Which software is better? Here is a rundown of features and reviews to help you make your decision.
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| Name | Across Translator Edition v7 | XTM Cloud |
| Review breakdown | | |
| Most helpful review | By far the worst translating tool on the market This is the one translation tool that should be avoided at all cost.
(Unfortunately, a major customer of mine switched to Across some time ago, and I had little choice but to go along. My previous experience with Across had already placed it on my blacklist, and I had made it a rule to refuse any offers that involve Across.)
First, there's the mere size of it. On my system, the Basic Edition of V7 claims 1.17 GB (!) according to the "Programs and Features" of the Windows Control Panel. Seeing that number alone, you know that shit gonna be bad. It will also slurp up your memory (currently running at 467 MB, together with its satellites, making Chrome's memory usage a laugh). On slightly older computers, Across will cripple the whole system, especially during uploads and downloads (stop your music).
Then, it co-installs a spy-ish application called CodeMeter which is unclear as far at its intentions are concerned, and without which it will not run.
You will be working directly through your client's server and speed will very much depend on your connection and on how that server feels. This may compromise the whole application to a great degree; the very concept is a guarantee for super slow working pace.
In order to start working, you will have to retrieve orders from the client's server. The process is slow and it is totally unclear what is being downloaded and where it is stored, or even what the use of that procedure may be.
In fact, you have no local control whatsoever of the material you are working on. There is no memory on your system, there are no files for you to use on your disk, and there is no archive of any previous order. Any work you do just vanishes though your internet connection with the client's server and there is no reward in the form of any library on your local disk. Every string translated is simply donated to the client's server. There is no export function that will allow you to keep a local copy of your work (except as stated below).
The interface is sloppy and counter-productive. There is an overview of the strings of the texts in which you cannot directly work; instead, for inexplicable reasons you have to edit texts in a separate pane. This may not be the worst of all disadvantages, but it sure ranks high on the ladder of stupidity.
Quality assurance features (number checks, tag verification, term recognition, spelling) are many, but far too cumbersome to be happy about.
Term recognition is quite useless, as it is not aware e.g of cases of nouns in languages that have declensions.
Spelling correction is as slow as one can possibly imagine, positively reaching the "I wouldn't bother if I cared" level. You can either correct or add spelling mistakes; the option to ignore unknown words (names!) in the whole text is not included.
In fact, the only way to use Across is to avoid using it as much as possible.
There is, however, one one single ray of light in this darkness: through the "Correction Mode" pane, you can generate a side-by-side overview of all strings in HTML that can subsequently be imported into other programs (e.g., Word) and then translated using other translation tools; you will just need to take the time to copy your translation back into Across on a phrase-by-phrase base when you are finished. This way, you can speed up the translating process with Across, so that it may perhaps take less than ten times more of your precious time than any other tool, but it will also reward you with your own translation memory for future use.30 out of 31 found this review helpful.
Read more reviews → | I must say there are many tools that are much better and more translator-friendly... The tool has many drawbacks, i.e.:
- it is very difficult to go through a translation and do global changes
- there is no proper concordance search - the one there is does not open in a second window, but always takes you away from the phrase you are currently translating. Very annoying.
- it is very difficult to maintain consistency across very similar phrases (often previous translations are not offered as fuzzy matches)
- it is not possible to open two similar documents at once, i.e. you cannot refer back and forth between both of them
- there is not proper speedy spellcheck function
- you cannot display invisible characters (i.e. blank spaces between words)
- there is no possibility for the translator to view the translation in final layout before handing it back to the agency/client
etc. etc.26 out of 26 found this review helpful.
Read more reviews → |
| Product description | Across Translator Edition v7
Deliver high-quality translations with our fast and secure CAT tool. You can integrate machine translation and other third-party systems. The Across Translator Basic Edition is free for freelancers.
Full-Fledged Translation Environment
Translation memory, terminology system, quality assurance, and project management.
Basic or Premium
Chose from the variant of the Across Translator Edition that best suits your needs based on your mode of operations and project volume.
Versatile Work Environment
Multiple configuration options, intuitive and easy use, quick overview of project and tasks.
Systematic Translation
The Across Translator Edition supports nearly all languages and more than 60 file formats. Speed up your translations by connecting machine translation and quality assurance tools.
New business opportunities with crossMarket
Communicate easier and faster with customers and peers with your crossMarket profile.
Get Started Immediately
Create a crossMarket profile, download and install the Across Translator Edition with just a few clicks.
Support
The support for the Across Translator Edition and crossMarket is free for freelance translators. You can find information on how to contact our customer support team on our website.
Free Learning Resources
Video
| XTM Cloud is a cloud-based, vendor-neutral Translation Management System with an integrated computer-aided translation tool that helps companies reach their global customers more quickly and effectively by streamlining and fully automating localization processes, while boosting their bottom line. |
| Price | Basic Free / Premium from € 19.50 monthly (included in crossMarket membership) | |
| File formats | Works with 60+ file formats. View full list (page 186). | ALL |
| License type | Software as a service (subscription) | Software as a service (subscription) |
| Operating system | Windows | MacOS, Linux, Windows 2000, Windows |
| System requirements | Microsoft .NET 4.7.1. RAM: 2 GB of memory. 15 GB hard disk space, min. screen resolution 1280x800 px. Browser-based work: IE 11, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Safari. | Cloud based SaaS requires an internet connection and web browser |
| Compatibility | Supports open standard file formats XLIFF, TMX, TBX. | No data |
| Support and upgrades offered/included | Free upgrades to all future versions, Free technical support via support ticket center | Free upgrades for duration of license/Subscription |
| Support and tutorial links | Free support for freelance translators. | https://xtm-cloud.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portals |
| Free trial | Download Across Translator Edition free basic package. | xtm.cloud/trial |
| Languages supported | Across is capable of supporting practically all languages. | All |
