Google Malta Hacked Analysis
Mark Anthony Spiteri is deservedly happy after setting up his new blog after "after months of procrastinating, 4 days of coding and 4 days of hosting problems". This is his take on the Maltese Google hacking incident:
After receiving an email from Dirson I have to clear-up some facts about the ‘Google Malta Hacked’ issue. Apparently the same thing occurred a couple of months ago on the Spanish Google site. As Dirson advised this is not a problem with Google’s security but rather a problem with Google’s translators. So who are these translators?
Well, apparently everyone can be a translator. Just log in here (using your GMail account or create a new account if necessary), select the language you wish to translate Google too and voila you are an official Google translator. You will then be able to ‘Edit existing translations’, ‘Edit your previously submitted translations’ and ‘Translate new messages’. The products that are available for translation are: Groups Beta, Main Search Site, Main Site Help Pages, Toolbar, Toolbar Installer, Toolbar Resource Files, Toolbar Help Pages, and Wireless.
I can’t believe it’s that easy to actually provide a translation for Google. Considering how easy the process is I wonder why misdemeanors such as that of Google Malta are not that common.
Thanks to Dirson for clearing up the issue.
Satisfaction - Toni Sant says pranksters are hackers!
The Maltese Google story as it developed - Kenneth's OR
posted by Robert Micallef at 4/17/2005 02:49:00 AM
Just log in here (using your GMail account or create a new account if necessary), select the language you wish to translate Google too and voilà you are an official Google translator.
Until quite recenty, instead of investing in professional translation as most large companies with any sense actually do, Google decided to rely on volunteers, thus watching the price of their shares shoot up on the stock market as their site linguistically branched itself across the world without even scratching their pockets. When the Galician (gallego) version was hacked towards the end of last year, hundreds of professional translators, including myself, couldn't help but smile and congratulate the event. Now translators and localisers are being recruited to work over at Googleplex full-time, for the 'major' languages at least. Let's hope they stick with this policy, and at least consider the services of professional freelancers for those languages spoken by fewer people. (I have purposely chosen not to use the phrase "lesser languages", for in my opinion, no languages are superior to any other, for any reason... when I get the chance, I'll explain why).
By the way, Robert, thanks for last week's link. :-)
Saħħiet,
Antoine Cassar.
Antoine, I agree with your comment about ´lesser languages`. Maltese is a complete language like any of the major ones. It is lesser used but not ´lesser` in any other way.
I enjoy reading your blog on a regular basis. All the best
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