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Why Foreigners Do Not Like Using QQ
Tue, 07/27/2010 - 06:18
There was a post quite some timae ago about QQ. So here are my afterthoughts about using QQ.
Jada
Why Foreigners Do Not Like Using QQ
I get this question from students who what to keep in touch with me.
“Do you have a QQ number?”
For a long time I’ve tried to avoid using QQ as a way of communicating with my students for the following reason. It’s difficult to use.
First of all it caters to the Chinese market mainly to those Chinese who are computer savvy. All of their ads are in Chinese and all of their new flashes and updates are in Chinese. What use would a foreigner have for news updates if he or she can’t understand Chinese?
Now I can read some Chinese and can navigate my way around my QQ account. But I also find QQ not very Roman-friendly. That is to say QQ is not friendly to those who prefer to write or blog in English, French, Spanish, or other languages that use the western alphabet. For example when I type in my status in English I sometimes find words that are split up in the wrong place. In a Roman-friendly world the use of the hyphen is used only between two syllables and is mainly found at the end of a line. But on QQ when I’m typing my status or my blog I get words that are split in inappropriate places, eg. "Th
is a good example of what I'm talking about." If I find that the word is too long and it won’t fit on the same line I may have to insert the hyphen myself. Or I would have to move the rest of the sentence on the next line without breaking apart any words.
I’ve tried searching for an English QQ but the last time I found the website it only had one page in English. The rest of it was in Chinese. When I tried to download the English version it gave the instructions in Chinese. I had no choice but to download it in Chinese.
I also find QQ to be very slow. Everytime I want to change my status or post a new blog entry it takes HEAPS of time to open the site. The only thing that QQ is good for is chatting with my students and that is the ONLY reason why I have a QQ account. Since students are denied access to Facebook and other foreign social media websites because the government ban the only social network they have access to is QQ.
But unlike my students I have a choice. I do have a Facebook account and find it has the same features as QQ and more thanks to a proxy that places me “in” the USA even though I’m really in China. I can type my blog entries and statuses in both Chinese and in English. I can chat. I can e-mail. I can play games. I can post messages to all of my friends’ walls. The only thing I can’t do is chat with my Chinese students or post on their walls because of the ban
The next question I get from students is why don’t foreigners like using QQ? Sometimes when students ask me this question I feel like taking my inflatable sledge hammer and knocking them on the head with it. Foreigners prefer Facebook because it’s in English, French, Japanese, Chinese, and a heap of other languages and therefore it’s much easier to use. No spliting up words in inappropriate places either. So as for me I’ll take Facebook over QQ any day even if I don’t get to chat with my students
Tue, 07/27/2010 - 14:34
#2
NO to QQ for Foreign Teachers
I am against any sort of text messages between student and teacher that can be saved and then manipulated. Mobile phone text messages aren't subject to that as far as I know.
Online text messages are subject to that, though. Anything that can be copied and then pasted into Word can spell trouble for a teacher who has someone on his back who is heck-bent on doing some real damage.
Mon, 08/02/2010 - 09:45
#3
Why you might want to use QQ...
...all of my classes at the Uni have a QQ group so I can send a message to all the students in a class at the same time..As far as individual messages, you can make yourself "invisible" easily and only respond to the messages that deal with your class or an individual student with a valid question. I think it is a great tool if used properly!
Mon, 08/02/2010 - 09:49
#4
Funny Names?
My favorite thus far was a student named Jello! I just hope she never goes to the USA because she will hate me for not making her change her name!
Tue, 08/03/2010 - 04:50
#5
Funny Names 2
First there's the collection of colors: Blue, Green, Black even. Geographical notions created Warm Sea. Then there are favorite fruits and vegetables. Cherry doesn't sound to bad, but what about Carrot & Spinach? I've met girls who prefer adjectives like Serene and Honest. Then there are a number devoted to favorite basketball stars: Michael, and Jordan, LeBron, and James, Tracy, and McCready. And there are, of course, some pay tribute to the gloved one, Michael, and also, Jackson. The ones I dislike the most are Satan, Lucifer, and Hitler. These boys are obviously after sensationalism here. I also had a Zero last semester; she said it was a perfect mathematical concept, or something like that. And there are also a number of creative efforts like Swamish and Scally. I can't recall their explanations for them. Some of them I encouraged to change their names and Spinach, Satan, and Hitler did. But Lucifer was a little devil and could not be persuaded.
What's this?
I did look at it, but it didn't have any appeal other than the students using it.