Comments on: Et tu, Barack? http://www.durf.org/2009/11/19/et-tu-barack/ Live from the world's largest Japantown Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:32:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The view from here http://www.durf.org/2009/11/19/et-tu-barack/comment-page-1/#comment-151 The view from here Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:27:12 +0000 http://www.durf.org/?p=475#comment-151 And how are the MT tools going to translate Barack Obama's uhs and ahs? Seriously though, this kind of pseudo-intellectual thriller copy has been around at least as long as artificial intelligence itself, a field that hasn't got a lot to show for itself in any area ... and that after 20 odd years. And yes, in case you're wondering, MT is part of artificial intelligence. And how are the MT tools going to translate Barack Obama’s uhs and ahs?
Seriously though, this kind of pseudo-intellectual thriller copy has been around at least as long as artificial intelligence itself, a field that hasn’t got a lot to show for itself in any area … and that after 20 odd years. And yes, in case you’re wondering, MT is part of artificial intelligence.

]]> By: Durf http://www.durf.org/2009/11/19/et-tu-barack/comment-page-1/#comment-150 Durf Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:54:13 +0000 http://www.durf.org/?p=475#comment-150 Yes, but journalists are up against other humans, which should be kept in mind. Nobody's saying "if we only throw another billion dollars at software development then Google News will gain the ability to report events on its own." And at some point those humans now doing the reporting that we read for free are going to hit the wall; when the orgs paying their salaries implode, do they keep filing stories on their blogs, or on Twitter? Or do they join me in the bread lines? Yes, but journalists are up against other humans, which should be kept in mind. Nobody’s saying “if we only throw another billion dollars at software development then Google News will gain the ability to report events on its own.” And at some point those humans now doing the reporting that we read for free are going to hit the wall; when the orgs paying their salaries implode, do they keep filing stories on their blogs, or on Twitter? Or do they join me in the bread lines?

]]> By: Our Man in Abiko http://www.durf.org/2009/11/19/et-tu-barack/comment-page-1/#comment-149 Our Man in Abiko Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:40:07 +0000 http://www.durf.org/?p=475#comment-149 Interesting. It all sounds like the arguments folks in newspapers used to make: Myth 1. "The internet may be free, but people will still pay for quality journalism." A very few will, but given the choice of 0% cost and 50% quality vs 100% cost and 95% quality, most folk will go for the free. Our Man does. Myth 2. "There is still an enormous need for human talent, whatever the medium." Yeah, but at a living wage? Not in editing. Translating next? There are a whole bunch other myths too, but Our Man is human and getting tired... As you were. Interesting. It all sounds like the arguments folks in newspapers used to make:

Myth 1. “The internet may be free, but people will still pay for quality journalism.” A very few will, but given the choice of 0% cost and 50% quality vs 100% cost and 95% quality, most folk will go for the free. Our Man does.

Myth 2. “There is still an enormous need for human talent, whatever the medium.” Yeah, but at a living wage? Not in editing. Translating next?

There are a whole bunch other myths too, but Our Man is human and getting tired…

As you were.

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