ICONSnet User Guide: Translator Function

Translator Function

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Translator Function

The ICONSnet translator function is designed to support the work of a team providing translations of foreign language messages for one or more regular members of a simulation community.

Before the start of a simulation, Simcon will set up the system to automatically forward messages requiring translation to a translator team. Translations will be provided only for those countries who do not have local translation capabilities.

As a translator, there are four main functions that you will undertake:

• Accessing Messages for Translation
• Sending Translations
• Sending Messages
• Administrative

Accessing Messages for Translation
To view the messages that are awaiting translation, click on the Read New Messages button. You will be able to pull up new messages in one of three ways:

• Read all new messages: Choose this option if you would like to read all messages that have been sent to you since you last read messages.
• Read new messages within an issue area: This option is preferable when you are interested in reading only the messages within a particular issue area. This feature is useful for teams whose members have divided responsibility among issue areas. Click the button(s) next to the issue areas that you are interested in.
• Read selected new messages from the list: This option is appropriate if you are looking for a particular message. This feature is useful if you are expecting a response from another user, and don't want to have to read through all new messages. Click in the blank boxes next to the message(s) that you are interested in viewing.

After you pull up a message or messages using one of the options above, you will notice that you have three options at the end of each message:

• Archive # xx:Select Archive if the message requires no translation and you do not need to leave it in the new message queue for another team member to see. (Because of the way that the message forwarding works, it is likely that you will get a number of messages that your team will not need to translate. Putting them in the archive will help you to keep your new message queue at a manageable size. You can always access any of these messages later by clicking on Search Archives.)
• Select for translation xx:  Select for translation allows you to compose a translation of that message, as well as determine whether another member of your team is already working on translating that message. This will be covered in detail in the following section.
• Quit reading messages at xx:  Click Quit if you would like to stop reading new messages.

Sending Translations
The ICONSnet translation function allows translators to either send an immediate translation of a message or to save a draft translation to work on at a later time.

After you have selected a message for translation, you will get a form that allows you to compose a translation. One of the useful features of the system is that the form will be automatically filled in with the appropriate recipient(s), issue area(s), and subject. You do not need to modify any of these parameters.

Since translating a message can take a while, the system allows the members of a translator team to mark whether they are currently working on a translation for that message. If a message is being translated, you will see a team member’s name in the Message Translated By box. If that box is empty, you can assume that the message is still awaiting translation.

Sending a Translation Immediately
Depending on the length and complexity of the message, you may choose to compose and send a translation right away. To do so:

1. Enter your name in the Message Translated By box.

2. Enter the translation in the message box on the right side of the screen. (The original message is in the box on the left.) You can either type directly in the box, or cut and paste into the box from a word processing program. (The latter is preferable if you will need to include characters that are not standard on an English-language keyboard.)

3. Click Send.

Saving a Draft Translation
If, however, you would like more time to work on a translation, you will want to use the Save Draft function.

1. Enter your name in the Message Translated By box.

2. Type a draft of a translation in the message box on the right side of the screen. You can either type directly in the box, or cut and paste into the box from a word processing program.  (Instead of a draft, you could also enter a message to your teammates. For example, "Bob is translating message 500, and plans to send it Wednesday morning.")

3. Click Save Draft.  This will save a draft of the message in your new message queue where you and your team members can continue to access it.

Retrieving a Saved Draft
To retrieve a saved draft, click on Read New Messages and select the message the you were working on. When you pull it up, you will notice your name in the Message Translated By box and your draft in the message box on the right side of the screen. Replace the draft with your final translation and click on the Send button. (You can access and modify drafts as many times as you want before sending a final version.)

When you have sent a translation, it will automatically go to the original sender of the message, along with any simulation participants who were recipients of the original message who do not have translation capability. The original message will be removed from the new message queue, and you will be able to access it only by clicking Search Archives.

Note: Your team will need to work out translation procedures as a group. This includes deciding who is to be responsible for translating which messages, and whether translated messages need to be reviewed by another team member or by your instructor before they are sent. The ICONSnet system is designed to be flexible enough to accommodate different teamwork models.

Sending Messages
There may be times when you need to communicate directly with a simulation participant or with Simcon. Use this function to send any message that is not a translation. Refer to Sending Messages for instructions about how to do this.

Administrative
There are two administrative parameters that you can change.

• Change Password: Click in the appropriate boxes to enter your current password, your new password, and a verification of your new password. After you have filled in the three boxes, click the Change Password box to activate the change. If successful, you will receive a notice that your password has been successfully changed. If, however, the new password and the verification you entered are different, you will be notified that the change was unsuccessful, and you will then have to start over.

• Change Copy Self Settings: When you send a message, you will not receive it in your list of new messages unless you send a copy of the message to yourself. You can either choose to do this for each individual message, or you can set your user profile so that this is done automatically. If you select "Turn Copy Self Option On", all messages that you send will be put in your new message queue. Your choice will stay in effect until you, or someone on your team, changes the setting. (See Sending Messages for more information.)

Note:  You and your team should decide on a password as a group and make sure that everyone in the group knows what the new password will be. Do not change the password without consulting as a group.

http://www.icons.umd.edu/help/net10.html
Last modified: March 20, 2001