SPANISH_L idea

I been recently chatting with someone off-line regarding what all you have to
handle when you got users whose native language is not English ... what all
stuff is on our computer that needs to be delivered in their language ...
data on screens labeling what the fields mean, details inside error messages,
help text, company data, reports, externals of files for query/400, tech
support, manuals, documentation ... there is a long list of stuff in which
different kinds of solutions needed for different types of objects.

Now I believe that PC based language translation is getting better but it has
its flaws.  You probably do not want to use that for communications with
customers & vendors, but it might be good enough for converting help text,
then have someone familiar with the version of the language (Spanish as
spoken in Spain or in Mexico) to do some polishing of the results.

I am wondering if PC based language translation software is good enough for
the quality of information that we communcate in these various internet
self-help technical lists.

Here is my vision of a future service.  If this is workable, getting it
operational could be a profitable venture for someone connected with our
technical discussions.

We have a bunch of people communicating in English vs. SOME LIST.
One or more of the "subscribers" to the list would really be a translation
conversion site.

A Spanish speaking person would send their posts to the list, not directly to
MIDRANGE_L or BPCS_L or some Yahoo discussion group or other forum, but to
the Spanish relay site for that list.

The Spanish relay would run the post through PC translation software to get
an English version which would be sent to the regular address that all of us
English speakers use.
There might be one line added to the SIG regarding what translation site
used, so participants know which translation sites are no good.

Everything coming from the regular list that arrives at the translation
server would get translated in the other direction.
There would be subscribers whose native language is Chinese & other Asian
languages, various European languages, we could even have a Brail version.

The archives of MIDRANGE_L etc. would be mirrored at the translation site, in
the native languages of the people who want to participate but do not
communicate well in English.  Thus just as we English speakers go to the
archives in English & search for stuff, people with other native languages
could go to archives in their languages.

There is a variety of tech support do-it-yourself places out there.
midrange dot com archives & 400 FAQ
i Series network archives & articles
Software vendor data bases

If these places can be communicated with via an e-mail (in English)
and if I am correct that the PC language translation state-of-art is good
enough
then people in OTHER languages could send an e-mail (in their native
language) via a language translation server to any number of tech support
places (arriving in English & being replied in English) via the language
translation server back to the native language of the person other than
English.

This would not be as good as talking to a tech support place directly in your
native language but it would add a dimension to the internet that is not
there now, and also we English speakers would not be as inconvenienced by
those few sites that are not in English.

I hope I not in trouble for sharing something that is totally off-topic for
any list.

MacWheel99@aol.com (Alister Wm Macintyre) (Al Mac)