Note: I'm not a programmer, so this is a rough take on an idea I've been putting together for a while. I think it could work here and I'm willing to stake at least 100 SBD on a developer taking up this project, plus whatever SBD is generated from this post. If you're a developer and interested, please message me in Steemit.chat (blake). Here's the Github repo (with not much there)
Relay Station Chat / Steem Language Translation
Rough Logical Framework
- content creator selects default language pair and desired additional languages
- content creator designates amount to place in escrow (similar to @null account)
- submit post / comment
a) SBD/Steem transferred to automated @RelayStation account or escrow
- RelayStation API updated; content duplicated to untranslated content queue
- posted content becomes available to translation queue
- translator community receives notification of new content needing translation
- individual translators translate and submit completed translations
- ndividual translators tag each translation with the language they are translating into
- RelayStation API updated; translated post database updated
- completed translations verified, amended, and confirmed for shares of the reward
a) amendments, comments and corrections from other translators qualify for reward share
b) translation amendments or corrections from additional translators appear as side-notes to amplify and clarify meanings for readers
- translations appear within language filter plugin based on content tags, translator tags, and user preference
a) up-votes of translated material are funneled to original content creator
- RelayStation API confirms reward after first payout
a) Messages @RelayStation Steem account
b) @RelayStation account transfers funds from original content creator reward escrow
- RelayStation API updated
Proposed Parameters
- must allow for user to designate Steem Dollar and/or Steem Token amount to allot for translation rewards
- must allow for language translation tags to be visible based on user language preference
- must have separate user interface to view available translation requests
- must allow for any user to 'donate' translation rewards into escrow to supplement content creator translation reward pool
- translations must not count towards user post limits
- must be able to create a URL that parallels the original
- must inform translator pool of edits/comments/
- must track translator statistics and reputation
- must allow multi-lingual people to choose multiple language filters to see all posts in all languages they can read
- must allow translators to insert commentary relevant to the translations (detailed explanations for idioms, jokes, or anything 'hard' to translate)
Questions/Commentary/Concerns:
- this sets the stage for a potential real-time chat translation platform utilizing Steem accounts
- encourages mutli-lingual training with real incentives
- poorly translated material can only be downvoted by other translators of that language pair
- language competency test required?
- may need to be built as a sidechain that allows for API pulls from Steemit.com based on user language preference
- may require a bot to interact with the original post and translated post(s)
- what will define the reward split for edits/amednments/notes voting of follow-on translators?
- will user be able to define the rewards explicitly? recommended default?
- in-line 'post content field' instructions for RelayStation?
Link to the framework as an HTML
I get the general drift of your intentions, but I must admit I am not understanding the details.
I am impressed; getting an idea is amazing, but actually going ahead and fighting to make it reality is more than amazing - it is beautiful, for it is what the human spirit is all about. It represents that extra something that makes us a wee bit more than we were born as.
I will have to return once I have a clearer understanding of how everything works here (if that ever happens), as I am posting books (SF&F novels and novelets) and I must admit I am intrigued by the idea of seeing my stories in other languages. Perhaps the first language I would want to see is Greek, then Italian (for it is such a lovely and musical language).
What does make it a bit of a problem is that I think of the stories as my children, as being part of my inner world. I want others to share and enter my world (they never will, they will only use my writing for them to create their own inner worlds which are influenced by me). To say, thanks for translating my story and now it is yours, posted under your name only, I'm not mature enough for that yet.
I am in my mid-seventies, so maybe what I could do is set it up that once I stop logging in for a few months, translaters are free to translate all my stories? Just an idea.
I hope you succeed as I think it will make a very big difference. Just the idea that I could end up reading stories and poems translated into English from Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Swahili and so on, is bound to add much beauty to my presence here.
It is a very interesting and exciting project, I would love something like that because I am not native English and some things cost me translate or can not find the right word.
I support you 100% on this journey.
Indeed - I think quite some good-quality-content in English gets a bit obfuscated by the authors lack of English language skills.
Good thinking @blakemiles84
This is a fantastic idea. I'm not sure as to the feasibility of it because I'm not a programmer but I do hope someone can do it. I would be willing to donate towards the project (assuming I have cash at the time).
It's certainly feasible (I do code/program for a living, presently), but would require a considerable amount of work and planning.
In a similarly useful vein would be a system for copy-editors and writers in need of editorial services. Which Is something I was considering pursuing (advertising editorial services), but there's no direct means of providing payment across the platform presently. The aforementioned lack of escrow, etc.
Could an overlay tied to an Ethereum smart contract act as an oracle of sorts?
I'm not particularily familiar with Ethereum unfortunately, but that sounds offhand, like it would add another layer of unnecessary complexity.
Looks like a great idea @blakemiles84!