Using on line translation services

If you need to give information to someone who speaks another language, will the on line translators do an adequate job? I tested Yahoo and Google's free services and this is what I found:

The original paragraph

I translated this paragraph into Chinese using Google translate. I then converted it back from Chinese to English using another free web translation service - babelfish.
The first paragraph is the original paragraph, the second, the translation into Chinese (simplified), while the third paragraph is the retranslation into English. the question is, "Is this good enough for your needs?"

The Simplified Chinese output from Google:

我翻译成中文本款使用谷歌翻译。然后我回转换为英语的？何使用其他免费的网络翻译服务- Babelfish平台。
第一段是原段中，第二，成中文（简体翻译），而第三段是重新翻译成英文。问题是，“这是您的需求不够好？”

The translation of the Google output back into English from Yahoo:

I translate the Chinese text funds use google to translate. Then I return transform into English? What uses other free networks to translate the service - Babelfish platform. The first section is in the original section, second, becomes Chinese (simplified translation), but the third section translates English. The question is, “this is your demand is not very good?”

I then tried with a series of bullet points on a PowerPoint slide. I figured that there could be no greater show of respect than to take the trouble to produce my PowerPoint slides in their language. I chose one which listed the Major Hazard Management Plans that must be in place in underground coal mines in Queensland. My Chinese visitors were interested in this, even if you are not.

My original English slide

Major Hazard Management Plans

Spontaneous combustion
Gas management
Ventilation
Emergency response
Strata control


The output from Google in Simplified Chinese

重大危险管理计划

自燃
燃气管理
通风
应急响应
岩层控制

Yahoo's retranslation

Significant danger management plan The spontaneous combustion fuel gas management ventilates the emergency response rock layer control

It was almost good enough. My main concern was "strata control" becoming "rock layer control. So I changed it to: "Roof support"

I translated and retranslated and it came back as roof support.

So, are the free translation services good enough?

For me, yes - if I am using keywords on PowerPoint slides, and provided I check through retranslation.