I'm not sure how to make it more clear that two groups translating a series means one group is wasting effort because they're repeating work that is already being done, and I am baffled that this is such a difficult concept for people to grasp.
It has nothing to do with "owning" a series which is what speedscan sloppers always cry about. It's just stupid and a waste of time.
The problem is I'm sure this isn't the only series you enjoy reading that might be a little behind, or has even been dropped by the main group. But instead of picking up one of those, you tried to start working on this one, the series that is highly popular with a lot of readers, and already has a competent group working on it.
Why?
Not only that, you're not even really translating it, you're just hoping MTL and context clues are enough, which as somebody who has done that before on a mediocre series I wanted to see if I could, is most assuredly not; it's a black box you have no idea as to whether or not you are even remotely retaining meaning and intent about half the time no matter how much AI pimps try and pretend how great DeepL is; at best you'll get about 90% of the way there, when any even remotely skilled real translator will be faster and more accurate than you could ever hope to be.
Because once again: you can't read Japanese. You have no idea if anything you are being given is correct because... you have no reference. No context. This is the shortcoming of AI "translation"; if you can't read the language, you have no idea if it's right, but if you can read the language... why would you bother entering text into an AI MTL when you can just read the langauge and typeset it as you go?
Lastly, don't switch fonts back and forth, it's really unpleasant to read.
Here's some fundamentals regarding font and typsetting.
I'm sure you're gonna get a bunch of "support" because this forum is infested with speedscan fans who don't give a shit about quality in any way, maybe even from people with more than two posts only in this thread and who joined a longer time ago than your first upload. But you really need to think about what you're doing, why you're doing it, and if it's worth the aggravation of spending hours flipping back and forth between MTL apps and your editing program to put out something that is still very much going to be inferior to the experienced group already working on this title just for the clout of putting it out before them.
Hey, hope you're doing good.
I'll say it again, I don't think there is wasted effort here,
people will read what they want to read, in official releases there is multiple publishers that publish the same series, I'll take my country as an example, let's say Chainsaw Man, there's
3 publishers for that one;
Ivrea, Panini and Norma. So, is it wasted effort for one publisher to do the same series again even though it's already done in that language?, no, again,
people will read what they want to read, in this example I'd prefer Norma, and other people may prefer others, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's
absolutely not wasted effort as you say, if people desire a high quality release, then they'll stick to Project Vinland, and that will probably be the case for new readers that come by this series. And for people that are currently following this series and desire to read a new chapter, maybe they'll chose what's currently published on mangadex because
they just want to continue the series, again, there is nothing wrong with that.
And you're are right, this has nothing to do with "owning a series", but rather the freedom for other people to post their own releases without someone trying to stop them because another group is doing it.
The problem is I'm sure this isn't the only series you enjoy reading that might be a little behind, or has even been dropped by the main group. But instead of picking up one of those, you tried to start working on this one.
Of course it is not the only series I like, and why did I choose this one instead of another one?, because
this is the one I like the most at the moment, and
I just wanted to keep reading it, which is the
main reason I am translating it. And I am sure other people also wanted to read it, which is the reason I released it on mangadex.
Not only that, you're not even really translating it, you're just hoping MTL and context clues are enough.
Sure, my translation may be MTL, and I dont know why you say "context clues" when this is stated on the
first page of the release:
"Translation by Me
(with the enormous help of AI)". This is here because I know some people prefer not to read AI translated stuff.
you have no idea as to whether or not you are even remotely retaining meaning and intent about half the time no matter how much AI pimps try and pretend how great DeepL is; at best you'll get about 90% of the way there, when any even remotely skilled real translator will be faster and more accurate than you could ever hope to be.
In this part you are right,
there's no AI that is perfect at translating, and sure, unless I learn Japanese and spend a
few years of my life perfecting the language, I wont be as fast and accurate as a real translator.
I wanted to keep reading the story, 90% as you say, is enough for me, I wanted to keep reading the story,
and I am sure other people also wanted to read it, which is why I uploaded it.
In the case it bothers you, I'll even add it on my next release;
"Translation may be only 90% accurate due to MTL limitations".
Lastly, don't switch fonts back and forth, it's really unpleasant to read.
Here's some fundamentals regarding font and typsetting.
Thanks a lot for the link!, I still lack a lot of experience considering this is my second release, I'll make sure to read this article.
But you really need to think about what you're doing, why you're doing it, and if it's worth the aggravation of spending hours flipping back and forth between MTL apps and your editing program to put out something that is still very much going to be inferior to the experienced group already working on this title just for the clout of putting it out before them.
It is totally worth it, because first
I can keep reading a manga I like, and second,
the support I received, the messages I have received have given me an immense amount of joy these past few days, seeing how people can enjoy a new chapter again, seeing how they discuss the chapters content on the comments, and seeing them express their gratitude, MAKES MY DAY.
And lastly, I am
NOT doing it for clout, first, I translated it because I wanted to read it, and I am sure other people wanted to read it too, so I released it. And from the point of my first release, seeing how it made people happy reading the chapter, seeing comments like:
It's so wonderful to be able to read these chapters. Thank you so very much Sifonez!!
or
Thx so much for the two new chapters. You made my Monday.
or
I’m so glad we can all enjoy this manga again <3
Made
me happy.
So, again, from the point of my first release, I started doing things
because they brought me joy, because they made me happy.
So, if you think I will stop doing something that makes me happy, then you're incredibly wrong.
I wish you a happy week, and thanks for bringing some of these points, I'll continue to try to improve my shortcomings.
