To help launch last month’s beta version of “the world’s simplest subtitling tool,” Mozilla Drumbeat and Universal Subtitles asked for your help. The challenge: kick the tires on the new tool by using it to subtitle 10,000 videos by the end of the year. We’re now over 40% of the way toward that goal, with 4,179 videos submitted as of today. The early verdict: the tool works, really is ridiculously simple to use, and is already being adopted by high-profile partners like Wikimedia Commons and MIT. Even more impressive, it has a growing community of inspiring users behind it — including some prolific pros like Stenoknight.
From DNA to Dr. Seuss: 30 videos in 30 days
Stenoknight, aka Mirabai Knight, provides real time captioning services for the deaf and hard of hearing. She took up the Universal Subtitles challenge by captioning 30 videos over 30 days — from a 3D animation about DNA and how ribosomes make proteins, to BBC nature documentaries, to Dr. Seuss, to a music video for Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” interpreted into American Sign Language. Check out her awesome recap post here.
“Thanks again to Universal Subtitles for their amazing captioning tool, and if anyone else would like to attempt to caption 30 videos in 30 days, go for it! I’d love to see this idea catch on.” —Stenoknight
Ramping up the pace: can you help?
The next goal for Universal Subtitles: ramp up the pace of development toward a full “1.0” release early in 2011. Right now the project has two developers working half-time on the project. The Universal Subtitles team is trying to raise $25,000 by the end of the year, which will allow those developers to work full time and push to get the tool from beta to 1.0. Mozilla is matching all donations until the end of the year, so please send Universal Subtitles some love this holiday season. You can help now by:
- Making a donation. Your contribution will help Universal Subtitles build the next version of their tool in early 2011.
- Subtitle a video of your own. To help reach their milestone of 10,000 subtitled videos by the end of 2010.
- Contribute your developer skills. There are several “bite-sized tickets” open at the Universal Subtitles developer center, from javascript to python/django to bug reporting on You Tube. Dive in and help build the world’s simplest subtitling tool. And help make online video accessible to all.
