You can get some laughs from checking how it handles tricky figures of speech that would challenge a UN interpreter. Or you can use it as an aid to help you navigate foreign pages. There are limitations. Today the service only provides translations between English and five European languages. Also, this service only translates plain text.
Words embedded in graphics remain unchanged.
Words that appear in Java applets or inside frames or databases do not get translated when you submit a URL for translation. And AltaVista can't access text in a URL that is behind a firewall or requires a password. Or type in whatever text you like. Check local-language Web pages from places where you intend to travel and learn about accommodations, entertainment, and events. Read local-language news stories on the Web, getting a foreign perspective on events and perhaps greater detail than offered by global news sources.