| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > |
Trados ROI? Thread poster: Matthew Kinnersly
|
|---|
I spent a while trying to work with Trados Suite 2009, and had to give up in the face of incessant crashes that rendered the software unusable for any professional purpose. I'm now back to using Trados 2007. I wish I was back to square one, but of course, I'm out JPY22,000 for the "upgrade", plus the time I spent sorting out licensing glitches and learning to use the new version. Reading the other related threads on this site demonstrates that I'm not just the unlucky guy with the glitchy PC. M... See more I spent a while trying to work with Trados Suite 2009, and had to give up in the face of incessant crashes that rendered the software unusable for any professional purpose. I'm now back to using Trados 2007. I wish I was back to square one, but of course, I'm out JPY22,000 for the "upgrade", plus the time I spent sorting out licensing glitches and learning to use the new version. Reading the other related threads on this site demonstrates that I'm not just the unlucky guy with the glitchy PC. Many people have reached the same conclusion, and dropped out of what is effectively an expansion of the Trados beta testing program.
So what happens next? I've been waiting for an urgent patch or upgrade that would turn this into a valid product, but there's no sign of any such relief. If I bought any other kind of product that was simply unfit for purpose, whether it was a sandwich or a car, I would have got a replacement by now, or my money back. If any of us submitted a job with this level of finish and professionalism, no client would accept it. SDL like to paint pictures of the return on investment (ROI) we can expect from their software. Isn't it time we got a simple 100% ROI, in the form of our money back? ▲ Collapse
| | | |
| Patch is on its way | Aug 18, 2009 |
Hi Matthew,
I fully understand your frustration. I've faced a number of crashes and unexpected C++ errors as well. As far as I know, SDL are working on a patch (now in Beta 2 stage) to be released, most probably, this autumn. I hope it will resolve these issues.
| | | |
T F F 
Italy
Local time: 03:08
English to Italian
| - marketing + essence | Aug 18, 2009 |
I'm with you Matthew!
I think that too much of the celebrated "1 million R&D" has gone in marketing stuff...
and - in my opinion - this is turning into a boomerang.
Matthew Kinnersly wrote:
If any of us submitted a job with this level of finish and professionalism, no client would accept it.
Things are not going as a Client would expect (at least, I hope SDL has not expected we were going to accept this situation): we work hard to avoid this situation, and when s*** happens, we react immediately to satisfy the client...
Matthew Kinnersly wrote:
So what happens next? .
...another Translator Group Buying?
| | | |
Yossi Rozenman
Germany
Local time: 03:08
Member (2006)
English to Hebrew
+ ...
| This is why I never buy a brand new product | Aug 18, 2009 |
When I had the Trados 6.5 and heard that SDL are going to release a brand new TM tool that will replace Trados, I rushed to buy the SDL Trados 2007 Freelance Suite.
I know that a brand new product with new technology means lot of bugs. I always wait 2-3 years for the product to ripe and most of the bugs fixed. This is why I did not buy the new Office 2007 and did not buy Windows Vista.
From my experience, this is the best policy. Why be the software companies guinea pig... See more When I had the Trados 6.5 and heard that SDL are going to release a brand new TM tool that will replace Trados, I rushed to buy the SDL Trados 2007 Freelance Suite.
I know that a brand new product with new technology means lot of bugs. I always wait 2-3 years for the product to ripe and most of the bugs fixed. This is why I did not buy the new Office 2007 and did not buy Windows Vista.
From my experience, this is the best policy. Why be the software companies guinea pig? ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| absolutely... | Aug 18, 2009 |
Yossi Rozenman wrote:
When I had the Trados 6.5 and heard that SDL are going to release a brand new TM tool that will replace Trados, I rushed to buy the SDL Trados 2007 Freelance Suite.
I know that a brand new product with new technology means lot of bugs. I always wait 2-3 years for the product to ripe and most of the bugs fixed. This is why I did not buy the new Office 2007 and did not buy Windows Vista.
From my experience, this is the best policy. Why be the software companies guinea pig?
I never buy any Trados products before a patch is released... it's not worth the time you spend trying different workarounds or just sitting staring at the screen in frustration! You might save a few bucks with the promotion (if you are upgrading), but how many hours (and money) are you going to waste trying to fix things? No thanks! Patch, we are waiting for you... 
| | | |
T F F
Italy
Local time: 03:08
English to Italian
| Smart, but... | Aug 18, 2009 |
Yossi Rozenman wrote:
Why be the software companies guinea pig?
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL wrote: I never buy any Trados products before a patch is released... it's not worth the time you spend trying different workarounds or just sitting staring at the screen in frustration...Patch, we are waiting for you...
...But you get a patch because people like us buy the first release and report the bugs that SDL will fix in the first patch...
I mean, the post is not about how stupid is buying the first release: the post is about how long and important is this time the "list of experienced issues" and the non-usability scenarios and consequently how "excessive" marketing could become "a jarring note"...
| | | |
Erik Freitag
Germany
Local time: 03:08
Member (2006)
Dutch to German
+ ...
Renato Renno wrote:
...But you get a patch because people like us buy the first release and report the bugs that SDL will fix in the first patch...
