" Microsoft has also managed to upset women and entire countries. A Spanish-language version of Windows XP, destined for Latin American markets, asked users to select their gender between "not specified," "male" or "bitch," because of an unfortunate error in translation. "
Nothing like having microsoft ask you if you are a bitch or not
Posts: 1901 | Registered: May 2004
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We need an official Hatrack /. reader to post interesting articles and have a rule where nobody else is allowed to. Satyagraha
Posts: 359 | Registered: Jun 2001
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The "search" function for the forums works pretty well nowadays, so if you're thinking of posting a link that's relatively fresh, it only takes a minute to use the search function to see if someone else has already posted it... I've saved my self from getting a few *cough*s this way Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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This isn't the first time that a multinational corpration has been culturally insesetive...by fact of being large, things like this are bound to happen...it's just the first time it happened to Microsoft. Though, I have other thoughts on how corperations handle cultures anyway... Satyagraha
Posts: 359 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Just remember--this is the same corporation that gives us "spell check and grammar check"--a function that is not worth the code wasted to create it. If it can't create a basic program that recognizes the English language and its various nuances, how in the world do we expect anything less than woman to be translated into "bitch?" Posts: 392 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Spell and grammar check work okay to me. They can't make me a better writer, but the get rid of the silly little stupid mistakes.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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That's true unless you have an above average vocabulary. Also, grammar check only catches about 30% of the usual "silly mistakes" people make.
Posts: 392 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Keep spell check, but turn off grammar check. It is wrong literally more often than right. Ask anybody else you trust to know about grammar--don't just take my word for it. (Or leave it on, but only take its advice when it is recognizably correct to you, and ignore it when it seems more esoteric.)
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Well, I agree that Office 97 was blatantly wrong, but we're a few versions past that now. Since I got Office XP, I've seen it be correct on almost every occasion. The reason I don't heed it all the time is because sometimes the context is not accurate. Like I said, it's a good measure for keeping out silly things like comma splices, but it doesn't make up for crappy grammar.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Yeah, there's just nothing that matches human grammar correction. Until computers gain more in the way of grey thinking, they will miss the subtle nuances that make our language so interesting and grammatically challenging.
Posts: 392 | Registered: Aug 2004
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I hear that other grammar checkers are better. Just M$ being Jack of all trades and master of none again.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Well, putting it that way is a whole lot different than "not worth the code wasted to create it." It is plenty worth it to me, who isn't a writing or spelling geek. I even use a spell-check on my browser for posting.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Perhaps Microsoft should invest in people that are grammar and spelling geeks to better develop the program. It isn't worth it in terms of using it for papers for school because it does miss things that grammar teachers look for and because so many students use the programs rather than proofread themselves. That's where my extreme prejudice comes from concerning the programs. When I ask students,"Did you proofread this?" I get tired of them replying, "Oh yeah, I ran grammar check on it."
So forgive my extreme view here. Posts: 392 | Registered: Aug 2004
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the article I read said they used the word "hembra" which has the "bitch" connotation in some countries.
quote:The Spanish version of Windows used the word Hembra - meaning "woman" in Spain - for choosing gender. But in some Central American republics, notably Nicaragua, the word is an insult meaning "bitch". The programme was changed.
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And Farmgirl seems to be overly obsessed with making fun of them. Kind of funny when she probably posts the wisecracks from a Windows install.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Good to see you DO have a sense of humor this morning, Justa. I was beginning to wonder if you were serious all the time.
Most of my posts are intended as the teasing, soft punch on the shoulder razzing between friends. I'm afraid up to this point I wasn't sure you understood that, no matter how many smilies I use...
I do have utmost respect for your opinion on these matters.
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Good to see you DO have a sense of humor this morning, Justa. I was beginning to wonder if you were serious all the time.
