| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Help!! SDL Trados for Mac Users Thread poster: EmiliaF
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| My experience | Dec 18, 2012 |
I have had experience with the followings:
1) a 16,4" sony Vaio with Win7
2) a 15" MacBook Pro
3) a 13" MacBook Air
4) a 27" iMac
OS-wise, Apple wins. It's smooth, fast to boot, reliable, Time Machine is fab, etc.
Software-wise, Win wins. Despite its fame, most of the software I use to translate are developed for Windows, and emulation has its limits.
For example, I use WMWare for Trados 2011 and works fine. But Olifaint does ... See more I have had experience with the followings:
1) a 16,4" sony Vaio with Win7
2) a 15" MacBook Pro
3) a 13" MacBook Air
4) a 27" iMac
OS-wise, Apple wins. It's smooth, fast to boot, reliable, Time Machine is fab, etc.
Software-wise, Win wins. Despite its fame, most of the software I use to translate are developed for Windows, and emulation has its limits.
For example, I use WMWare for Trados 2011 and works fine. But Olifaint does not work at all. Wordfast has its Mac version but it's messy and underveloped compared to the Win version (tags are visually messy, cannot add words to dictionary, support for some filetype came in later, etc). My dictionary could not be emulated and I had to purchase the same version for Mac.
Screen-wise, I felt the iMac 27" was too big. I literally needed to turn my head to see it from side to side. It is indeed useful if you work with multiple windows open, but when I translate in a CAT, I just keep the window a decent size so that lines are no too wide and I don't need to scroll my head laterally. The 16,4" of the Vaio proved to be the best so far. But the 15" of the Macbook are good, too, if you just work on one window at time - however working with two windows side-by-side means smaller font size, and I am no longer 20 y.o.
If you need to translate on the go very seldom, then the best choice would be to buy a regular laptop and use it with an external screen and keyboard when at home/office. When travelling, just unplug the peripherals and you're free to go.
But if you translate around a lot, you might want to have a decent screen even on the laptop.
I started working on the 16,4" Vaio, but having a desktop computer at the office, I found it was far more comfortable to work 8 hours-straight on a desktop than on a laptop, so I attached an external keyboard, but used the 16,4" screen of the laptop.
Running Win software on Mac
Emulation has its perk: you get the benefit of MacOS for file management and limit the emulation to those software that don't come in a Windows version. The emulation is very smooth and you can decide to emulate the whole Windows environment in a single screen, or to emulate directly the various softwares in separated Windows. You don't even notice that you are working in an emulated environment, but the keystrokes in the Windows window mught not work. For example when I emulate Trados, I cannot hit F3 to run a concordance search for this prompt another function on MacOs [I believe you can customize these keystrokes, but takes time and breaks your habits].
Anyway you need to buy an emulator (either VMWare or Parallels).
BootCamps is free, but you are booting the machine. Booting a Mac takes less than a minute, but anyway if you are multitasking is pretty annoying.
[Edited at 2012-12-18 14:03 GMT]
[Edited at 2012-12-18 14:05 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Paola Slajmer wrote:
Anyway you need to buy an emulator (either VMWare or Parallels).
VirtualBox is free. VMWare and Parallels are often offered in a bundle with around a dozen other apps for USD 50.
Cheers,
Hans
| | | | | emulation vs. virtualization | Dec 19, 2012 |
Paola Slajmer wrote:
Anyway you need to buy an emulator (either VMWare or Parallels).
Strictly speaking VMware Fusion and Parallels are virtualization (not emulation) software.
| | | | | VirtualBox vs. VMware Fusion | Dec 19, 2012 |
Meta Arkadia wrote:
VirtualBox is free. VMWare and Parallels are often offered in a bundle with around a dozen other apps for USD 50.
I found VirtualBox wouldn't support the native resolution (1440x900) of my MacBook Air, at least not out of the box. VMware Fusion supported it out of the box. The cost of Fusion was less than the time I wasted trying to get VirtualBox to work the way it was supposed to. A case of "free" software being more expensive than paid counterparts.
