Forum: CAT Tools Technical Help
Topic: Which server based CAT Tool(s) do you use (and prefer)?
Poster: jokerman
Post title: ...
[quote]Charlie Bavington wrote:
[quote]jokerman wrote:
The main server TM ...could then be updated manually after the project is finished, I think. [/quote]
If real-time updating of a central and shared TM is not necessary, and in fact you merely have a central TM that is updated in one hit at the end of individual projects, does the client really need the more complicated solution that they seem to think they do?
Seems to me a simpler, more conventional approach could work equally well. And widen the pool of potential translators. [/quote]
Yes, that is a plausible question, Charlie. At the end of the day, a rather simple solution might be fully sufficient indeed, as this client's 'general needs' are only 3 really:
1. Standardized/uniform translations of identical (or very similar) segments.
As most of our clients, this one works in the market and social research industry, which means that we translate for them many survey questionnaires that often include very similar (or identical) wordings (just as a simple example: last year the survey perhaps asked "What brands of hair shampoo do you use?", while this year it would ask "What brands of tooth paste do you use?"). So basically, he would like to have standardised/uniform wordings in all languages that will always be used. Granted, that's one of the main features/benefits of a TM in general, and it makes a lot sense to use it for this client, I think. However, we can not always provide the very same translator (for different reasons: sometimes one of them is on holiday, other time he is just too busy with other projects at that moment, etc...), therefore we would like to have a central TM which different translators could access as needed. And preferably it should be a TM file that can be used by different CAT tools (at least the most popular ones), as I would like out translators to be able to use their personally preferred CAt tool rather than having to change to any alternative or to a completely new/additional one.
2. Standardized/uniform translations of single terms.
Just as the above, identical terms should be standardised/uniform in all target languages. This is basically what a Term Base is for, and the principle is same as for the above point1: a central TB that all translators can access and use while they are translating.
3. Updating the central TM (preferably in real time, of course - but an update at the end of the translation process would be an acceptable trade-off), so that it is complete and up-to-date for the next translation.
(and, as an additional note: of course we could work with tmx-files and just send them to the relevant translator every time - but these files might become rather large in the course of time, and also we would not like to have the entire TM forwarded to third parties, no matter how trusted they are (particularly for privacy reasons, as that is something the client pays quite a lot attention to)).
So yes, considering these rather 'basic' needs and requirements, a rather plain and simple solution would probably be sufficient in this case - it's just that I am not tech savvy enough to design or provide it. So I thought of suggesting an already existing solution such as MemoQ Server or memsource/Phrase (or alike). But this thread gave me some additional information and ideas of how it could be done in a simpler yet sufficiently efficient way, thankfully (especially Anton's suggestions, and/or Stepan's link that also might offer a rather simple yet efficient solution)
Topic: Which server based CAT Tool(s) do you use (and prefer)?
Poster: jokerman
Post title: ...
[quote]Charlie Bavington wrote:
[quote]jokerman wrote:
The main server TM ...could then be updated manually after the project is finished, I think. [/quote]
If real-time updating of a central and shared TM is not necessary, and in fact you merely have a central TM that is updated in one hit at the end of individual projects, does the client really need the more complicated solution that they seem to think they do?
Seems to me a simpler, more conventional approach could work equally well. And widen the pool of potential translators. [/quote]
Yes, that is a plausible question, Charlie. At the end of the day, a rather simple solution might be fully sufficient indeed, as this client's 'general needs' are only 3 really:
1. Standardized/uniform translations of identical (or very similar) segments.
As most of our clients, this one works in the market and social research industry, which means that we translate for them many survey questionnaires that often include very similar (or identical) wordings (just as a simple example: last year the survey perhaps asked "What brands of hair shampoo do you use?", while this year it would ask "What brands of tooth paste do you use?"). So basically, he would like to have standardised/uniform wordings in all languages that will always be used. Granted, that's one of the main features/benefits of a TM in general, and it makes a lot sense to use it for this client, I think. However, we can not always provide the very same translator (for different reasons: sometimes one of them is on holiday, other time he is just too busy with other projects at that moment, etc...), therefore we would like to have a central TM which different translators could access as needed. And preferably it should be a TM file that can be used by different CAT tools (at least the most popular ones), as I would like out translators to be able to use their personally preferred CAt tool rather than having to change to any alternative or to a completely new/additional one.
2. Standardized/uniform translations of single terms.
Just as the above, identical terms should be standardised/uniform in all target languages. This is basically what a Term Base is for, and the principle is same as for the above point1: a central TB that all translators can access and use while they are translating.
3. Updating the central TM (preferably in real time, of course - but an update at the end of the translation process would be an acceptable trade-off), so that it is complete and up-to-date for the next translation.
(and, as an additional note: of course we could work with tmx-files and just send them to the relevant translator every time - but these files might become rather large in the course of time, and also we would not like to have the entire TM forwarded to third parties, no matter how trusted they are (particularly for privacy reasons, as that is something the client pays quite a lot attention to)).
So yes, considering these rather 'basic' needs and requirements, a rather plain and simple solution would probably be sufficient in this case - it's just that I am not tech savvy enough to design or provide it. So I thought of suggesting an already existing solution such as MemoQ Server or memsource/Phrase (or alike). But this thread gave me some additional information and ideas of how it could be done in a simpler yet sufficiently efficient way, thankfully (especially Anton's suggestions, and/or Stepan's link that also might offer a rather simple yet efficient solution)