Table of Contents
Preface ...............................................................................................................2
About the author ...............................................................................................4
About the eBook ................................................................................................ 5
Copyright notice ............................................................................................... 8
Disclaimer .........................................................................................................9
Shout-outs ....................................................................................................... 10
Section 1: Admin & Management .....................................................................11
Count Anything............................................................................................ 12
EssentialPIM Free ....................................................................................... 15
IFTTT .......................................................................................................... 20
GnuCash ...................................................................................................... 25
PNotes.NET .................................................................................................29
RescueTime Lite ..........................................................................................34
SlimTimer ................................................................................................... 38
ToDoist ........................................................................................................ 41
Unroll.me ..................................................................................................... 45
Section 2: Terminology & TMs ........................................................................49
Glossary Converter ..................................................................................... 50
IATE Search ................................................................................................. 54
LF Aligner .................................................................................................... 57
MagicSearch ............................................................................................... 60
Olifant ..........................................................................................................63
Preface
Is THAT all of your luggage?
I lost count of the times I received an awkward look, and the shameful tone,
from a friend on the eve of a road trip.
You see, Ive always been a fan of travelling light.
I simply hate the idea of being yet another damsel in distress who cant
handle her own luggage. You know, the perfectly dressed high-heeled lady
who packs 2 trolleys and one jumbo jet for a 5-day trip.
To me, travelling alone is the quintessence of freedom.
You need to be comfortable, and keep your hands and mind free for all the
beautiful things you will see, taste, and experience.
If youre busy with luggage, you cannot even reach for the camera.
I believe the same applies to freelancing.
A compact backpack (or toolbox) is key to manage your daily work easily, and
also free some mental space to welcome the nice things that will come along.
In the daily struggle for productivity, I always choose functionality over
design and, honestly, I dont see the point of using 75 different apps when a
smaller set of multifunctional tools would do.
Ultimately, 21 Free Tools for Translators is an eBook about freedom.
The programs and apps presented within will help you manage common tasks
and everyday riddles more efficiently, and streamline your workflow.
Increasing your productivity will give you more wiggle room to plan for bigger
results, set more ambitious goals, invest in professional development,
Dont be a stranger!
Copyright notice
21 Free Tools for Translators is distributed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
international license, which also protects the additional materials authored
for this eBook.
Bringing 21 Free Tools for Translators from idea to your desktop (or tablet,
smartphone, e-Reader) took around 160 hours.
When you comply with the terms of the license, you are respecting my work
and intellectual rights. Thank you.
Disclaimer
All the information included within this eBook are based on the authors
own experiences, and are provided in good faith.
The author is not affiliated with any of the tools and services presented in
this publication. The eBook does not include sponsored reviews.
For web services or apps offering free and paid services, the review always
refers to the free version or plan.
All the trademarks, brands, and software cited in this eBook are the
propriety of their respective owners. Screenshots and product images are
provided for information purposes only.
As of August 31, 2016 all the websites and download links cited and
provided in this eBook are fully functional and virus-free. However,
the author cannot guarantee that such websites or download links will be
functional, and virus-free at any point in the future.
As of August 31, 2016 all the tools and services presented in the eBook are
available free of charge. However, the author cannot guarantee that
such tools and services will still be available for free at any point in the
future.
The author cannot be held responsible for any damage or loss caused by the
download, use or misuse of the tools presented in the eBook.
Before downloading a software programme or signing up for a web service,
please check the relevant system requirements, privacy policies, and the
small print. Also, dont forget to use an antivirus programme to protect
your computers and mobile devices.
The author does not provide any free nor paid support for the tools and
services reviewed in the eBook.
Shout-outs
To Russell - for being a cherished friend, my brother-in-music, and the
proofreader any translator or copywriter would love to work with.
To Alice - for being much more than a colleague, and for her precious support
throughout the making of the eBook.
To Ferruccio - for being one of my brothers of choice, a tireless dungeon
master and for DTP support.
To the creators of non-proprietary additional resources featured in the eBook,
for being so generous with their knowledge.
To all the friends, colleagues, and mentors that made these first 15 years in
translation much easier, nurturing, and fun.
To Efrem - my partner in crime, and fellow lightweight-traveller.
Looking forward to the next leg of our journey.
