I was able to virtually attend last year for a few sessions and will do so again this year. Check it out – it’s free!

Macs cost notably less to support than Windows PCs

This site will show you how along with a host of other tips, hacks and resources.

Published: March 9, 2010

Putting Google to the Test in Translation

Google has poured resources into improving its automatic translation service. Some of these systems are better than others at handling particular pairs of languages, and it is impossible to evaluate them fully using small bits of text. But here are some quick comparisons of human translations and computerized versions from Google and two competitors.

Source	The Original Text	Human Translation	Google Translate	Yahoo Babel Fish via Systran	Microsoft Bing Translator
French “Le Petit Prince” (“The Little Prince”) By Antoine de Saint-Exupéry	Le premier soir je me suis donc endormi sur le sable à mille milles de toute terre habitée. J’étais bien plus isolé qu’un naufragé sur un radeau au milieu de l’océan. Alors vous imaginez ma surprise, au lever du jour, quand une drôle de petite voix m’a réveillé. Elle disait: -S’il vous plaît… dessine-moi un mouton!	On the first night, I fell asleep on the sand, a thousand miles from any human habitation. I was far more isolated than a shipwrecked sailor on a raft in the middle of the ocean. So you can imagine my surprise at sunrise when an odd little voice woke me up. It said: “Please … draw me a sheep.” - Wordsworth Children’s Classics, 1995	The first night I went to sleep on the sand a thousand miles from any human habitation. I was more isolated than a shipwrecked sailor on a raft in the middle of the ocean. So imagine my surprise at daybreak, when a funny little voice woke me. She said: “If it pleases you … draw me a sheep!”	The first evening I thus fell asleep on sand with thousand miles of any inhabited ground. J’ stays much more insulated qu’ a shipwrecked man on a raft in the middle of l’ ocean. Then you imagine my surprise, at daybreak, when funny of small voice m’ awoke. She said: – S’ you like it… draws to me a sheep!	The first evening I thus fell asleep one thousand miles of any ground inhabited with sand. I stays much more insulated was shipwrecked man on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Then you can imagine my surprise, at daybreak, when black of small voice I awoke. She said:-If you like it… draws to a me sheep!
Source	The Original Text	Human Translation	Google Translate	Yahoo Babel Fish via Systran	Microsoft Bing Translator
Spanish “Cien Años de Soledad” (“One Hundred Years of Solitude”) By Gabriel García Márquez	Muchos años después, frente al pelotón de fusilamiento, el coronel Aureliano Buendía había de recordar aquella tarde remota en que su padre lo llevó a conocer el hielo.	Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice. - HarperCollins, 2003	Many years later, he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendia was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.	Many years later, in front of the firing squad, colonel Aureliano Buendía had to remember that one behind schedule remote one in which to his he took it father to know the ice.	Many years later, at the front of the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was remember that remote afternoon his father took him to the ice.
Source	The Original Text	Human Translation	Google Translate	Yahoo Babel Fish via Systran	Microsoft Bing Translator
Russian Resignation Speech as Last President of the U.S.S.R. By Mikhail S. Gorbachev	Мы живем в новом мире: – Покончено с «холодной войной», остановлена гонка вооружений и безум-ная милитаризация страны, изуродовавшая нашу экономику, обществен-ное сознание и мораль. Снята угроза мировой воины.	We live in a new world. The Cold War has ended, the arms race has stopped, as has the insane militarization which mutilated our economy, public psyche and morals. The threat of a world war has been removed. – The Associated Press	We live in a new world: – To end the “cold war”, stopped the arms race and madness-Naya militarization of the country, mangled our economy, society-ing consciousness and morality. Remove the threat of world war.”	We live in the new peace: – It is put an end to “Cold War”, is stopped the arms race and the reckless militarization of the country, which disfigured our economy, public consciousness and morals. Is taken the threat by world soldiers.	We live in a new world:-end of the cold war, stopped the arms race and bezum-militarization of the country, izurodovavšaâ our economy, sound recordings and consciousness and morality. Removed the threat of world warriors.
Source	The Original Text	Human Translation	Google Translate	Yahoo Babel Fish via Systran	Microsoft Bing Translator
German “Die Verwandlung” (“The Metamorphosis”) By Franz Kafka	Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren Ungeziefer verwandelt.	One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. – Kessinger Publishing, 2004	As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found is transformed in his bed into a monstrous vermin.	As Gregor Samsa of one morning from jerky dreams awaked, he was changed in its bed to tremendous vermin.	As Gregor Samsa of one morning from troubled dreams awakened, he was transformed in his bed to a tremendous vermin.
Source	The Original Text	Human Translation	Google Translate	Yahoo Babel Fish via Systran	Microsoft Bing Translator
Arabic مارادونا: كأس العالم بمتناولنا (Maradona: World Cup in Reach) – Al Jazeera, March 5, 2010	أكد مدرب منتخب الأرجنتين لكرة القدم دييغو مارادونا قدرة منتخب بلاده على إحراز كأس العالم المقبلة بجنوب أفريقيا وذلك بعد فوزه على ألمانيا 1- صفر في عقر دارها على ملعب أليانز أرينا الأربعاء في مباراة دولية ودية.	The Argentine coach and soccer great Diego Maradona assured his country’s ability to make the next World Cup after beating Germany 1-0 in their own backyard at the Allianz Arena stadium on Wednesday in an international friendly match. – The New York Times	Confirmed coach Argentina soccer great Diego Maradona for his country’s ability to make the next World Cup in South Africa after beating Germany 1 – zero in their own backyard at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday in an international friendly match.	(Arabic translation is not offered.)	Affirmed Argentina coach Diego Maradona football team’s ability to make the next World Cup in South Africa after beating Germany 1-0 in their own backyard Stadium Allianz Arena Wednesday in a friendly.

Judging by the comparison, I’d go with Google first, then Yahoo and I’m not even sure if I’d use Bing at all.

It seems like only yesterday that I was lugging my laptop over to all my friends to show them the Star Wars Kid video (that was almost seven years ago). Now with YouTube, Twitter and Facebook it so much easier to share viral videos.

Wow, just wow.