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A future for Across?
Thread poster: Marcos Zattar
Marcos Zattar
Marcos Zattar
Germany
Local time: 16:05
Member (2007)
German to Portuguese
+ ...
Apr 8, 2009

Hello,

one of our colleagues wrote the following in another thread:

"I don't remember the build (probably some 3.5 flavor) but some bugs love to persist."

That fits to what has been going around my mind lately: does Across have a future? Many things indicate that its future might not be so glorious:

- update rhythm: for example, the instructions manual available in their site is from November 2008
- it is not talked about much: apart from
... See more
Hello,

one of our colleagues wrote the following in another thread:

"I don't remember the build (probably some 3.5 flavor) but some bugs love to persist."

That fits to what has been going around my mind lately: does Across have a future? Many things indicate that its future might not be so glorious:

- update rhythm: for example, the instructions manual available in their site is from November 2008
- it is not talked about much: apart from the forum in ProZ, there is no much information on the Web about across, which is a sign that not many freelancers and companies use it
- everywhere you can read that the Trados dominance prevents great systems like Across to spread out in the market
- very, very few of my colleagues use Across

Is it worth to invest in Across - crossTank, maintaining terminolgy in crossTerm, spending hours learning special features, etc. - if its future is uncertain?

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this!

Regards,
Marcos
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esperantisto
esperantisto  Identity Verified
Local time: 18:05
Member (2006)
English to Russian
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SITE LOCALIZER
Some comments Apr 8, 2009

Marcos de Miranda Zattar wrote:

- everywhere you can read that the Trados dominance prevents great systems like Across to spread out in the market


Trados dominates. So what? I use OmegaT, Anaphraseus and Wordfast. They make a perfect troika for my work, and I simply do not care about Trados.

Is it worth to invest in Across…


Does Across meet your needs? Are you satisfied with it? So why not invest into it? Why would you bother about other programs?

[Edited at 2009-04-08 11:19 GMT]


 
Telemarker
Telemarker
Local time: 16:05
French to English
Appropriate thread? Apr 8, 2009

This thread doesn't seem to have much to with support for Across... rumor mongering isn't very helpful.

TM


 
Selcuk Akyuz
Selcuk Akyuz  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 18:05
English to Turkish
+ ...
IMO, this is the appropriate forum Apr 8, 2009

Telemarker wrote:

This thread doesn't seem to have much to with support for Across... rumor mongering isn't very helpful.

TM


Across support is A forum for user support and discussion about Across GmbH Computer aided translation tool

Selcuk


 
Telemarker
Telemarker
Local time: 16:05
French to English
Forum vs Thread... Apr 8, 2009

Selcuk Akyuz wrote:

Telemarker wrote:

This thread doesn't seem to have much to with support for Across... rumor mongering isn't very helpful.

TM


Across support is A forum for user support and discussion about Across GmbH Computer aided translation tool

Selcuk


Ok, then if this is the right place, then from what I've seen testing Across for the past few months, Across users need all the help they can get! (for info: I have spent the past 15 years in various software houses testing and providing end user support over a wide range of applications and platforms by the way).


 
Marcos Zattar
Marcos Zattar
Germany
Local time: 16:05
Member (2007)
German to Portuguese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Pessimism vs. realism - two different things Apr 8, 2009

Rumor mongering? That is exactly what I try to avoid by asking these questions. I just thought that maybe some of you who have been working with across for a longer time than me could confirm or refute my subject perception using FACTS:

- how many agencies are using it?
- how many translators?
- how many of them migrated from another CAT to across?
- how much did Across GmbH Computer grow in the past years?
- market shares?

As to other CATs ... w
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Rumor mongering? That is exactly what I try to avoid by asking these questions. I just thought that maybe some of you who have been working with across for a longer time than me could confirm or refute my subject perception using FACTS:

- how many agencies are using it?
- how many translators?
- how many of them migrated from another CAT to across?
- how much did Across GmbH Computer grow in the past years?
- market shares?

As to other CATs ... well, you cannot compare. Wordfast has its faithful public who swear it is the best tool ever. And it is affordable. And OmegaT? You cannot compare either. OmegaT is a tiny little thing in comparison to across. Across is huge, extremely complex and full-featured. A software house which maintains a system like this must have many $$$ in stock so as to keep it running, growing and competitive.

Another question I did not make explicit in the original post is about migration: supposing Across GmbH goes bankrupt tomorrow. How feasible is it, for example, to migrate thousands (in case of agencies hundreds of thousands) of term entries from crossTerm to another platform?
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Uwe Schwenk (X)
Uwe Schwenk (X)
United States
Local time: 10:05
English to German
A future for across Apr 8, 2009

Marcos,

a few comments are in order here:

- The manuals currently on the site for version 4.0 are from January 2009.