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Section 1:
Admin & Management
11
Count Anything
________________________________________________
For analysis of multiple files, the report generates a multi-line report. Clicking
on a file name will open a report for the individual file, which includes the
same information you get in the global report, with a different layout.
12
Unlike other tools, the tool also counts words in embedded objects (such
as tables, boxes, graphs and charts).
This feature is especially useful for PDFs but the accuracy in the word count
might vary based on the complexity of the formatting.
The tool will then retrieve the page, and display it in the main window (just
like any other file). If you want to add more URLs, just click on Add URL
again. You can do this for any number of pages.
3. Click on Count.
Done.
14
EssentialPIM Free
________________________________________________
With EssentialPIM, information is updated as you type it. For extra peace of
mind, users can also setup and adjust autosave options to taste (Tools >
Options > Autosave).
15
With EssentialPIM Free, you can schedule recurrent events with one
simple action. Plus, you can add personal notes to each appointment which
is especially useful when scheduling activities that require preparation or
specific materials.
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IFTTT
________________________________________________
With IFTTT you can create two type of recipes: IF & DO.
IF recipes run automatically in the background; DO recipes are
triggered with 1 tap from any iOS or Android devices.
This review focuses on IF recipes only. To learn more about DO
recipes, check out this guide on GuidingTech.
Setting up a new recipe (or customising recipes you might find online)
requires less than 1 minute. The tools GUI will guide you through the process
step-by-step. To get started, select Create from your account menu.
When you use a channel for the first time, you need to connect it to IFTTT.
The tool automatically recognises new channels, and embeds the channel
authorisation steps into the recipe creation workflow.
Potential triggers i.e. IF events - vary based on the individual channel, and
on whether you select it as input or output element.
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When you see a recipe that suits your needs, click on it to expand the view.
Before you click the big friendly Add button, always review and customise
parameters.
To manage your recipes, click on the My recipes menu. Here, you can:
Turn recipes on/off: this is especially useful when your recipes involve
live alerts via smartphone, Skype, voicemail etcetera. You dont want your
phone to buzz every 5 minutes while youre on holiday, right?
Trigger recipes manually to double-check whether they work as
expected.
Edit and delete recipes.
23
To create or manage your recipes, you need to switch to the Manage view.
In the Manage view, tap on the + button to create a new recipe.
The recipe creation workflow is just as in the web version. To edit or pause a
recipe, select it from the recipe list to open the actions dialogue.
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GnuCash
________________________________________________
Stress-free accounting
Quick facts
Double entry-based accounting
software
Specific functionalities for small
business accounting
Extensive documentation
Available in 11 languages
For Windows, Mac OS X, Linux
The real plus of GnuCash is that it is much more than an invoicing tool.
You can use it e.g. to:
Manage contact information for customers and help-for-hire;
Monitor your bank accounts (with reconciliation) and investments;
Define your budget, and generates reports for sales, cash flow etc.;
Create, edit, and monitor invoices;
Set recurring payments;
Make internet banking transactions.
26
27
PNotes.NET
________________________________________________
The notes editor window offers quick access to popular formatting options,
with more available when you right-click anywhere in the editor window.
29
Amongst top formatting and editing features unparalleled by other free notes
management tools:
Paragraph-level options (indent, line spacing, );
Uppercase/lowercase conversion, subscripts, superscripts;
Insert images, tables, special symbols, and more;
Automatic recognition for web links (click-enabled);
Multiple options for bulleted and numbered lists.
PNotes.NET also features a built-in spell checker. The installation package
only includes an English dictionary, but you can download more for free
from the OpenOffice extensions archive.
Compared to other notes managers, PNotes.NET also offers superior crossnotes referencing capabilities. This makes it an ideal companion for the
notes-addicted translator who also wants to track changes to projects or the
development steps of a core idea/activity.
PNotes.NET is complemented with extensive documentation and
thorough step-by-step instructions to unleash its full potential,
and get the most out of it for your individual needs.
Want to get started with PNotes.NET quickly? Browse the
excellent online Help or download the PDF guide.
33
RescueTime Lite
________________________________________________
Once activated, RescueTime starts tracking your activities. The client runs in
the background of all devices you connect to your account, and automatically
turns ON/OFF according to your preferred logging schedule.
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35
SlimTimer
________________________________________________
When youre done, click on the task again to stop the timer. If the project is
completed, tick the box next to the task name to close it. Alternatively, just
close the popup window: the task will be there for you at the next session.
