made a post saying that the volunteers should get some payment for their work and many volunteers at that time got mad at you because of your idea / opinion.
The difference between back then and now is that back then around 80% of Viki’s content was free to watch (with ads) while now 80-90% is locked behind a paid VikiPass subscription similar to the other streaming services.
A machine translation software can easily translate simple lines for RomComs. It’d be faster and maybe even better to read, at least for some languages.
For other genres or more complex topics machine translation would fail bc even humans fail by sticking to words only and ignoring the context. In English it might be less visible than for other languages that are more complex, e.g. having more addressings than one “you” for everyone.
Since most Chinese dramas are available for free by the official Chinese studios and Korean shows are often available at Netflix (many with synced version what I like more than reading text while watching something), Viki had more competitior than now when they only buy licenses but don’t pay for subtitles (in the aspect of making money).
I’m wondering which “benefits” you’re talking about? Benefits of working for free for a profit focused company?
Didn’t you wonder why the quality becomes worse, in some cases?
Volunteers who are able to offer quality often leave Viki soon again or left Viki due to global crisis and losing their real life jobs (or other reasons that occured during past two years).
I know some OL volunteers who were quite good and left because of that and I assume there are more who don’t spend their time for free for Viki anymore.
My favorite color is blue and I think this is a nice color. But it gives me a headache when I’m watching stuff on Viki late at night because it’s too bright. I want tye old starry thing back.
adrianmorales
But if everyone here is in it for the benefits without putting in the time and effort to do a good job, then maybe machine learning is the better proposition… Or hire actual translators and join the rest of the streaming world.
I second that, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for adding this here bc I get crucified every time I say things like that; when in reality [WE are just saying the TRUTH]. I even believe that some pre-subbed dramas are almost 100% correct, and some unscrupulous volunteers, just to get contribution count they start adding useless stuff in the sentence/subtitle, and mess something that needed no correction in the first place.
Pretty sure EVERYONE has a problem with volunteers who do that
After experiencing all kinds of machine translated pre-subs, I will remain skeptical of something like that. I would rather people whined about late subs than terrible unreadable ones. Correcting them is a bigger pain in the neck than correcting most subbers. MangoTV has earned a notorious reputation for the worst subs in Dramaland and I wouldn’t really like Viki to earn the same name when there are so many volunteers working hard here. Depends on the quality of the machine translator they use.
I agree that there are many volunteers like this, but generalizing a statement just to prove a point is a little… insensitive? To the majority who put time and effort into the job, wanting everything to be of the best quality possible, and even taking the time to meticulously train new volunteers - something that does not add to their sub count or affect their stats in any way. They do deserve to be paid, not get lumped with the abusers and ridiculed by ignorant viewers and community members.
“MangoTV, what’s that?” I asked myself, so I immediately proceeded to download the app on my phone. The subs are hilarious. But I was hooked after randomly tapping on a drama called Unforgettable Love.
But I, the paying viewer, don’t care. It’s not as though you can search by the quality of the subs. You criticise the restaurant, not the employees. See what I mean? But personally, I do appreciate those who work hard.
Such a hot mess!
Listen to all these versions of Drift Away! 