this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2026
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366
We messed up with the Windows 12 article. What we got wrong and how it happened (www.pcworld.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by Brkdncr@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
40 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Earlier this week, PCWorld published a roundup of Windows 12 rumors translated from PCWelt that does not meet our editorial standards. We’re deeply embarrassed by it, and I personally apologize that the article was published. It should not have been, but we’re keeping the article live (with an editor’s note at the top) so it remains in the public record.

Windows Central published a response detailing its errors. Thanks for keeping us accountable, guys — genuinely. In the same spirit of accountability, I want to explain how this happened, and what we’re doing to ensure a mistake like this never occurs again.

Let’s start by discussing how PCWorld handles translated articles, and then I’ll dive into the issues with the article itself.

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[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 56 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This wasn’t even an AI issue nor even a translation issue. They published an article that lacked sources, and still wasn’t good enough once sources were added.

[–] MountingSuspicion@reddthat.com 20 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Yea, I mentioned in my comment that there was a confluence of issues, but the article does point out that the AI translation made the statement more definitive.

Edit to add:

As part of our post-mortem on this article’s evolution, PCWelt’s executive editor pointed out that the translation makes the article sound more definitive than its native German. He says that in the context of the article, the German word “soll” signals a rumored expectation, but the English translation used “will” instead of something more akin to “is rumored to.”

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

i'd translate sollen as should personally but my german is very poor

[–] Kissaki@feddit.org 4 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

It depends on contract. Your interpretation matches use as "should". But there's also use as "claims x" or "is claimed or said to be" which the quote refers to.

Ich soll - I should or I am asked to. Es soll [sein] - it is supposed to be or it supposedly is.