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Remember: when you close the popup window, the time tracking function
stops. To resume tracking, open the popup again and click on the task to
activate it.
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40
ToDoist
________________________________________________
The user interface is minimal, with the same design for both web and mobile
apps. By default, Todoist suggests a list of popular projects i.e. collections of
tasks, but you can always create new projects at any time.
41
To set deadlines and assign tasks to projects, you can either click on the
relevant icons or type in your preferences straight in the task name box. The
tool features smart language recognition, so you can use a variety of
notations, e.g.
Monday afternoon;
mar 21 (for March 21st)
every Saturday at 3 pm.
To add your new task to an existing project, type the project name as a
hashtag e.g. #Business.
Smart language processing for deadlines and sorting only works if
you type your tasks in the language you selected for the GUI.
When you confirm, the task will be accessible from the dashboard.
To mark a task as completed, navigate to the task, click (or tap) to activate it,
and check the circle you find on the right of the task.
42
With the free account, completed tasks are gone for good.
To keep track of your completed tasks, you can:
1. Save your daily to-do as a PDF before ticking tasks off;
2. Connect ToDoist to IFTTT, and create a recipe. You can find
some ready-to-use options in the free cheat sheet for IFTTT
(21 IF recipes for small business productivity).
With the free plan, you can also share projects with up to 5 people each.
For professionals who need some extra motivation, Todoist also offers an
objectives planner called Karma, where you can set daily and weekly
productivity goals and see how you perform over time.
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Unroll.me
________________________________________________
With Unroll.me, you can retake control of your newsletter subscriptions, and
reduce the amount of emails you receive on a daily basis. Once activated,
the system will also automatically detect new subscriptions, and ask you
what you want to do with them.
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On the next page, you will see all subscriptions in alphabetical order.
For each, you can unsubscribe, move to rollup or keep in your inbox.
Section 2:
Terminology & TMs
49
Glossary Converter
________________________________________________
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51
Your preferred file format will then appear in the Out box on the GUI.
Please note that by default, MultiTerm termbase is always active. If you select
a different file format, Glossary Converter will generate e.g. a tbx file AND a
sdltb file.
53
IATE Search
________________________________________________
To perform a search:
1. Enter your query in the Search item field;
2. Select your source language, and target language(s);
3. Hit search.
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The hit list is neat, and provides users with all the information they might
need at a glance:
A reliability value (1 to 4 stars);
Reference information (for all entries);
Definition, notes, and context (where available).
To view additional information within the hit list, hover your mouse on the
relevant symbol. Clicking on a result will open the expanded view.
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LF Aligner
________________________________________________
The tool then asks you whether you want to check and correct the pairings
before generating your translation memory (as tmx, tabbed txt, or xls).
Want to get better results from your alignment? There are other
tools in this eBook that will help you prepare files for alignment,
and polish your new TM.
Use TransTools to reduce formatting-based clutter in source files,
and Olifant to polish your TM after generation.
59
MagicSearch
________________________________________________
To include or exclude sources, click on the gear icon in the sources bar.
All you need after that is a little drag n drop, and a click on Close.
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Want to revert to the full list of sources prompted by the tool? No problem:
click on the gear icon again, and select Reset.
By default, the one-page results option is set as ON.
This means that MagicSearch opens all matching pages in one page. You can
scroll through, or browse by clicking on the relevant source in the grey bar.
When you set the option OFF, only click-through is enabled.
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Other integrations
Want to integrate custom language pair-specific links to your browser, or run
a quick search right from within Microsoft Word? MagicSearch has it covered.
For Chrome, you can install a dedicated plugin. For Microsoft Word, you
can generate specific macros.
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Olifant
________________________________________________
Effortless TM maintenance
Quick facts
Powerful find & replace
supporting regular expressions
Available in English
You see, translation memories can get extremely messy over time.
Tags and inline code, duplicated entries, segments with numbers only, TUs
with empty source or target, All of these unnecessary elements:
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Olifant: GUI
64
This is basically a list of pre-set filters you can select to find unnecessary or
flawed translation units. To flag entries:
1. Access the Flag entries panel;
2. Check the filters you want to use (e.g. Source is the same as Target);
3. Click on OK.
Olifant will search your TM, and retrieve the segments corresponding to your
selected criteria.
