Poll: Is the use of CAT tools related to the increase of professional experience?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
May 17, 2006

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Is the use of CAT tools related to the increase of professional experience?".

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A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629


 
Brandis (X)
Brandis (X)
Local time: 11:25
English to German
+ ...
I grew up with Trados May 17, 2006

for many years, may be 11-14 years. Best Brandis

 
Henry Hinds
Henry Hinds  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:25
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
3 years? May 17, 2006

How about 35 years? The first 15 were with paper and pencil and few references.

Still NO.


 
Rebekka Groß (X)
Rebekka Groß (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:25
English to German
only 3 years? May 17, 2006

I thought as well that 3 years is a very short timeframe. If you'd want to find out about some sort of correlation between the number of years as an active translator and the use of CAT tools, more options would have been useful. I've been in the business 16 years this summer and started using Trados in 95 or 96 adding SDLX along the way.

 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 04:25
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Hero May 17, 2006

Henry Hinds wrote:

How about 35 years? The first 15 were with paper and pencil and few references.

Still NO.


Henry, I admire you, you are a damn hero of translations!

Indeed, computers were a dream at that time. And typewriters were a useful tool... well... they were just a tool Do you remember those little mistakes at the bottom of the page??? One was forced to repeat all the page again.

Best regards


 
Henry Hinds
Henry Hinds  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 04:25
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
It had its pros and cons May 17, 2006

No Proz either, of course, no Internet, no computers, but no tight deadlines either. If you were practically the only act in town, then they just had to wait until it was done. But it would be done right.

It was a good learning experience because I could put my best efforts into research when necessary, and that took time and patience. But the payoff was also good.

So now no CAT tools are necessary, only the friendly cat that hangs out in front of the door.


 
Christel Zipfel
Christel Zipfel  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:25
Member (2004)
Italian to German
+ ...
3 years? Too little, yes! May 17, 2006

If you started 3 years ago, you just got an overview of the market, and maybe you felt the need of using CAT tools, maybe not. So I think it's really too little to judge.

I did not start with pen and paper like Henry - I owned already a (mechanical) typewriter. Over the years, I wore out several electrical typewriters, nearly a luxury in the beginning. Of course no Internet, no e-mail and so on, but as Henry says, plenty of time got to finish my work, at least normally.

... See more
If you started 3 years ago, you just got an overview of the market, and maybe you felt the need of using CAT tools, maybe not. So I think it's really too little to judge.

I did not start with pen and paper like Henry - I owned already a (mechanical) typewriter. Over the years, I wore out several electrical typewriters, nearly a luxury in the beginning. Of course no Internet, no e-mail and so on, but as Henry says, plenty of time got to finish my work, at least normally.

I started using Wordfast two or three years ago, although I was somehow reluctant - I began out of sheer curiousity, just in order to know what people were talking of. Nobody since then has asked me to use it, I just used it for my own purposes.

Well, it's not so bad, its even helpful and I like it - and it's maybe the proof that even "elder people" are able to get along with a CAT tool and feel comfortable with it:-)

[Bearbeitet um 2006-05-17 20:06]
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David Brown
David Brown  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 11:25
Spanish to English
CAT tools and experience May 18, 2006

I have 5 years experience as a freelance translator, with over 35 years experience in my specialist subjects. I bought Wordfast (special offer from Proz.com) last year and have used it twice, professionally, on my own volition not because it was required by an agency or client. As more than 95% of my work is in pdf format I hardly get to use it (don't suggest OCR readers, as none I have tried have anywhere near the quality required as I have spent more time correcting the mistakes(misreads) then... See more
I have 5 years experience as a freelance translator, with over 35 years experience in my specialist subjects. I bought Wordfast (special offer from Proz.com) last year and have used it twice, professionally, on my own volition not because it was required by an agency or client. As more than 95% of my work is in pdf format I hardly get to use it (don't suggest OCR readers, as none I have tried have anywhere near the quality required as I have spent more time correcting the mistakes(misreads) then it would take to translate the document).

It may be slightly at a tangent to the question, but I often wonder who drives the use of CAT tools, translators, agencies, clients or the software manufacturers. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.
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M. Anna Kańduła
M. Anna Kańduła  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:25
English to Polish
3 years May 18, 2006

Over or less... what about 3 years exactly? Which choice then?

Anni


 
Jocelyne S
Jocelyne S  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 11:25
French to English
+ ...
Less than 3 years, but a CAT tool from the outset May 18, 2006

My first client was an agency which hired me for a very specific project and wanted me to use a CAT tool. The Project Manager was (most surprisingly) very patient and understanding. When I pointed out that I was a "beginner" and did not have the means to purchase an expensive CAT tool, she told me about Wordfast and its free trial.

As such, I began using Wordfast from the outset and have never regretted it. Although I do not use a TM on absolutely all projects, I do think that a CAT
... See more
My first client was an agency which hired me for a very specific project and wanted me to use a CAT tool. The Project Manager was (most surprisingly) very patient and understanding. When I pointed out that I was a "beginner" and did not have the means to purchase an expensive CAT tool, she told me about Wordfast and its free trial.

As such, I began using Wordfast from the outset and have never regretted it. Although I do not use a TM on absolutely all projects, I do think that a CAT tool makes life easier most of the time and is a plus when bidding on new jobs which require the use of a CAT tool.

Cheers,
Jocelyne
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Parrot
Parrot  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 11:25
Spanish to English
+ ...
Not as long as Henry May 18, 2006

... but I remember electric typewriters and word processing programs that fitted on a 5 1/4" floppy The print-outs were as long as toilet paper and you delivered the electronic version on diskette.

Then Windows appeared. This time you entered the ministers' offices and found them deciphering the secrets of Minesweeper

The speed at which I came
... See more
... but I remember electric typewriters and word processing programs that fitted on a 5 1/4" floppy The print-outs were as long as toilet paper and you delivered the electronic version on diskette.

Then Windows appeared. This time you entered the ministers' offices and found them deciphering the secrets of Minesweeper

The speed at which I came to translate then is still the same speed I work with now, independently of whether I use a CAT or not (barring repetitive engineering texts describing, for instance, 100 different screw sizes). (On the other hand, you had "copy and paste" for that).

I guess you could say I grew with the industry. Nothing against CATs, but let's be practical.
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Poll: Is the use of CAT tools related to the increase of professional experience?






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