For years translators have struggled to understand the similarities and differences among the various translation environment tools (TEnTs), but the marketing hyperbole and the different platforms and processes have made it difficult to carry out a straightforward comparison.  In an effort to create a level playing field, Translators Training sent the 13 most prominent tool vendors a single document and asked them this question: "Using your tool, what's the best way to translate this Word document?" The result: 13 video tutorials that show the step-by-step process of translating the same document with each of the leading tools.

"It's the first time we've actually been able to see each of these tools going through the same general procedures on an identical document," said Jost Zetzsche, author of The Tool Kit newsletter and The Translators' Tool Box e-book and one of Translators Training's designers. "For example, we can compare how Trados pre- and post-processes the file, creates a translation memory and a terminology database, and reuses content from the TM and the terminology database with how it's done by MemoQ, Star Transit, or OmegaT."

According to Alessandro Potalivo, Intrawelt's CEO: "Jost's expertise coupled with our eLearning know-how mark this as a unique project. We are extremely excited about being able to offer the translation community the ability to compare TEnTs easily, quickly, and objectively."

The video tutorials are available at TranslatorsTraining.com, a joint project between Jost Zetzsche of International Writers' Group and Intrawelt, a leading language services and eLearning solutions company. The designers have no affiliation with any of the software vendors profiled. Revenue comes through an annual user registration fee of €34.99 to access all of the tutorials.
 

12/18/07

TranslatorTraining.com, www.translatorstraining.com