65
To view flagged entries only in the grid, click on the icon shown in the
screenshot below.
Section 3:
The Grab Bag
67
AutoUnbreak
________________________________________________
Using AutoUnbreak is easy. The interface is minimal, and the tool can process
up to 65,500 characters at once. This means you can comfortably optimise
formatting for most smaller projects in one batch.
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AutoUnbreak: Before
AutoUnbreak: After
If youre using Microsoft Office 2016, do not use the Ctrl+C and
Ctrl+V shortcuts to import/export text. They might cause loss of
formatting information.
70
CamScanner
________________________________________________
No scanner? No problem!
Quick facts
Scan and edit documents
To save your adjustments and finalise the scan, tap on the check icon again.
When your file is ready, you can fax it, upload it in your free cloud space
(200 MB), invite people to collaborate on the task (up to 10 per document
with the free plan), email the document to yourself, add comments,
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You can also synch your scans archives across all of your devices.
Please note that the user interface varies slightly for different devices - but the
intuitive menus and icons really help you get along well with any version.
73
ConvertAll
________________________________________________
To select your source and target units, you can also type the unit name in the
boxes located on top of the relevant columns (auto-completion enabled).
To confirm, click on the unit name in the window or press Enter.
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Rules for notation are recapped in a welcome pop-up, and in the built-in
Help guide (also available online).
Customisation
In the Options menu, you can customise different default settings, such as:
Number of decimals shown;
Results display options;
UI options and colours.
Your preferences will be saved automatically, and used as default until you
change them again.
Changes to text colour also apply to text you type in the edit
boxes. If you select a dark/light contrast, this might result in poor
readability.
76
Inoreader
________________________________________________
You can subscribe to feeds for blogs, podcasts, social media accounts, and
more. You can also organise your feeds in folders (e.g. subject-based) for
quick referencing and improved usability.
77
With the free plan, you can subscribe to unlimited feeds for websites (e.g.
blogs, online journals, news platforms, ), and save any number of web
pages. There are, however, strict limitations on the number of social
accounts you can subscribe to.
Want to extend the capacity of your free Inoreader plan?
Activate the Inoreader channel to IFTTT and see what you can do.
Check out popular recipes for Inoreader for inspiration.
Subscribing to your favourite feeds is easy.
If you already retrieved the RSS feed for your favourite website, paste it in the
search box. If you dont, type the name of the website you want to follow.
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To manage feeds and folders from the dashboard, right-click on the relevant
item to access the options menu. To learn how to organise your feeds with
stars and folders, check out Inoreaders how to guide.
By default, the dashboard opens in grid view mode, i.e. with the dashboard
on the left, and articles shows as cards on the right.
To read an article within Inoreader, click (or tap) on the card. To visit the
article on the original website, click (or tap) on the title in the built-in reader.
79
The tools interface differs slightly based on the individual apps. Nevertheless,
the layout and main interface features are consistent across all versions and
this results in increased usability compared to similar tools.
80
LightShot
________________________________________________
Screenshots? No problem
Quick facts
User-friendly interface
Versatile saving & sharing
options
Powerful online editor
For Windows and Mac
Video tutorials to get started
quickly
The quick editor provides all the basic options you need to create
simple screenshots for e.g. troubleshooting, quick consultation or
feedback purposes.
81
To use the cloud storage and gallery features, you will need to
sign up via Facebook or Google+ (its free).
The only limitation of the quick editor is that you cannot change shapes,
fonts, and sizes only the elements colours. Want more control over the
graphic elements of your screenshot?
Select the screenshot area, and use the Ctrl+E hotkey. Lightshot will open
your image in Pixlr, the online editor.
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LockHunter
________________________________________________
This will open the tools main window, where you can see what program is
giving you headaches. If you check the More details box, the tool will show
additional information on the locking process (or processes).
84
Unlike similar tools, LockHunter actually lets you perform your favourite
action within the tool (e.g. unlock and rename).
No more hopping on and off folders and windows.
85
TransTools
________________________________________________
For MS Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), the add on is listed in the
menu. Clicking on the tab opens the relevant toolbar.
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Photo credits
Front cover:
Alessandra Martelli. All rights reserved.
Section 1:
AllAnd via Pixabay (CC0)
Section 2:
Small White Kleiner Kohlweissling, Aah-Yeah via Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
Section 3:
WenPhotos via Pixabay (CC0)
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