| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Macbook for working with Trados Studio 2015? Pro or Air? Thread poster: Ute Neumaier
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Ute Neumaier 
Germany
Local time: 06:07
Member (2008)
Spanish to German
+ ...
Hello everybody,
For years I have been working with Windows with (some clients still ask for it) Trados 2007/Tag-Editor and then with Trados Studio 2011/2014. I have also been working with Wordfast.
I have started to work and travel at a time and recently had an issue with my Dell Notebook with viruses (even if I had a Anti Virus) and on a journey the hard drive (which was not yet a SSD drive) "died". Also I had the issue that the Dell notebook still had guarantee, but as I had bough... See more Hello everybody,
For years I have been working with Windows with (some clients still ask for it) Trados 2007/Tag-Editor and then with Trados Studio 2011/2014. I have also been working with Wordfast.
I have started to work and travel at a time and recently had an issue with my Dell Notebook with viruses (even if I had a Anti Virus) and on a journey the hard drive (which was not yet a SSD drive) "died". Also I had the issue that the Dell notebook still had guarantee, but as I had bought it in Germany, the guarantee did not cover service in Brazil, where the incident happened. So I am a bit fed up with Dell and also with Windows and I have seen that all the people who are working mobile use Macbooks. So I think that there must be a reason why. The all say that less viruses, more userfriendly and better service worldwide in case of problems.
My questions to those who have experience:
1. I am considering to by a Macbook, but I do not know which one would be the best for the work with Trados and Wordfast: Air13.3 or Pro13.3?
1. Was the change from PC/Windows to Apple/Mac difficult to handle or rather manageable?
2. I am living in Argentina y Apple/Mac here is mostly used by designers, due to the cost. Therefore you do not find so many technicians who know Mac as well as Windows. I had a look at the SDL site and have looked up the 2 possibilities to work with Trados Studio on Mac. Which is the best option according to you? Can any technician here install/configurate this option or do you need to be a real Mac specialist? I want to avoid that I solve one problem and create another one.
3. My Dell has 14 screen which was ok to work on for a normal day, but Mac has only 1.3. screens. How is your experience with working an entire day on it?
Plenty of questions.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Ute ▲ Collapse
| | | | deryaun (X)
Türkiye
English to Turkish
| Trados and Mac | Feb 9, 2016 |
Hi Ute
I just fınıshed chasıng up the same Q and A ıs no.
SDL has no Mac versıon and no such plan for the future.
I have been advısed SWs and add ons to make SDL work on Mac but my personal experience those patches never work effectıvely. That makes Q no3 also ırrelevant.
I have avoıded to work wıth wındows for last few years and adapted my lıfe style to Mac but SDL ıs too good that I am now usıng SDL on a Wındows PC
Good luck!
Regards
Derya
Ute Neumaier wrote:
1. I am considering to by a Macbook, but I do not know which one would be the best for the work with Trados and Wordfast: Air13.3 or Pro13.3?
1. Was the change from PC/Windows to Apple/Mac difficult to handle or rather manageable?
2. I am living in Argentina y Apple/Mac here is mostly used by designers, due to the cost. Therefore you do not find so many technicians who know Mac as well as Windows. I had a look at the SDL site and have looked up the 2 possibilities to work with Trados Studio on Mac. Which is the best option according to you? Can any technician here install/configurate this option or do you need to be a real Mac specialist? I want to avoid that I solve one problem and create another one.
3. My Dell has 14 screen which was ok to work on for a normal day, but Mac has only 1.3. screens. How is your experience with working an entire day on it?
Plenty of questions.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Ute
[Edited at 2016-02-09 23:27 GMT]
| | | | Dylan J Hartmann
Australia
Member (2014)
Thai to English
+ ...
Moderator of this forum | Don't over-complicate it! | Feb 10, 2016 |
It seems as though you're worrying a bit too much.
Macs can run bootcamp or parallels, which allow you to install Windows (if you'd ever want to use it again).
There are various other CATs that run natively on Mac, if you ever want to try something different to Trados, otherwise use the previous suggestion.
I use the 'new MacBook' 12 inch for mobile work and it's fine! I compared this directly to the air and while the air was more powerful etc, the new Mac... See more It seems as though you're worrying a bit too much.