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| Time = money | Dec 19, 2012 |
Dominique Pivard wrote:
The cost of Fusion was less than the time I wasted trying to get VirtualBox to work the way it was supposed to. A case of "free" software being more expensive than paid counterparts.
True enough. I never tried VMWare, but I installed Parallels in less than an hour, including settings, whereas installing VirtualBox took me almost a day. But then again, I couldn't care less. I don't need Windows on my Mac, so I tried both VMs just for kicks. In that case, time isn't important. Parallels was far better integrated in OS X than VB, but VB starts up faster (the latest Parallels build is said to be a lot faster than the version I tried, 7 - I think). For me, that was important. If I'd use it for work, or even if I'd use it regularly, I'd switch to Parallels in a split second, no thinking required.
Cheers,
Hans
[Edited at 2012-12-19 07:11 GMT]
| | | | | Great topic, but I have a question to which I cannot find the answer | Dec 20, 2012 |
Dear colleagues,
Sorry for bumping into the post but I found it when doing some research on the use of Macs in our profession. I am thinking seriously about getting myself a Macbook Pro. Seeing all the valuable comments above and the very valid arguments, now I have a question that is going around my mind for a while: Is it really worth investing on a Mac if the programs that I use (Trados, for instance) will only work in a Windows environment, meaning that I will probably be using ... See more Dear colleagues,
Sorry for bumping into the post but I found it when doing some research on the use of Macs in our profession. I am thinking seriously about getting myself a Macbook Pro. Seeing all the valuable comments above and the very valid arguments, now I have a question that is going around my mind for a while: Is it really worth investing on a Mac if the programs that I use (Trados, for instance) will only work in a Windows environment, meaning that I will probably be using most of the time the virtual machine that I will create on my Mac for the purpose. What I mean is, if I am to use Windows all the time, so why not stick to a PC at the end of the day. Their internal components (processor, memory, etc) are from the same manufacturer, to me it seems that the highlights of a Mac is its OS, which I will probably be minimally using and which makes me wonder if this is really worth the investment. All the same, I am still very tempted to get a Mac, but perhaps this is not the best solution for a translator´s needs (please correct me if I am wrong), since I basically will have to transform the machine into a pc, for what I can gather... And will not be benefiting so much from what a Mac´s got to offer (I heavily use my machine for work purposes and very little for other things.)
Looking forward to your opinions,
Diana Takehana
[Edited at 2012-12-20 00:45 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I wouldn't buy a Mac if I were to use it solely for translations. | Dec 20, 2012 |
In my personal experience, I wouldn't buy a Mac if I were to use it solely for translations.
I think there are a few questions you should consider:
1) How are you doing with Windows? Can you sort out your problems easily or do you have to call (and pay) your technician everytime you see happening "something funny"?
2) What programs do you use? There are excellent CATs for MacOS - could you consider switching to them or are you forced to work with Windows-based CATs?
... See more In my personal experience, I wouldn't buy a Mac if I were to use it solely for translations.
I think there are a few questions you should consider:
1) How are you doing with Windows? Can you sort out your problems easily or do you have to call (and pay) your technician everytime you see happening "something funny"?
2) What programs do you use? There are excellent CATs for MacOS - could you consider switching to them or are you forced to work with Windows-based CATs?
3) Beside translations, what do you use your computer for? Are you in graphic, music, 3D design?
Truth to be said, moving to Mac-world was not a revolution for me. Indeed, I am still using my old PC. Money-wise, for a translator a Mac is simply not worth it. ▲ Collapse
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Paola Slajmer wrote:
Money-wise, for a translator a Mac is simply not worth it.
