Forum: CAT Tools Technical Help
Topic: Suggestions on a CAT tool: Trados or Wordfast?
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: The one that suits you
I have used Trados through many versions, and it has improved enormously since the early Workbench versions. The 'annual subscription' or PSMA is worth every cent in my opinion. I have tried Wordfast Classic many years ago and looked at MemoQ some years back, but came back to Trados/Studio because I prefer the glossary function, Multiterm.
It is now easy to work with the basic glossary functions using a free app.
There are free demos for most CAT tools. Spend some time trying one or two, or if possible, ask a colleague who has the full version to let you see it in action. (It is often easier for a beginner to start in the middle of a project, and then you can better understand the options for setting up and the other functions as you need them.)
Which CAT you prefer may depend on your work routines and approach to translation - if you never use the advanced features anyway, then a simpler and cheaper CAT is probably fine. You may have to learn how to convert files and packages to the formats your clients request, but the CATs are supposed to be more or less compatible.
Using a CAT when you have to think constantly about the 'mechanics' is tiring and distracting, so go for the CAT you feel most comfortable with, and learn the short-cuts and routines, so that they come as naturally to you as typing. Otherwise the quality of your translation may suffer.
I have reached a point where I simply tell clients 'my CAT or no CAT' - but that is not always easy for a beginner, I know. I can still translate without a CAT, but most of my clients can handle Trados Studio, and most actually prefer it.
That said, if you prefer Wordfast or MemoQ, or any other CAT, go for it. YOU are the one who will be working with it for many long days in your career!
Clients are NOT always right - they pay you to be the expert on your side of the business!
Topic: Suggestions on a CAT tool: Trados or Wordfast?
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: The one that suits you
I have used Trados through many versions, and it has improved enormously since the early Workbench versions. The 'annual subscription' or PSMA is worth every cent in my opinion. I have tried Wordfast Classic many years ago and looked at MemoQ some years back, but came back to Trados/Studio because I prefer the glossary function, Multiterm.
It is now easy to work with the basic glossary functions using a free app.
There are free demos for most CAT tools. Spend some time trying one or two, or if possible, ask a colleague who has the full version to let you see it in action. (It is often easier for a beginner to start in the middle of a project, and then you can better understand the options for setting up and the other functions as you need them.)
Which CAT you prefer may depend on your work routines and approach to translation - if you never use the advanced features anyway, then a simpler and cheaper CAT is probably fine. You may have to learn how to convert files and packages to the formats your clients request, but the CATs are supposed to be more or less compatible.
Using a CAT when you have to think constantly about the 'mechanics' is tiring and distracting, so go for the CAT you feel most comfortable with, and learn the short-cuts and routines, so that they come as naturally to you as typing. Otherwise the quality of your translation may suffer.
I have reached a point where I simply tell clients 'my CAT or no CAT' - but that is not always easy for a beginner, I know. I can still translate without a CAT, but most of my clients can handle Trados Studio, and most actually prefer it.
That said, if you prefer Wordfast or MemoQ, or any other CAT, go for it. YOU are the one who will be working with it for many long days in your career!
Clients are NOT always right - they pay you to be the expert on your side of the business!