Poll: How old were you when you started using your first CAT tool?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Feb 4, 2019

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How old were you when you started using your first CAT tool?".

View the poll results »



Abdelfatah Bourouies
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 11:08
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I don't use a CAT tool Feb 4, 2019

I used my first and only CAT tool when I was over 50. I used it for 2/3 years and hated it. Fortunately, most of the texts I’ve been translating don’t require CAT tools…

Rita Utt
 
Maria Simmen
Maria Simmen
Germany
Local time: 12:08
English to German
+ ...
Super interesting! Feb 4, 2019

Teresa Borges wrote:

I used my first and only CAT tool when I was over 50. I used it for 2/3 years and hated it. Fortunately, most of the texts I’ve been translating don’t require CAT tools…


I was introduced to CAT tools at uni, so way before I turned 20. 15 years on and I can't imagine NOT using them!


Elaine Ruby
Ricardo Suin
LINE NKENLA
 
Maxi Schwarz
Maxi Schwarz  Identity Verified
Local time: 06:08
German to English
+ ...
I'm curious... Feb 4, 2019

.... about the age slant to the question, and the reasoning behind it.

Ricki Farn
expressisverbis
 
Ricki Farn
Ricki Farn
Germany
Local time: 12:08
English to German
Early twenties Feb 4, 2019

... and now at 50 I'm like one of those riding-school ponies that can only walk in the trodden groove around the riding arena, and when you try to make it cross diagonally through the middle, it's utterly helpless and confused. (A dear client even OCR'd a PDF for me the other day to avoid asking too much of my pony brain.)

And the translators who came before me, felt the same about using Word with search-and-replace for consistent terminology and autocorrect to save typing effort. <
... See more
... and now at 50 I'm like one of those riding-school ponies that can only walk in the trodden groove around the riding arena, and when you try to make it cross diagonally through the middle, it's utterly helpless and confused. (A dear client even OCR'd a PDF for me the other day to avoid asking too much of my pony brain.)

And the translators who came before me, felt the same about using Word with search-and-replace for consistent terminology and autocorrect to save typing effort.

I just hope no generation will ever feel like riding-school ponies for shitty Cloud tools.

[Edited at 2019-02-04 13:16 GMT]
Collapse


Christine Andersen
 
Christine Andersen
Christine Andersen  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 12:08
Member (2003)
Danish to English
+ ...
40-50 Feb 4, 2019

Hej folks, when I was 20, CAT tools did not exist!

My first real professional job - long before I started translation - included proofreading on blue striped Leporello printouts - there were no real screens on computers, and a librarian like me with dusty fingers could not be allowed near a computer anyway!

I was approaching 50 when I started translating professionally.

Trados is, I believe, about 35 years old, and I was already in my 30s when Trados was 'b
... See more
Hej folks, when I was 20, CAT tools did not exist!

My first real professional job - long before I started translation - included proofreading on blue striped Leporello printouts - there were no real screens on computers, and a librarian like me with dusty fingers could not be allowed near a computer anyway!

I was approaching 50 when I started translating professionally.

Trados is, I believe, about 35 years old, and I was already in my 30s when Trados was 'born'. People were not necessarily dragging their feet if they only started using a CAT late in life. They may simply not have had the chance earlier!

Now I use my CAT for everything possible, although I can still translate without.
Collapse


Angie Garbarino
Noni Gilbert Riley
Kay Denney
 
Rebecca Garber
Rebecca Garber  Identity Verified
Local time: 07:08
Member (2005)
German to English
+ ...
Translation was my second career. Feb 4, 2019

I got both of my CAT tools in my late 30s, one because I work on a Mac, and the other at a client's insistence. As in, they paid for my license and I bought the PC, which was paid off by work with the new CAT in 3 months.

And now I dance between 3 (the newer version of the first is different enough to be its own entity) and then there's straight pdf to word.

Having spent a weekend on a patent with 'protection printed circuit boards' and overvoltage protection devices/co
... See more
I got both of my CAT tools in my late 30s, one because I work on a Mac, and the other at a client's insistence. As in, they paid for my license and I bought the PC, which was paid off by work with the new CAT in 3 months.

And now I dance between 3 (the newer version of the first is different enough to be its own entity) and then there's straight pdf to word.

Having spent a weekend on a patent with 'protection printed circuit boards' and overvoltage protection devices/components/terminals/pins, I rather like the CAT tools.
Collapse


 
Noni Gilbert Riley
Noni Gilbert Riley
Spain
Local time: 12:08
Spanish to English
+ ...
The poll can't work.... Feb 5, 2019

...because those of us who are baby boomers didn't have CAT tools available to us before we were 20 so that answer is automatically ruled out for us.

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 08:08
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
48 Feb 6, 2019

Until I was 40, CATs did not even exist or were still in a trial status.
I resisted them for several years, thinking they were useless and wasted money. I tried two of them upon client requests (inculding Trados), and hated them.
It took me along time to be convinced by colleagues to try one again (MemoQ this time), and an even longer time to learn how it really works and populate my TMs and TBs to feel the actual results.
Two years after I bought MemoQ, I regretted immensely
... See more
Until I was 40, CATs did not even exist or were still in a trial status.
I resisted them for several years, thinking they were useless and wasted money. I tried two of them upon client requests (inculding Trados), and hated them.
It took me along time to be convinced by colleagues to try one again (MemoQ this time), and an even longer time to learn how it really works and populate my TMs and TBs to feel the actual results.
Two years after I bought MemoQ, I regretted immensely not having heard my friends earlier.
I also learned people who try a CAT and refuse tu use it didn't really understand how to use it and didn't have enough patience to populate de databases and see the real positive outcomes.


[Edited at 2019-02-06 13:28 GMT]
Collapse


 


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

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

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

Poll: How old were you when you started using your first CAT tool?






Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »
TM-Town
Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business

Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.

More info »