Software

My go-to apps (2024-10-19)

• Backup (online): Backblaze
• Backup (local): Macrium Reflect
• Browser: Chrome
• Clipboard manager: ArsClip)(also great: CL3)
• CSV editor: Rons Data Edit
• Ctrl+Alt+Delete: System Informer (formerly called ‘Process Hacker’)
• Desktop search tool: dtSearch
• Dictation: Talon, Dragon Professional 16, Voice Access (Win 11), VoiceMacro
• Email: Gmail
• File manager: XYplorer (dual-pane file manager)
• Invoicing: LSP.expert
• CAT tool: CafeTran (my current favourite), Trados Studio, memoQ
• Machine translation: Google Translate, DeepL, Amazon Translate, Microsoft Translator, ModernMT, various LLMs
• Note-taking: Nuclino
• Scripting and automation: AutoHotkey (‘AHK, the ultimate glue on Windows.’)
• Terminology: 1. MediaWiki (Beijerterm.com), 2. LogiTerm, 3. Xbench
• Text editor: EmEditor
• Text expander: AutoHotkey
• Automated app/time tracking: RescueTime
• Voice commands: Talon Voice
• Websites: MediaWiki-powered wiki
• Website downloading tool: Cyotek WebCopy, HTTrack

Categories

• Abbreviation management and search
• Backup and sync software
• CAT tools
• Concordancers (bilingual/monolingual)
• CSV editors
• Clipboard managers and Text expanders
• Corpus analysis software
• Data conversion tools
• Desktop search tools
• Dictation and voice command tools
• Document management systems (DMS)
• Email
• File managers
• Fonts
• Forum software
• Invoicing software
• Machine translation
• Note-taking apps
• Online search tools
• QA (quality assurance software for translators)
• Scripting and automation tools (AutoHotkey, etc.)
• Terminology software (online & Windows/Mac/Linux-based)
• Text editors
• Time tracking software
• Wiki software
• Windows Precision Touchpads (aka Why are Windows touchpads still so crap?)

Old CafeTran wiki

File:CafeTran-brown.png

Old CafeTran wiki Several years ago, Hans Lenting and I tried to create the ultimate CafeTran manual/resource (using the wikidot.com platform). ‘CafeTran Help’, was basically a volunteer-based project, with around three/four volunteers. After a few years, we gave up. Even though a lot of it is now outdated, it still contains a lot of useful information. The last version of our work is archived at Old CafeTran wiki. I currently recommend Jean Dimitriadis’ amazing ‘TheCafeTranFiles’. As well as the official resources: CafeTran Knowledge Base, and the Official CafeTran forum.

Other people’s lists

• https://inboxtranslation.com/blog/professional-translators-reveal-free-tools/
• https://signsandsymptomsoftranslation.com/2014/02/25/translation-programs/

Little tools every translator should have

• TransTools and TransTools+ and/or CodeZapper (by David Turner)