Tech Czar Blog Network
Recently, LiewCF Tech Blog joined Tech Czar Blog Network. You might have noticed the Tech Czar header at the top of the blog with 10 country flags. Each flag represent the language of the country. Clicking the flag will get the page in the selected language.
I always wanted to make my blog contents available in different languages but no auto translation services are accurate enough to be read by human. Tech Czar team translate the blog posts by human to ensure the accuracy of translated content. All translated versions are hosted by Tech Czar.
Software: “iTranslate”
The availability of blog posts in various languages would probably increase the readership. The other Malaysian blogger who joined Tech Czar Blog Network is FriedBeef and he already got paid!
Tech Czar pays me
However, the translation service is not the only reason I add the Tech Czar header. As a partner of Tech Czar, I get paid for good money by placing the header and getting their blog translation services.
Sounds too good to be truth?
Well, with the top header on high traffic blog like LiewCF Tech Blog , it will definitely increase the popularity of Tech Czar. The header also includes text links back to Tech Czar website. Plus, Tech Czar owns all the translated versions.
My two cents
I would say I got a good deal. Tech Czar’s general manager, Matt, sincerely invited me to join the blog network. I was concern about the effect of Tech Czar header to my current readership. But, you never know before you tried. So, I joined Tech Czar. Please try the translation and tell me what do you think.
I’m more concerned about them owning all the translated version, it’s like free stuff for them! How much do they pay people to join that network? Is it worth it, to completely lose copyright over your articles, I would suppose an idea would still retain its copyright no matter what language it is conveyed in…
@BobbyT: Agreed with your view.
@LiewCF: Their translation in chinese is quite poor. Don’t know what kind of translation method they use?
@AhTim: Maybe they use automated translation like Google Translation? Maybe they outsource to someone else also…
Hi-
I’m Matt. The general manager of Tech Czar. We’re really excited the have this blog as our newest partner, and I want to clarify a few points:
1) We only use human, professional translators who were born and raised in the language-specific country that they translate for. Translation is more of an art than a science, so there will always be differences of opinion about what word should be used, or how good a translation is.
2) We only own the translated versions of the content to the extent that we ask that it not be published in other locations. This is simply because human translation is very expensive, and we are covering the cost, so would like to be the exclusive beneficiary.
If you have any other questions about the blog partnership, our translators, or anything else regarding TechCzar.com, please feel free to email me at: mmogk@techczar.com
Thanks!
Matt
Liew, you may have stepped into cow ****.
Firstly, you shour NEVER agree to sign away ownership of your articles even if they are translated versions. Ownership of you articles belongs to you alone no matter what languge it is! That’s like the Harry Potter author saying I can keep the rights to the Malay version of her book!
Second, consider the amount of pages that they have to translate. There is NO way any human can translate so fast. You have how many articles? Say 2 thousand or more? Let’s assume only 10 blogs join their network per day. That’s already 20,000 articles a day! There is NO way humans can translate pages that fast on the fly. I think what they do is HAVE A HUMAN look through the machine translated pages.
Thirdly, you were right to worry about the navigation links. Their navigation bar completely overpowers yours. In fact, when I stopped by for a visit yesterday, I clicked on their links before yours. You are giving away your content AND your traffic!
However, LiewCF is you baby and you have full right to do what you want with it. No one can take that away from you.
Matt, your reasons are fair enough. If the links and other stuff are retained, I guess the original author also stands to gain some benefits from translations, like more wide audience and reach. So I guess people should start using tech czar blog network if you people they are paying well enough, hehe :)
I would prefer if this network had a widget on the sidebar. Having it at the top is a bit intrusive.