Macs can run bootcamp or parallels, which allow you to install Windows (if you'd ever want to use it again).
There are various other CATs that run natively on Mac, if you ever want to try something different to Trados, otherwise use the previous suggestion.
I use the 'new MacBook' 12 inch for mobile work and it's fine! I compared this directly to the air and while the air was more powerful etc, the new MacBook has a retina screen and made it easier to see text at smaller sizes (very important for our line of work!!!!). However, this is NOT my all-day machine. I wouldn't recommend a single screen notebook for all day translation work. I use an iMac with 2x21 inch screens and the MacBook only when I want to work at Cafes or so on. What I've seen other designers use is an iPad as a second screen for their MacBook. This would likely help a great deal with your 13inch screen concern!
In summary, get the highest resolution and fastest package that you can afford! I might wait to buy either the air or pro until the new models come out though: http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Mac
Swapping to Mac will take you 2-3 weeks to adjust, then you'll regret not having swapped earlier.
Technicians: use only iCare. As this is your work machine, get the additional AppleCare package and you'll have nothing to worry about. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kristina Cosumano (X)
Germany
Local time: 06:07
German to English
| I'm interested in this as well. | Feb 10, 2016 |
DJHartmann,
do you yourself use Studio 2015 on your Mac with either of the two methods? If not, can you tell me which of the alternative CAT tools are accepted by agencies who require Trados?
I ask this because not long ago I took a job which required "Trados or compatible"I was told that Wordfast Anywhere was not an acceptable alternative, but that I could get full functionality with the trial version of Studio 2014. I downloaded it onto a PC and did the work from the... See more DJHartmann,
do you yourself use Studio 2015 on your Mac with either of the two methods? If not, can you tell me which of the alternative CAT tools are accepted by agencies who require Trados?
I ask this because not long ago I took a job which required "Trados or compatible"I was told that Wordfast Anywhere was not an acceptable alternative, but that I could get full functionality with the trial version of Studio 2014. I downloaded it onto a PC and did the work from there, and eventually bought Studio 2015, but the thing is, I kind of hate Windows (after 20 years of Macs).
I've got CafeTrans now too, and a trial of WordfastPro 3, both on my Mac Air, and am curious to know if either of them will be good enough the next time an agency calls with a job that requires "Trados or compatible." ▲ Collapse
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Erik Freitag
Germany
Local time: 06:07
Member (2006)
Dutch to German
+ ...
| Compatibility | Feb 10, 2016 |
Kristina Cosumano wrote:
DJHartmann,
do you yourself use Studio 2015 on your Mac with either of the two methods? If not, can you tell me which of the alternative CAT tools are accepted by agencies who require Trados?
The kind of compatibility agencies ask usuallly for is a continuum, with Trados Studio being the upper limit. I don't know whether there really is anything at the lower end, maybe Across. Most other CAT tools will be somewhere in between, and actually very near the upper end. The only possible exception might be projects that require a TM server etc.
As to the OP's questions: I have switched from Windows to Mac nearly a year ago. I regret that I didn't do that earlier. In all this time, the Mac never - not once - got stuck or had to be rebooted, or any of all the other things you get used to doing when you use Windows.
I'm using Windows via Parallels, which is rock solid. It's not a "patch" or an "add-on", you're running a fully-fledged Windows system. Setting it up is easy as well. You'll need sufficient specs, though. Windows now even runs smoother than on any of my PCs, because only a handful of software programs need to be installed (I'm working on the Mac side as much as I can).
"Better service in case of problems" - While that may well be true, I wouldn't think too much about this, as in all likelihood, you're never going to need it anyway (or far less often than with most "PCs").
[Edited at 2016-02-10 08:45 GMT]
| | | | Tuncay Kurt
Türkiye
Local time: 07:07
Member (2011)
English to Turkish
+ ...
Here is my input:
1- I have been using the latest MacbookAir 13 inch for more than 2 years and can comfortably use Studio 2015 on it. No need to go to MacbookPro(s) if you will use your laptop only for translation related tasks.
2- You will find it much easier than you think. Bootcamp is the option you should choose. It took a day to install and get ready with Windows 7 on MacbookAir.
