Pages in topic:   [1 2 3] >
the best and easiest CAT for the newbie
Thread poster: anna sherman
anna sherman
anna sherman
Israel
Local time: 00:25
English to Russian
+ ...
Apr 18, 2018

Hello to everyone!
I translate mostly from English into Russian. I am already tired and fed up with the manual translation. I am for the manual translation with both hands. But when the words are repeated, it is so pity, I do not use any cat program!
I would like to hear your opinions: what cat to use if to start working with it? I work for about 15 years manually. But it is enough. Even for such a conservative like me, it is time to begin using a CAT program.
There are so ma
... See more
Hello to everyone!
I translate mostly from English into Russian. I am already tired and fed up with the manual translation. I am for the manual translation with both hands. But when the words are repeated, it is so pity, I do not use any cat program!
I would like to hear your opinions: what cat to use if to start working with it? I work for about 15 years manually. But it is enough. Even for such a conservative like me, it is time to begin using a CAT program.
There are so many programs! I cannot decide what to choose. What are your recommendations? I do not know how to use it and I want something simple for the beginning. Maybe there is a CAT program that is easy and many translators use for a long time already.
Collapse


 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Sentences, phrases, words, letters... Apr 18, 2018

Hello Anna.

Although the idea behind CAT is to speed the work up giving quick prompts from similar pieces of translated works to a translator, nowadays they branded it as "Never be paid again for translating the same again", unfortunately.

First, what's your preferable OS/type (Windows, OSX, *nix, Android);
Second, size and mostly used file formats ( doc(x), rtf, exe/dll, subtitles);
Third, how about a decent Internet connection and NDA;
Fourth
... See more
Hello Anna.

Although the idea behind CAT is to speed the work up giving quick prompts from similar pieces of translated works to a translator, nowadays they branded it as "Never be paid again for translating the same again", unfortunately.

First, what's your preferable OS/type (Windows, OSX, *nix, Android);
Second, size and mostly used file formats ( doc(x), rtf, exe/dll, subtitles);
Third, how about a decent Internet connection and NDA;
Fourth, how much you are ready to invest; and so on.

Why don't you try free/online tools or watch the Youtube for hints about certain CAT?
Namely, I really enjoy tiny Wordfast Classic, which works right in MS Word environment. On the other hand, a free online (browser-based, so work from almost any device, yet mind NDA) Wordfast Anywhere (freetm.com) also works fine and can process PDF and other formats. There's a free cross-platform OmegaT and Anaphraseus too.

There're will be far too many suggestions, so just check how it looks and feels for you and then try it)

Cheers
Collapse


 
Georgie Scott
Georgie Scott  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 23:25
French to English
+ ...
Termbases Apr 18, 2018

When you have repetitive texts, termbases (in addition to translation memories) can also be handy; you save the translation of a word and then just have to press enter the next time it comes up, a little like T9 on mobile phones.

If you get Trados Studio, you will need to buy MultiTerm separately to use this feature. If you get MemoQ, I'm pretty sure this feature is included. That said, I still prefer Studio to MemoQ.

This process is a little more complicated than I'm m
... See more
When you have repetitive texts, termbases (in addition to translation memories) can also be handy; you save the translation of a word and then just have to press enter the next time it comes up, a little like T9 on mobile phones.

If you get Trados Studio, you will need to buy MultiTerm separately to use this feature. If you get MemoQ, I'm pretty sure this feature is included. That said, I still prefer Studio to MemoQ.

This process is a little more complicated than I'm making it sound and it would be worth looking for a video tutorial online to see how it works, but it does save time when you have a text that says "passionate" hundreds of times, for example. CAT tools will also slow you down in the short-term. The savings are made in the long term, once you get used to them.
Collapse


 
Sandra & Kenneth Grossman
Sandra & Kenneth Grossman  Identity Verified
Israel
Local time: 00:25
French to English
+ ...
CATs are indispensable Apr 18, 2018

Hi Anna,
CATs have several major benefits. Once you start using them, you'll never look back.
1. Your translations are broken down into sentences, called translation units (TUs). They are recorded in Translation Memories (TMs). Whenever you encounter a similar sentence, your TM will automatically suggest a translation. Additionally, you can search your TM to find out how you translated that term in the past.

2. You can enter terminology in a Termbase. The process of addi
... See more
Hi Anna,
CATs have several major benefits. Once you start using them, you'll never look back.
1. Your translations are broken down into sentences, called translation units (TUs). They are recorded in Translation Memories (TMs). Whenever you encounter a similar sentence, your TM will automatically suggest a translation. Additionally, you can search your TM to find out how you translated that term in the past.