- in regards to your conclusion that because people do not talk about it too much and therefore its not used heavily, I would disagree with that conclusion. Thats more of an issue for across marketing

- While across is relatively new in the US market, it has been around for a number of years in Europe.

- In regards
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Marcos,

a few comments are in order here:

- The manuals currently on the site for version 4.0 are from January 2009.

- in regards to your conclusion that because people do not talk about it too much and therefore its not used heavily, I would disagree with that conclusion. Thats more of an issue for across marketing

- While across is relatively new in the US market, it has been around for a number of years in Europe.

- In regards to your conern of across going under, you should check out the guarantee across gave a few months back.

- For market share and growth contact across.

- How many translators migrated from other? Some people like myself migrated completely (not just at home but I also implemented it at my place of work, others just added across as a an additional tool to their tool box.

- Finally, Selcuk, I agree with telemarker in as far that this is not the right thread. This one belongs in my opinion into the CAT tools Forum, because the across forum is meant for support mainly.

Full discussion in the CAT tools forum would also probably reach more people.


Uwe


[Bearbeitet am 2009-04-08 13:51 GMT]
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Marcos Zattar
Marcos Zattar
Germany
Local time: 16:05
Member (2007)
German to Portuguese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Final & Thanks Apr 9, 2009

It seems that many are deepdiving in across, even using it exclusively or almost. Good to hear, I intend to invest more time and effort with the tool and depending on how things work out try to use it exclusively.

I thank all for the ideas and considerations.

Nice Eastern!


 
Wolfgang Jörissen
Wolfgang Jörissen  Identity Verified
Belize
Dutch to German
+ ...
Across will definitely be around Apr 10, 2009

... since at least one leading corporation in the automotive sector and some major translation agencies are using it. While the tool has quite some advantages, my main regret is that it poorly interacts with other CAT tools.

 
myska
myska
Local time: 15:05
Spanish to English
+ ...
Future of Across - not sure Apr 10, 2009

Hi Macros,

I think your questions are very good and you shouldn't get discouraged by some of the responses. May be there are not placed on the most appropriate forum but then what forum would be more appropriate? They are all support related as far as CAT tools are concerned. I found myself in a similar situation posting my questions on this forum. The reason being that I am currently working on evaluation of two CAT tools: Across and Wordfast. For those who say that you cannot comp
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Hi Macros,

I think your questions are very good and you shouldn't get discouraged by some of the responses. May be there are not placed on the most appropriate forum but then what forum would be more appropriate? They are all support related as far as CAT tools are concerned. I found myself in a similar situation posting my questions on this forum. The reason being that I am currently working on evaluation of two CAT tools: Across and Wordfast. For those who say that you cannot compare two TM tools...well you are partly right and that is one of the points of my study. Some TM tools suit some people better than others which is understandable given the many variations in the features they offer.

Your thoughts are spot on. Yes, Across does not have many users. Yes, there is not much information about the product on the net apart from the official website for this product. Yes, it is right and uderstandable to question the future of the product. I will write more next time since I have to go now but I just wanted to encourage this post since it is a very good topic for discussion - at least in my opinion.

All the best,

Martina)
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X-SDLer
X-SDLer
Local time: 11:05
Reality Check - Across is here to STAY! Apr 10, 2009

For the masses out there that are either too cheap or too ignorant to adapt to better technology, perhaps you should not read on...

Across Systems is truly the only independent Translation Management System in the industry. Comparing to wordfast, trados, SDLX, or any other freelance tool really isn't fair. Yes, Across does offer translating tools and editing environments, but the across Language Server 4.0 is a system, not a desktop software tool...and by the way, the translating
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For the masses out there that are either too cheap or too ignorant to adapt to better technology, perhaps you should not read on...

Across Systems is truly the only independent Translation Management System in the industry. Comparing to wordfast, trados, SDLX, or any other freelance tool really isn't fair. Yes, Across does offer translating tools and editing environments, but the across Language Server 4.0 is a system, not a desktop software tool...and by the way, the translating environment is FREE!

As for longevity...Across released in 2008 a money back guarantee that they would not sell out as so many others have in the past...Trados, Passolo, Idiom...Bankruptcy??? How many of you know that Across is a Nero company??? The financial depth of Across is deep and will help them weather the current economics global conditions into tomorrow.

I have used SDL/Trados products for years, and for years I have had frustrations and lack of support from the largest translation software company in the world. Now I am SDL free and fully part of the Across movement. Their company puts the translation community first. They build their technology on what the industry needs, and as for support, I can't remember when they didn't call me back or follow up immediately:)

The only thing Across is lacking is a large marketing budget. They are not on or in everything you read or attended. Perhaps if they bought every competitor and had $250M in the bank to throw to marketing they might have more coverage...

I can only offer my opinion here, not a fan of SDL/Trados, but definitely a loyalist to Across...Don't believe me call them yourselves...
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Uwe Schwenk (X)
Uwe Schwenk (X)
United States
Local time: 10:05
English to German
Across future Apr 10, 2009

Wolfgang Jörissen wrote:

While the tool has quite some advantages, my main regret is that it poorly interacts with other CAT tools.


Wolfgang,

could you possibly elaborate on this a little because I am not quite sure what you mean here?

Uwe


 
Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 11:05
German to English
German companies support German tools Apr 10, 2009

One reason Trados products became embedded in the translation industry has to do with the fact that Trados was a German company before it was purchased by SDL. As major exporters of industrial products, German companies are large-scale buyers of translations, ergo Trados became significant in that translation market.

Many German automakers are in the process of switching to Across as the preferred software for their translation departments, so I wouldn't worry much about the future
... See more
One reason Trados products became embedded in the translation industry has to do with the fact that Trados was a German company before it was purchased by SDL. As major exporters of industrial products, German companies are large-scale buyers of translations, ergo Trados became significant in that translation market.

Many German automakers are in the process of switching to Across as the preferred software for their translation departments, so I wouldn't worry much about the future of Across.
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Jim Freville
Jim Freville
United States
Local time: 11:05
A Word Directly from Across Apr 14, 2009

Hello all,

Let me first start out by thanking members like Uwe and "X-SDLer". We at Across appreciate your support and belief in us!

For those of you who I don't know, I am the Regional Sales Manager for Across Systems here in the US.

I have read through this blog and am excited to see my company in the discussion threads. I would however like to respond to some specific points being brought up:

1) SUPPORT:

We have a variety
... See more
Hello all,

Let me first start out by thanking members like Uwe and "X-SDLer". We at Across appreciate your support and belief in us!

For those of you who I don't know, I am the Regional Sales Manager for Across Systems here in the US.

I have read through this blog and am excited to see my company in the discussion threads. I would however like to respond to some specific points being brought up:

1) SUPPORT:

We have a variety of support channels available to our clients and freelance translators. In fact, we offer free support to all freelance translators! Perhaps them person testing the across Language Server for software localization is working on our trail software and is not an actual user?

2) MARKET PRESENCE & ADOPTION:

To date we have over 25 dedicated LSP partners throughout the world. Unlike our competitors, we don't like providing them with a prospect list to call on.

Because we don't have a sales model directed towards the freelance community, it is hard for us to accurately number the total freelance users. As I mentioned above, our technology is freely available to the freelance translator. I can tell you that 1000's of downloads of the crossDesk software have occurred over the past few years! Most of which used a former translation technology (Trados, SDLX, Idiom, Wordfast).

3) GROWTH & FINACIAL STABILITY:

Across Systems is an private company that has the financial backing of the largest CD Duplication software company in the world: Nero. We have experienced year over year growth and expansion for 5 straight years.

4) DATA MIGRATION:

Because Across Systems is the only remaining INDEPENDANT translation technology company left, we have made our software the most universally accessibility & standard to allow for quick and dependable export and importation of TMs and Terms. I invite you to test this claim!

I will like to close with a question to Martina:

Are you looking for a CAT tool for personal use or to manage the translation process for your company? If you need a complete solution, what can I provide you about the across Language Server? If you are looking for a tool for your personal use, are you looking exclusively at crossDesk?

I encourage all and any responses and feedback. I invite the open discussion!!!


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Wolfgang Jörissen
Wolfgang Jörissen  Identity Verified
Belize
Dutch to German
+ ...
Across does not really facilitate CAT hopping Apr 14, 2009

Uwe Schwenk wrote:

Wolfgang Jörissen wrote:

While the tool has quite some advantages, my main regret is that it poorly interacts with other CAT tools.


Wolfgang,

could you possibly elaborate on this a little because I am not quite sure what you mean here?

Uwe


Sure, although I have to admit that I am not an Acros expert and if you can proove me wrong, I will be happy to learn something new.

While evaluating the translation environment of the system, as X-SDLer correctly put it, the only export I could manage to get, was TMX, which is fair enough, but less than what some other systems have to offer.
Also, some time ago, I was working with a colleague on a project with TTX files. He used Across for it and the TTX files would neatly import, but he just could not get them exported. It disappeared in the monster's mouth and the monster did not spit it out again. If you tell me there is a proper export function, I am ready to believe you without second thoughts, but working with the TMX export was troublesome.

What it burns down to: if your client requires you to work on an Across project, you will actually have to USE Across. Which is something an independent mind as myself does not really like. To put the "poor interaction" in other words: Across is not exactly the CAT hoppers's choice.

[Edited at 2009-04-14 17:30 GMT]


 
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