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Re: Translation costs are too high - need CMS for localization
Subject:Re: Translation costs are too high - need CMS for localization From:Bill Swallow <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com> To:Ben Davies <bdavies -at- imris -dot- com> Date:Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:59:48 -0400
> By CMS I mean content management system.
Well, yes, of course.
> I am looking for a content management system that can help manage translated chunks of text.
You're looking for a translation management system, or a
computer-aided translation tool (CAT tool) in that case. When you send
things out for translation, your translators should be using a CAT
tool to manage the translation and leverage what was already
translated to speed up translation time and reduce ongoing costs.
> I'm thinking along the lines of what AuthorIT offers with their localization module (hopefully you understand what AuthorIT offers in their localization module).
I do, as well as Madcap's Lingo. These are great packages for content
authors. But I think you're missing what I suggest: adding a tool or
system won't fix what's broken without full understanding of what it
is that is broken. That said, I can't help you without knowing your
situation. it's not a simple problem/solution pairing, as there are
many factors that go into translation cost, time, and quality.
> But we do not have any money to purchase any licenses, and our IT department is not interested or willing to help us setup an in-house database to help manage our "translation memory"; hence my question about open source or low cost systems.
Ah, there's the rub. Looking for a free system is fine, but you need
to know what it is that you're looking for. We should talk so I can
get a better understanding of your existing workflows and assets. I
might be able to find a solution without additional systems.
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