Do I need Trados?

simprotrans · 19-01-2008, 01:02 PM

Hi again,

Another question.

I would like to set myself up as a translator. I did all the courses, I joined the CIOL, but then I put translation to one side for a while.

Reading The Linguist, and other information, I see lots of mention of Trados software and was wondering whether this was essential for me to be taken seriously as a translator.

How do I get hold of it? Is there some freeware equivalent? Am I expected to buy it or can translation companies provide it?

Thanks,

Simon

Dina · 19-01-2008, 01:40 PM

The simple answer is that if you have Windows Vista and the latest version of Microsoft Office, you definitely need not to have Trados. Other CAT software tends to work very badly on it too.

There are a lot of CAT programs around. Wordfast is an alternative to Trados. You can download it free and use it for medium-sized jobs without any other limitations. It is also possible to use translation memories from Trados and export the updated memory in a format that Trados can import. Similarly, the "uncleaned" files can be exchanged between the two systems as they are, with no conversion. So there are theoretically no compatibility problems, but I would not want to guarantee that you never get into trouble that way. Still, there is now quite a big community of Wordfast users, and Trados no longer has the same market domination it once had.

I am sure there are free programs around, but the only one I have tried, Omega-T, was not very satisfactory. Sorry, I also tried aCross, and that was just too baroque in its complexity. In some cases, simpler is better!

In answer to your question, however, there is a lot of work around where you are just given the file and asked to send back the translation. In these cases, you are still probably better off using a CAT program, but it doesn't matter which one, except for considerations of your own preferences. You can earn a decent living without a CAT program, but it is easier with....

simprotrans · 19-01-2008, 03:53 PM

Thanks again, Dina, really useful, I'll explore some programs and see which ones seem useful...

...and you've given me another reason not to upgrade to Vista!

Thanks!

Simon

simprotrans · 20-01-2008, 10:04 AM

Another related question about setting myself up as a translator.

If I was to promote myself as a specialist in software translation, does this mean I would be expected to have the relevant specialist software?

For example, technical authors write help files in a software called Robohelp. Would I be expected to have a (very expensive) copy of Robohelp? I am hoping that the relevant translation company would be able to output the words I need to translate into a format such as Word so I don't need to buy all this expensive software. Is my assumption correct?

Sorry for the long-winded question, hope it makes sense.

Thanks!

Dina · 20-01-2008, 11:19 AM

Hello again Simpotrans. I do a fair bit of that sort of stuff. I have never been asked to use Robohelp, and in fact the only software I have been expected to pay for out of my own pocket has been CAT software (and even then, some agents who use less common or even home-grown software provide it free). Generally, the help texts are extracted into a Word or text file, and you translate that. Of course, this loses some important contextual information, and in some cases you may also get the original software to play with. The only useful program I ever got this way, however, had a self-destruct feature built into it. So much for the perks of being a translator.

The short answer is: don't worry about it. You will probably need a CAT program, possibly an accounting package, and nothing else. Anything else, if you need it at all, should be provided by the client.

simprotrans · 20-01-2008, 11:56 AM

Thanks again Dina,

You're really helping me to get my head round this issue, these are questions that I've had hanging around for ages...

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19-01-2008, 01:02 PM	#1
simprotrans Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 33	Do I need Trados? Hi again, Another question. I would like to set myself up as a translator. I did all the courses, I joined the CIOL, but then I put translation to one side for a while. Reading The Linguist, and other information, I see lots of mention of Trados software and was wondering whether this was essential for me to be taken seriously as a translator. How do I get hold of it? Is there some freeware equivalent? Am I expected to buy it or can translation companies provide it? Thanks, Simon

19-01-2008, 01:40 PM	#2
Dina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indonesia Posts: 683	Trados.... The simple answer is that if you have Windows Vista and the latest version of Microsoft Office, you definitely need not to have Trados. Other CAT software tends to work very badly on it too. There are a lot of CAT programs around. Wordfast is an alternative to Trados. You can download it free and use it for medium-sized jobs without any other limitations. It is also possible to use translation memories from Trados and export the updated memory in a format that Trados can import. Similarly, the "uncleaned" files can be exchanged between the two systems as they are, with no conversion. So there are theoretically no compatibility problems, but I would not want to guarantee that you never get into trouble that way. Still, there is now quite a big community of Wordfast users, and Trados no longer has the same market domination it once had. I am sure there are free programs around, but the only one I have tried, Omega-T, was not very satisfactory. Sorry, I also tried aCross, and that was just too baroque in its complexity. In some cases, simpler is better! In answer to your question, however, there is a lot of work around where you are just given the file and asked to send back the translation. In these cases, you are still probably better off using a CAT program, but it doesn't matter which one, except for considerations of your own preferences. You can earn a decent living without a CAT program, but it is easier with....

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19-01-2008, 03:53 PM	#3
simprotrans Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 33	Thanks again, Dina, really useful, I'll explore some programs and see which ones seem useful... ...and you've given me another reason not to upgrade to Vista! Thanks! Simon

20-01-2008, 10:04 AM	#4
simprotrans Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 33	Another related question about setting myself up as a translator. If I was to promote myself as a specialist in software translation, does this mean I would be expected to have the relevant specialist software? For example, technical authors write help files in a software called Robohelp. Would I be expected to have a (very expensive) copy of Robohelp? I am hoping that the relevant translation company would be able to output the words I need to translate into a format such as Word so I don't need to buy all this expensive software. Is my assumption correct? Sorry for the long-winded question, hope it makes sense. Thanks!

20-01-2008, 11:19 AM	#5
Dina Moderator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indonesia Posts: 683	Hello again Simpotrans. I do a fair bit of that sort of stuff. I have never been asked to use Robohelp, and in fact the only software I have been expected to pay for out of my own pocket has been CAT software (and even then, some agents who use less common or even home-grown software provide it free). Generally, the help texts are extracted into a Word or text file, and you translate that. Of course, this loses some important contextual information, and in some cases you may also get the original software to play with. The only useful program I ever got this way, however, had a self-destruct feature built into it. So much for the perks of being a translator. The short answer is: don't worry about it. You will probably need a CAT program, possibly an accounting package, and nothing else. Anything else, if you need it at all, should be provided by the client.

20-01-2008, 11:56 AM	#6
simprotrans Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 33	Thanks again Dina, You're really helping me to get my head round this issue, these are questions that I've had hanging around for ages...