The benefits of using Memsource

Modern translators have a wide selection of tools to choose from. While machine translation is a very powerful one, everybody knows that it still lacks a number of capabilities. This is where CAT translation tools come into place. While most of them are stand-alone Windows applications, there is a growing number of applications which are purely web-based. One of them is Memsource, and it can really surprise you. So, what are the benefits of using this application?

Pure speed

While most applications of this type are rather slow, this one is remarkably brisk. Operations on files and displaying them works extremely quickly, even the big ones. Who would have thought that web-based applications would ever outperform standalone apps? What is more, the process of translation is automated in terms of jumping through segments.  There is also the question of updates and search operations which in this case happens in the background which means the waiting times are really short. This is what smart programming and design really mean.

Clear interface

There is one major issue with standalone CAT apps, and that is the fact that as they develop they become more and more complicated and feature packed. Unfortunately, some of these features do not come in handy in the long run.  Additionally, the useful ones become obscured by a complex system of shortcuts and submenus. Memsource, on the other hand, focuses on the basic functionalities, ones that all translators use on a daily basis. A trivial example involves performing a search or applying a filter which starts automatically without you having to press a number of buttons. Finally, the graphic design is clean and easy on the eyes without vivid colors and unnecessary scrolling.

Best features

The best two features include filters and tag management. The former is extremely powerful and can easily be incorporated in your work. Even very long projects can be completed extremely quickly. The second huge advantage is the use of tags, which were always rather painful in traditional CAT tools. Memsource is fantastic with tags management. Deleting and inserting tags is just a press of a button away.

It is easy to learn, yet really comprehensive

First and foremost, its biggest advantage is the fact that it does not try to imitate the competition. It has its own logic, own philosophy and own way of doing things. Because of that, it is extremely easy to learn even for newcomers. And yet it’s still as powerful as the competition, it has translation memory, glossaries, searches, filters, and tags, as well as translation suggestions, to name just a few. Finally, it is a self-reliant app, that does need extra plugins and additional applications in order to be complete. It can be used as a powerful, standalone tool.

Should you use it?

If you value a simple yet powerful tool for translation, and you do not want to rely on advanced CAT tools, the answer is a resounding yes. Memsource delivers on almost every point and yet is simple to learn and seamless to work with, especially with projects that involve a team of translators and proofreaders working with shared glossaries and translation memory.