Amazon purchases an automated machine translation company Thread poster: Jeff Whittaker
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Jeff Whittaker 
United States
Local time: 16:41
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
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| Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:41
Member (2008)
Italian to English
So that's why I got that email the other day, via Proz, from Amazon, looking for translators and "proofreaders" (I didn't reply; when Amazon starts paying its taxes, maybe I'll be interested). No doubt they're looking for real translators to help them improve their MT.
[Edited at 2015-10-06 14:13 GMT]
| | | | Maija Cirule
Latvia
Local time: 23:41
German to English
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Tom in London wrote: So that's why I got that email the other day, via Proz, from Amazon, looking for translators and "proofreaders" (I didn't reply; when Amazon starts paying its taxes, maybe I'll be interested). No doubt they're looking for real translators to help them improve their MT. [Edited at 2015-10-06 14:13 GMT]
and they are ready to pay breathtaking 0.01USD per source word. What an incredible catch:)
| | | | Arek Luczyk
Poland
Local time: 22:41
English to Polish
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I didn't reply; when Amazon starts paying its taxes, maybe I'll be interested.
...but then we should also stop using Google, buying from Apple, bidding on eBay etc.
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Maija Cirule
Latvia
Local time: 23:41
German to English
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| So are you saying | Oct 7, 2015 |
Arek Luczyk wrote: I didn't reply; when Amazon starts paying its taxes, maybe I'll be interested. ...but then we should also stop using Google, buying from Apple, bidding on eBay etc.
that Google, Apple, eBay, etc., do not pay their taxes?
| | | | | I like Amazon | Oct 7, 2015 |
Tom in London wrote:
when Amazon starts paying its taxes, maybe I'll be interested
I honestly couldn't care less about their MT. Some people are not concerned about quality; for example, they would rather buy 10 cheap T-shirts, use Amazon to translate a text, and eat five times a week in a fast-food restaurant.
On the other hand, other people prefer to own one, high quality T-shirt, hire a translator and enjoy eating out in a good restaurant once a week.
How many people would prefer to invest €500 in their business instead of spending the money on paying tax?
I've been an Amazon fan for over 15 years. Before it appeared I used to have to drive 200 km to buy a book written in English, or fill my suitcases with books whenever I went to the UK.
It's lovely to be able to read whatever I fancy with just a few clicks
| | | | Arek Luczyk
Poland
Local time: 22:41
English to Polish
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| Yes they do... | Oct 7, 2015 |
Maija Cirule wrote: Arek Luczyk wrote: I didn't reply; when Amazon starts paying its taxes, maybe I'll be interested. ...but then we should also stop using Google, buying from Apple, bidding on eBay etc. that Google, Apple, eBay, etc., do not pay their taxes?
...in the similar way that Amazon does (i.e. through a subsidiary in another country).
| | | | Maija Cirule
Latvia
Local time: 23:41
German to English
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Arek Luczyk wrote: Maija Cirule wrote: Arek Luczyk wrote: I didn't reply; when Amazon starts paying its taxes, maybe I'll be interested. ...but then we should also stop using Google, buying from Apple, bidding on eBay etc. that Google, Apple, eBay, etc., do not pay their taxes? ...in the similar way that Amazon does (i.e. through a subsidiary in another country).
so what? Why I should be concerned about their tax payment practices?
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:41
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| If you don't know why... | Oct 7, 2015 |
Maija Cirule wrote:
so what? Why I should be concerned about their tax payment practices?
If you don't know why, then there's nothing anyone can say.
[Edited at 2015-10-07 11:38 GMT]
| | | | | You pay more if they pay nothing | Oct 7, 2015 |
Maija Cirule wrote:
so what? Why I should be concerned about their tax payment practices?
A company doing business in a country makes both direct and indirect use of the infrastructure and services that country provides. It drives lorries on its roads, expects the police to provide security for its premises, the fire brigade to put out fires in its warehouses. It wants employees to be able to read and write. It also wants employees who can be relied on to turn up to work, not be absent because of poorly maintained transport infrastructure or because public services cannot deal with the very young or very old or sick dependents of those employees. It would probably not welcome the business disruption caused by an invasion from Russia, say, because a country's defence force has been reduced to four pensioners armed with pea-shooters. And so on.
Therefore companies should contribute towards these things, if they want to gain the benefit of them. Otherwise states are obliged either not to provide them, or to increase the burden on individual taxpayers to compensate for corporation taxes which could make a useful addition to the pot.
| | | | | And answer came there none | Oct 16, 2015 |
Which is no surprise.
| | | | | And still... | Oct 16, 2015 |
Charlie Bavington wrote:
Which is no surprise.
Never mind. I really liked your answer - clear, concise and useful. There might be nothing more to say to those who are already aware of their surroundings, but there is so much that needs to be said to the rest of people... again and again and again...
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Robin Joensuu
Sweden
Local time: 22:41
Member
English to Swedish
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| Taxes, yes please. | Oct 20, 2015 |
How many people would prefer to invest €500 in their business instead of spending the money on paying tax?
If I can only choose one, I would choose no 2 for the above mentioned reasons. And do you really think that the large part of Amazon's profits (or Google's or Microsoft's or IKEA's) are reinvested? They go to the stock holders.
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Robin Joensuu wrote: Helena Chavarria wrote:
How many people would prefer to invest €500 in their business instead of spending the money on paying tax?
If I can only choose one, I would choose no 2 for the above mentioned reasons. And do you really think that the large part of Amazon's profits (or Google's or Microsoft's or IKEA's) are reinvested? They go to the stock holders.
I seem to have missed this gem, demonstrating a fair degree of ignorance of how tax works. Helena, if you spend €500 on legitimate business costs, that reduces your taxable profit. Spend enough, legitimately, and your tax bill can be zero.
Legitimately of course, is the nub. The likes of Amazon reduce their tax bill to zero by stretching "legitimate" to the limit. I like the service Amazon provide, and I've used it in the past. I just think their business ethics stink, so I've stopped using them until they improve.
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