What is the best version of Trados for a freelancer Thread poster: Nina Khmielnitzky
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Hi,
I plan to move from in-house translator to freelancer during the year. What version of Trados would be the most useful? This might have been asked before, therefore I am sorry for the repeat question.
SDL Trados Studio?
SDL Trados Studio Starter?
SDL Trados Studio Freelance?
SDL Trados Studio Professional?
SDL Language Cloud MT?
I already use a TM that looks a lot like Trados, however I am not sure they are compatible.
Than... See more Hi,
I plan to move from in-house translator to freelancer during the year. What version of Trados would be the most useful? This might have been asked before, therefore I am sorry for the repeat question.
SDL Trados Studio?
SDL Trados Studio Starter?
SDL Trados Studio Freelance?
SDL Trados Studio Professional?
SDL Language Cloud MT?
I already use a TM that looks a lot like Trados, however I am not sure they are compatible.
Thanks
Nina ▲ Collapse
| | | | Joakim Braun 
Sweden
Local time: 15:15
German to Swedish
+ ...
In order to support my revenue stream, ensure consistent high quality and keep my customers happy, I do NOT use Trados.
(And yes, I'm IT literate and I do use Trados occasionally.)
| | | | | The best is probably Studio Freelance | Jan 18, 2016 |
SDL Trados Studio is a 'family' of setups for different people. You have to choose among the others what will suit you.
Studio Professional is for agencies, and has features most freelancers never need, unless they are outsourcing and really acting as agencies as well. I don't know it, but I work with agencies who use it. They coordinate projects with many languages, and teamwork, TM servers and other large features that you won't need.
SDL Starter is just th... See more SDL Trados Studio is a 'family' of setups for different people. You have to choose among the others what will suit you.
Studio Professional is for agencies, and has features most freelancers never need, unless they are outsourcing and really acting as agencies as well. I don't know it, but I work with agencies who use it. They coordinate projects with many languages, and teamwork, TM servers and other large features that you won't need.
SDL Starter is just that.
http://www.proz.com/forum/sdl_trados_support/231023-sdl_trados_starter_vs_freelancer.html
It has some of the features of the Freelance version, but not all.
The use of Translation Memories is limited, and the Translation Memory (TM) is the core of using a CAT tool - it will become a problem as soon as you hit the limit. There is unlimited TM size in Studio Freelancer and Professional, and that makes my choice immediately. However, the Starter may be good for a beginner - you can learn to use the features it has, and upgrade later if you want to.
There is a comparison chart here, but I expect you have seen it, and if you are not already a Trados user, it may be difficult to judge which features are important for freelancers in general, and which you personally would miss. Here are just a few that I think are important.
Not being able to open multiple TMs together is a handicap in the long run, especially coupled with the limited TM size.
I find it practical to have a TM for medicine, a TM for Law, a mixed/general TM and often a client TM for the specific client. In one language pair I have a TM for tourism too. I frequently run three at a time.
AutoSuggest is a feature I use. I created my own dictionary, and would recommend getting the add-on that allows you to do that. The feature is not available with the Starter version, and it drives some people mad, but once you get used to it, it can be an advantage.
TM Maintenance is important in the long term, and you would miss it at some point if you limited yourself to the Starter version.
There are other differences, but those are the critical ones for me.
I am not sure how well a Multiterm database functions with the Starter version, but being able to create termbases and add to them at the touch of a couple of keys is also important to me. Others do not use it at all.
Language Cloud MT is an add-on, and I know very little about it. In my language pairs, MT is improving very slowly, but is still far from useful for the work I do.
A subscription to a good online dictionary is far better value for money IMHO, but I am lucky with my main language pair - the quality of online dictionaries varies enormously.
________________
I believe you can download a free 30-day trial version of Trados Studio, which has many of the features of the Professional version active (unlimited languages and making packages, for instance) as well as the Freelance features.
You will not miss packages in the Freelance version - you can receive and work with them, and you can make return packages to send back. You don't need more.
There is a neat app called Package Reader, which lets you check before delivering a package that all the files are in it. Free to download from SDL.
If you can, I would recommend choosing the Freelance version, but beginning gently with the Starter might be a good idea. Not necessarily, if you can afford the full Freelance version - then you can just begin to use the features as you want to, and ignore the extras while you learn the basics.
I started years ago with the old Workbench, which was far simpler... and learned the other features along the way. There is a lot to learn, but keep working at it - you will be glad you did!
Best of luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 15:15
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
| SDL Trados Studio 2015 Freelance Plus | Jan 18, 2016 |
Nina Khmielnitzky wrote:
What version of Trados would be the most useful?
SDL Trados Studio 2015 Freelance Plus
"Freelance" because you're a freelancer, and "Plus" because Trados sometimes forgets that you're a registered user (in the middle of a large job) and then it's useful to have an extra registration to use while the Trados support team sorts out the problem.
I already use a TM [tool] that looks a lot like Trados, however I am not sure they are compatible.
What is the name of that program?
==
Christine Andersen wrote:
I believe you can download a free 30-day trial version of Trados Studio, which has many of the features of the Professional version active (unlimited languages and making packages, for instance) as well as the Freelance features.
http://www.translationzone.com/products/sdl-trados-studio/free-trial.html
(no real e-mail address required)
I can't confirm whether the demo version is a "professional" or a "freelance" version.
[Edited at 2016-01-18 22:02 GMT]
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