OmegaT is a freeware translation memory program that doesn't run on Microsoft Word. The fact that neither Trados nor the more affordable Wordfast can be used with OpenOffice Writer, used to present a serious stumbling block for translators used to using computer assisted translation (CAT) technologies with translation memory, fuzzy matching and active glossary look-up. One serious alternative to Microsoft Word is OpenOffice Writer. Or take any of the three most well-known Afrikaans spell-checkers - all work only on Microsoft Word. Take Trados, for example - there is no Trados for WordPerfect. One such reason is that translators feel many translation related programs are not available in non-Microsoft Word formats. There are usually other reasons for sticking to Microsoft Word regardless. Owing to these two pieces of ignorance, many translators are fearful of making a change to non-Microsoft products. The second is that even the same version of Microsoft Word installed on two computers may not necessarily be 100% mutually compatible. The first is that quite a few fellow-translators and clients do not use Microsoft Word. Translators using Microsoft products are often not aware of two things.

The author is a satisfied user of Microsoft Word and Excel, and a happy user of Wordfast. Samuel Murray, Translator - English into Afrikaans | Article index OMEGAT: INTRODUCTION AND TUTORIALДisclaimer: This article is not meant as an anti-Microsoft article.

OmegaT: Introduction and Tutorial - Personal pages of Samuel Murray, translator in Afrikaans and English

Omegat mac glossary viewer