h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been working on a project for sometime now and it is nearly finished ... yippee!! I've got to show some sort of almost finished idea on Wednesday next week to my boss.

I'm quite excited about such a new idea. No one has ever attempted this before - so I'm treading on untrodden territory - it's so exciting!!

The web site is to promote integration, understanding and friendship between three (four) European towns. Naturally there is the language barrier problem ... but I have a cunning plan! Babel Fish and Leo.

The project started a few months ago as part of a workshop (which I headed). In the workshop I did have two people to do some translating, but this took so much time. In the end, we (they) decided upon English - which most people seemed to understand. At least I didn't take it for granted that everyone would be willing to speak and write English.

And, basically, I doing this for no charge ... hoping to my imaged raised up a few notches ... is image really everything?

No - says she who doesn't have any image.

But it's always very nice to know you have a job well done, and to have some reward in whatever form. And a raised image may help you with another project - if you're looking for help or sponsors. Nothing wrong with a good image.

On a linguistic basis, I am mega interested in this cunning plan.

Incidentally...a couple of weeks ago, my wife went to a conference that you'd have been interested in on refugee integration.

Good Evening Edward,

I'm not really a programmer but I know a few people that are and they are supposed to do the forum part of the website.

I'd like to have Babel Fish in some sort of pop-up window whereby if someone doesn't understand a word or a phrase they could copy the tread into the programme and get some sort of answer. This translation tool is not 100% accurate but at least they might get some idea of what the sentence might be. Better than nothing!

Leo.org is also great ... but only good for single words.

Did your wife learn anything new? There's a lecture about multiculturalism here in the local night-school next week ... it sounds interesting. But I do originate from London and seem to have more knowledge about this subject that most of my colleagues (As Germany is rather backwards when it comes to all things Multi-Culty. Still, it will be interesting.

BabelFish...not so hot. I find it useful for a first cut.

My wife learnt quite a lot about trafficking (she's a sw in a court).

Just back from Sweden. They seem to have it reasonably sussed. More multi-kulti than I'd expected. Mind you...*everyone* speaks English. Perfect English.