2. You can enter terminology in a Termbase. The process of adding terms is very easy. All the terms you entered in an active termbase will be suggested automatically, as relevant. In Trados this is managed by a separate module called Multiterm, which is included in the purchase of Trados and is not bought separately.

3. Another huge benefit is that the entire translation is inputted into the software, and, while missing words or phrases is still possible, missing paragraphs is impossible, which, working from hard copies is a definite risk.

There are a few free CATs, but I am not sure how good they are, or you may try free trials.

The best are definitely not the easiest.


HTH,
Sandra

[Edited at 2018-04-18 12:18 GMT]
Collapse


 
anna sherman
anna sherman
Israel
Local time: 00:25
English to Russian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Should try a free trial Apr 18, 2018

Thanks a lot! It seems everyone has the beloved CAT. And I do understand that with the CAT tool a new translation life begins)) I will try to find my own way. Will start with a free trial to understand how it works.
Translation memory is what I need.


 
Susan Welsh
Susan Welsh  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 18:25
Russian to English
+ ...
OmegaT Apr 18, 2018

OmegaT is the easiest I know, and it's free. https://omegat.org/
There's a tutorial for CAT newbies here: https://omegat.org/files/guide/OmegaT_for_Beginners_en.pdf

Your question has been discussed many times in the Proz forums. Do a search.


 
anna sherman
anna sherman
Israel
Local time: 00:25
English to Russian
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you, Susan! Apr 18, 2018

Susan Welsh wrote:

OmegaT is the easiest I know, and it's free. https://omegat.org/
There's a tutorial for CAT newbies here: https://omegat.org/files/guide/OmegaT_for_Beginners_en.pdf

Your question has been discussed many times in the Proz forums. Do a search.

Thank you, Susan! I thought about OmegaT.
Hopefully, I like it. Thanks for the link to a tutorial.


 
Heinrich Pesch
Heinrich Pesch  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 00:25
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
For whom? Apr 18, 2018

What kind of formats do you mostly send to your customers? What do your customers want you to use? Practically there are only left SDL Studio and OmegaQ, all other seem to have lost their market shares (Wordfast, Transit, DejaVu etc.). If you buy SDL Studio and ask a colleague to tutor you for a while you won't regret it.

 
DZiW (X)
DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
Wie, bitte? Apr 18, 2018

Heinrich, could you provide some statistics that "all other seem to have lost their market shares" or you're talking from your exp--just an opinion? I mostly hear about Deja Vu or MemoQ now, and the last time a friend of mine used free OmegaT/Anaphraseus/WF Anywhere till a new client stated then-new Trados Freelance'2015 was a must, promising 'plenty of work'--which didn't work, alas.

Therefore, the 'no regret' concept may vary greatly depending on whether it's about a free
... See more
Heinrich, could you provide some statistics that "all other seem to have lost their market shares" or you're talking from your exp--just an opinion? I mostly hear about Deja Vu or MemoQ now, and the last time a friend of mine used free OmegaT/Anaphraseus/WF Anywhere till a new client stated then-new Trados Freelance'2015 was a must, promising 'plenty of work'--which didn't work, alas.

Therefore, the 'no regret' concept may vary greatly depending on whether it's about a free tool, some $100, $500, or $1000+...

Of course, sometimes it's better to know several CATs, but it's very translator who keeps a firm hand to the situation and policy. Also some clients/agencies may provide their tools/licenses, and ProZ offers GroupBuys too)
Collapse


 
Michael Beijer
Michael Beijer  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:25
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
I think think one of the best to start with is the free ("Personal Edition") of Memsource. Apr 18, 2018

anna sherman wrote:

Hello to everyone!
I translate mostly from English into Russian. I am already tired and fed up with the manual translation. I am for the manual translation with both hands. But when the words are repeated, it is so pity, I do not use any cat program!
I would like to hear your opinions: what cat to use if to start working with it? I work for about 15 years manually. But it is enough. Even for such a conservative like me, it is time to begin using a CAT program.
There are so many programs! I cannot decide what to choose. What are your recommendations? I do not know how to use it and I want something simple for the beginning. Maybe there is a CAT program that is easy and many translators use for a long time already.


Hi Anna,

Have a look:

https://www.memsource.com/
https://www.memsource.com/pricing2

If you ask me, Memsource currently has the best designed UI of all CAT tools: it is unobtrusive and just works. Unlike memoQ and Studio, it is very light/fast, and virtually bug-free.