My dear Paolo, I'll bet you a bottle of the finest Barolo that my set-up with a Mac is far superior to your set-up of whatever. For freelance translators, that is. Agencies may have other priorities. www.cafetran4mac.blogspot.com
Cheers,
Hans
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Gyula Erdesz
Hungary
Local time: 18:40
Member (2009)
English to Hungarian
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| Totally meaningless debate | Dec 20, 2012 |
My dear Paolo, I'll bet you a bottle of the finest Barolo that my set-up with a Mac is far superior to your set-up of whatever.
Just like in the kindergarten...
Please tell me how to compare cherry to melon? By size? By color? By taste? By YOUR taste or by MY taste?
We should accept that there are too many factors in our business to have one and only ultimate tool and SW/HW layout for all of us.
Cheers,
Gyula
[Módosítva: 2012-12-20 14:28 GMT]
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Gyula Erdész wrote:
We should accept that there are too many factors in our business to have one and only ultimate tool and SW/HW layout for all of us.
I agree and accept. But I definitely don't agree with Paolos's statement that "a Mac is simply is'nt worth it".
Cheers,
Hans
| | | | Egils Grikis 
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:40
Russian to Latvian
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| Learn why you’ll love a Mac | Dec 20, 2012 |
I am working with 21.5-inch iMac, 10.8.2 Mac OS X | Parallels Desktop v.8 | Windows 8 | Trados Studio 2011.
Why get a new PC and just upgrade your computer, when you can get a Mac and upgrade your entire computer experience? Learn why you’ll love a Mac:
http://www.apple.com/why-mac/
Cheers, Egils
Meta Arkadia wrote: Gyula Erdész wrote:
We should accept that there are too many factors in our business to have one and only ultimate tool and SW/HW layout for all of us. I agree and accept. But I definitely don't agree with Paolos's statement that "a Mac is simply is'nt worth it". Cheers, Hans
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Skallagrimson wrote:
Parallels Desktop v.8 | Windows 8 | Trados Studio 2011.
Love your Mac just a little bit more, and forget about Windows | Trados.
Cheers,
Hans
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Egils Grikis
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:40
Russian to Latvian
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| Re: Love your Mac just a little bit more | Dec 20, 2012 |
I do! Trying Wordfast on Mac and some other CAT tools also.
My first Mac was Mac Classic, actually.
Meta Arkadia wrote: Skallagrimson wrote:
Parallels Desktop v.8 | Windows 8 | Trados Studio 2011. Love your Mac just a little bit more, and forget about Windows | Trados. Cheers, Hans
| | | | | | | That´s what I suspected... | Dec 20, 2012 |
Paola Slajmer wrote:
In my personal experience, I wouldn't buy a Mac if I were to use it solely for translations.
I think there are a few questions you should consider:
1) How are you doing with Windows? Can you sort out your problems easily or do you have to call (and pay) your technician everytime you see happening "something funny"?
2) What programs do you use? There are excellent CATs for MacOS - could you consider switching to them or are you forced to work with Windows-based CATs?
3) Beside translations, what do you use your computer for? Are you in graphic, music, 3D design?
Truth to be said, moving to Mac-world was not a revolution for me. Indeed, I am still using my old PC. Money-wise, for a translator a Mac is simply not worth it.
Thanks Paola for your input. I will probably be using it solely for translations and work-related stuff. On my free time, when I have any, I´d rather be away from a computer screen as much as I can. Well yes, I am forced to use certain tools that will only work in a Windows-based environment. Other than that, I haven´t really had much problems with Windows all these years, except three days ago, when its chkdsk just screwed my whole machine, it has rendered it useless now and that´s basically the reason why I thought about going for a Mac this time. But then again, in my experience, I usually need to change machines about every 3 years because the internal components just eventually wear out due to intense use. I honestly can´t see why this would be different with a mac, since its internal components are pretty much the same as in a pc.
Then again, I am not advocating one or the other, I am just looking for a practical solution and to me, personally, it seems that sticking to a pc would be the most feasible alternative for now.
Thanks again for your time,
Diana
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