But, if no-one bought the first release, SDL might stop selling products with so many defects and try to make it work the first time ...
| | | |
T F F
Italy
Local time: 03:08
English to Italian
efreitag wrote: Renato Renno wrote:
...But you get a patch because people like us buy the first release and report the bugs that SDL will fix in the first patch...
But, if no-one bought the first release, SDL might stop selling products with so many defects and try to make it work the first time ...
Really funny, efreitag!;-)
Unfortunately, in the real world things go differently!
...Probably, SDL thought that along with the ideas, we were willing to offer our time as testers as well
| | |
|
|
|
Yossi
Yossi Rozenman wrote:
I always wait 2-3 years for the product to ripe and most of the bugs fixed.
Quite right, I usually stick to that rule. This time, I took the early adopter bribe of a free
license for something else that was rendered worthless by it's association with Suite 2009. I expected to suffer a little, but end up at least using the new product. This time, I think they really jumped the shark.
I'm trying to work out which is the (unintentionally) funniest slogan: "Because brand matters", "The wait is over" or "Innovation delivered". Any votes?
Matt
| | | |
cilantro
Israel
Local time: 04:08
Italian to English
+ ...
| Yes, but in the end will it work? | Aug 18, 2009 |
Interesting posts... of you veteran Trados users, do you think in the end the product will work??? Or is it a total loss?
David
| | | |
every respectable SW company should have its own internal testers and the product should be extensively tested and then launched free of major bugs. But it rarely is like this.
I believe the new Trados will work correctly after a couple of patches. It's a new development for them, so bugs were expected, but not so many!
G
| | | |
| In the end, yes | Aug 18, 2009 |
I think they've sunk too much money into this to leave it like this, and there is actually a lot of good stuff in the new version. After the marketing budget, there was still enough money left over for some clever people to come up with good ideas over lunch, but not for any solid programming to get a finished product. Maybe some of the money handed over by the early adopters will fund some hard work on the programming. Once that happens, yes, I think it will be good to work with. By that time, ... See more I think they've sunk too much money into this to leave it like this, and there is actually a lot of good stuff in the new version. After the marketing budget, there was still enough money left over for some clever people to come up with good ideas over lunch, but not for any solid programming to get a finished product. Maybe some of the money handed over by the early adopters will fund some hard work on the programming. Once that happens, yes, I think it will be good to work with. By that time, we will effectively have given SDL an unsecured, interest-free loan of a couple of hundred bucks for half a year or so. In the meantime, there seems to be a window of opportunity for someone else, Wordfast maybe, to offer a finished product and a better attitude.
They say "brand matters", but I'd be more impressed by quality. If they are really so worried about the strength of the Trados brand, maybe they will protect it by releasing a product worthy of some positive reputation. They're already pushing this launch with more incentives and more marketing than I've seen before, and still the message translators get from all this is "just say no" to the first version. Maybe it does work as efreitag suggests. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
cilantro
Israel
Local time: 04:08
Italian to English
+ ...
| enlighten me | Aug 18, 2009 |
I'm sure this information is buried under the marketing budget, but what is so essential in the new version?
It seems this is a pretty big screw-up, whether semi-intended or not. By releasing an unfinished product they are potentially alienating hordes of translators, so what was so indispensable in the new product?
| | | |
Brandis (X)
Local time: 03:08
English to German
+ ...
| What matters is the Uni code.. | Aug 18, 2009 |
Matthew Kinnersly wrote:
I think they've sunk too much money into this to leave it like this, and there is actually a lot of good stuff in the new version. After the marketing budget, there was still enough money left over for some clever people to come up with good ideas over lunch, but not for any solid programming to get a finished product. Maybe some of the money handed over by the early adopters will fund some hard work on the programming. Once that happens, yes, I think it will be good to work with. By that time, we will effectively have given SDL an unsecured, interest-free loan of a couple of hundred bucks for half a year or so. In the meantime, there seems to be a window of opportunity for someone else, Wordfast maybe, to offer a finished product and a better attitude.
They say "brand matters", but I'd be more impressed by quality. If they are really so worried about the strength of the Trados brand, maybe they will protect it by releasing a product worthy of some positive reputation. They're already pushing this launch with more incentives and more marketing than I've seen before, and still the message translators get from all this is "just say no" to the first version. Maybe it does work as efreitag suggests.
Hi! I grew up with trados since 1989, and know the catches, but I am much too lazy or busy helping, as I keep seeing on and off trados questioning, I would have suggested you to check with the trados postings.
But generally,If you can manage to get hold of a Trados 7.0 upwards, does not have to be SDL as well, that should work fine. These versions are universally compatible with any TM. Only one should know how that goes. I feel that SDL is just an interpretation of the tags and nothing else. Comparatively you have other tools like Déjà Vu and various others. But I guess you have got the point. All these tools are expensive and and also important in this trade. Ralf would be able to help you in this. He is a true Master. Brandis
| | | |
| Make your life easier, Matthew | Aug 18, 2009 |
... take advantage of Kilgray's "upgrade" offer for Trados users instead. A lot of the "good new features" for SDL Trados are old hat with MemoQ and DVX.
It's simply not worth bending over for the SDL marketing machine any more. Go for performance and quality instead.
| | | |
| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news related to SDL Trados