Make sure to use the Desktop Editor though, as their Cloud Editor can be a bit slow. Your translation memories and termbases are stored in the cloud, as are your documents.

Michael


 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 18:25
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Wordfast Classic Apr 18, 2018

If you are mainly working in Word documents, I would suggest Wordfast Classic to start with, for several reasons:

- it integrates directly inside MS Word
- since you are translating within the Word document there are no formatting tags like most other CAT tools, which can be confusing until you get used to them. Word takes care of formatting itself
- the free trial allows up to 500 segments in your translation memory, which is probably quite a few jobs. The free trial ca
... See more
If you are mainly working in Word documents, I would suggest Wordfast Classic to start with, for several reasons:

- it integrates directly inside MS Word
- since you are translating within the Word document there are no formatting tags like most other CAT tools, which can be confusing until you get used to them. Word takes care of formatting itself
- the free trial allows up to 500 segments in your translation memory, which is probably quite a few jobs. The free trial can be used to a point where the volume makes it worthwhile to purchase, but not necessary before that.

While I don't use Wordfast Classic myself any more, I used it for quite a few years when I first started translating professionally and recommend it for starting.

Even though I'm recommending it for a starting CAT tool it is nonetheless a powerful tool.
Collapse


 
Jean Dimitriadis
Jean Dimitriadis  Identity Verified
English to French
+ ...
OmegaQ Apr 18, 2018

practically there are only left SDL Studio and OmegaQ


A rare breed between memoQ and OmegaT, a virtual monster CAT ready to tear down the fabric of reality (and your market share, in the process).

To Zork fans out there: You are *more* likely to be eaten by a grue.

[Edited at 2018-04-18 18:34 GMT]


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:25
Spanish to English
+ ...
Wordfast Classic Apr 19, 2018

Ditto what John Said - although I'm still using it after 10 years and it does everything I need it to. I recommend checking out the demo.

Andy Watkinson
 
Hans Lenting
Hans Lenting
Netherlands
Member (2006)
German to Dutch
Even simpler: Felix the CAT Apr 19, 2018

John Fossey wrote:

If you are mainly working in Word documents, I would suggest Wordfast Classic to start with, for several reasons:

- it integrates directly inside MS Word
- since you are translating within the Word document there are no formatting tags like most other CAT tools, which can be confusing until you get used to them. Word takes care of formatting itself


All of the above and even simpler to use: Felix the CAT tool (http://felix-cat.com/blog/2015/08/31/felix-is-now-open-source/ )

Unlike the old Trados and the still available Wordfast Classic, it doesn't need hidden text, markup that can be easily destroyed or any hidden bookmarks. In my opinion, these can be problematic for less experienced computer users.

Besides this, Felix is more flexible with regards to segmentation (the part of a text that you select to translate in one run).

Screen Shot 2018-04-19 at 10.33.14


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:25
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Huh? Apr 19, 2018

Sandra& Kenneth wrote:

CATs are indispensable


Huh? I've been working without CATS for many years. I find they are completely dispensable. I did try Wordfast for while until I discovered that it doesn't like updates to MSWord.

More recently I have considered other CATS but I've decided against them because I clone my hard drive every day and, as I understand it, cloning would invalidate my licence.

Anyway life's too short, I'm too busy, and all CATs require a learning curve.

So I beg to disagree; I'm a busy successful translator perfectly happy to work without a CAT (except of the furry kind).

It's true that I sometimes find myself translating the same words or phrases over and over again in different documents, and I understand that CATS can be helpful in that regard. However in most cases those words and phrases are often not EXACTLY the same, and can vary in meaning/nuance depending on that particular document. And yes, I know about fuzzy matches but hey, my fuzzy brain can deal with those all by itself!

CATs seem to be about one thing and one thing only: saving time by identifying repetitions, thereby enabling the outsourcer to charge less, and to demand a copy of the TM you've used, which enables the outsourcer to charge still less...and less... and less...and of course if you refuse to hand over the TM, the outsourcer will never give you any more work.

Maybe if I ever have time to spare and no urgent work coming in with next-day delivery deadlines, I'll take time out to explore some more CATS.

Here's the best comment about CATS that I've ever seen:

https://patenttranslator.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/friends-dont-let-friends-use-trados-or-other-translation-memory-tools/

[Edited at 2018-04-19 09:36 GMT]


Laura Haydon
 
Pages in topic:   [1 2 3] >


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

the best and easiest CAT for the newbie







Protemos translation business management system
Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!

The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.

More info »
Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »