Language Technology Division

Wordfast discount until the end of the year!

I have never tried Wordfast, but I know many translators swear by it. It can work with the SDL Trados segmented format and, from what I hear, is easier to use and learn than SDL Trados. It also runs on many different platforms (Windows, Mac and Linux).

The current version of Wordfast (5.5), which works inside MS Word like SDL Trados, is now being redubbed Wordfast Classic, and the company is launching a new version called Wordfast 6.0 which does not depend on the MS Word interface. If you purchase Wordfast 5.5 by the end of the year, for 250 euros, you will get a free license for Wordfast 6.0 when it is released.

And, if you live in a disadvantaged country, the price is cut in half. See the Wordfast site for more details.

Naomi de Moraes

Keeping Your Data Safe

As the old adage goes: “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.” When you are on the road with your laptop, chances are that the data on your hard drive is a good deal more valuable that the computer. And that does not even take into account all the dozens of NDAs and confidentiality agreements you signed. (Does “reasonable attorney fees” ring a bell?) On top of theft and leaving your laptop behind somewhere, you also have to worry about official snooping every time you enter the country.

Technology to the rescue. For paranoics like me, TrueCrypt is the ideal tool: industrial-strength encryption, partition or drive encryption, and (the cherry on top of the whipped cream) two levels of plausible deniability in case you are forced to reveal the password. Documented freeware, available for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.

Don’t forget your password, though!

Mac & Translation Tools: TransMUG gone public

The group surrounding Yves Avérous has finally taken the activities of TransMUG “publicly”. This should help to connect the Mac platform based translator community. Here is what their mission statement has to say:

“TransMUG is a Mac User Group created by members of the Northern California Translators Association and aimed at translators using the Mac platform. Articles found on this blog are intended to inform and help translators get the most of their computing environment and/or help them make a decision in their choice of hardware, including making the move from the Windows platform. TransMUG also includes a Yahoo! Groups list to which you may subscribe to become a member of the group and receive invitation to meetings and special offers.”

Visit them at http://transmug.com/ or at their mailing list home at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/transmug.