3- It is very unlikely you will have a hardware problem (fingers crossed) and if you ge... See more Here is my input:
1- I have been using the latest MacbookAir 13 inch for more than 2 years and can comfortably use Studio 2015 on it. No need to go to MacbookPro(s) if you will use your laptop only for translation related tasks.
2- You will find it much easier than you think. Bootcamp is the option you should choose. It took a day to install and get ready with Windows 7 on MacbookAir.
3- It is very unlikely you will have a hardware problem (fingers crossed) and if you get any problem on Windows (which you will use for work) anyone can help you about it since Windows on Bootcamp is totally the same as native Windows operating on your Dell laptop.
4- MacbookAir 13inch is enough for me mostly and when I compare 15inch MacbookPro and 13inch MacbookAir this screen size difference is not justifiable since 15inch MacbookPro is heavier and provides less battery life which makes it not an ideal laptop for travelling or working away from home. According to rumours Apple will release an 15inch MacbookAir (or 15inch version of the latest Macbook) which will be around the same weight with the current 13inch MacbookAir. That is the laptop I have been waiting but until that time I do not see any other great options among Apple laptops.
MacbookAir 13inch is very sturdy, great keyboard and touch-pad, very light, great battery life. I have been only using MacbookAir for the last 5 years and I definitely recommend it as a full time translator travelling almost 6 months in a year.
I hope this helps.
Tuncay. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Ute Neumaier wrote:
.... I am living in Argentina y Apple/Mac here is mostly used by designers, due to the cost. Therefore you do not find so many technicians who know Mac as well as Windows...
You won't need a "technician". In fact just as you wouldn't let any local mechanic "fix" your Porsche, you shouldn't let a "technician" get his hands on your Mac. In 2016 it's absurd to think that anyone still needs a "technician" to "fix" their computer (and in fact most technicians just create new problems that mean they can keep coming back again and can keep billing you for their time).
In the very unlikely event that anything serious goes wrong with a Mac, there's plenty of online help from experts. But you'll probably never need them. Take a look here: https://discussions.apple.com/welcome
I started using Macs in 1995 and after a fun period learning how to use the wonderful operating system, and being amazed by it, I've never encountered any problems with the numerous Macs I've had since then. There has never been a "technician" anywhere near my computer - and I certainly don't call myself an expert. The fact is that there's nothing you need to do to keep a Mac running. Provided you don't do anything silly (such as installing "virus protection" software) you can just get on with your work. The computer will not freeze or crash.
Think how much time and money you'll save over the lifetime of your computer by not having downtime, and not needing a "technician". Then recalculate the lifetime cost of a Mac vs. a PC.
As for switching: just Google for "switch from PC to mac".
| | | | Kristina Cosumano (X)
Germany
Local time: 06:07
German to English
| Never say never | Feb 10, 2016 |
Although all my Macs have been very reliable, I have had the occasional problem — the last time it was a system upgrade that left me with the much-feared "blue screen of death", and then there was nothing to do but take it in. If you don't have an Apple store in your area, you'll have to send it for repair and may not get it back for a few weeks (and this may happen even when you do have an Apple store around — mine had to be sent on the Vienna headquarters or wherever they get sent, but at ... See more Although all my Macs have been very reliable, I have had the occasional problem — the last time it was a system upgrade that left me with the much-feared "blue screen of death", and then there was nothing to do but take it in. If you don't have an Apple store in your area, you'll have to send it for repair and may not get it back for a few weeks (and this may happen even when you do have an Apple store around — mine had to be sent on the Vienna headquarters or wherever they get sent, but at least I got a loaner for the duration from the shop).
By the way, this wasn't covered by Apple Care, as the store said it was a "software and not a hardware problem".
I still recommend them highly but this isn't something you can just not ever think about, especially in a country with few Apple resources on the ground. As with any other part of the job, just have a back-up plan if your livelihood depends on it.
[Edited at 2016-02-10 11:00 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-02-10 11:00 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Kristina Cosumano wrote:
...that left me with the much-feared "blue screen of death"
... is a Windows exclusive. There's probably an OS X equivalent, but I haven't encountered it yet. But then again, I've only been using Macs since 1987.
By the way, this wasn't covered by Apple Care, as the store said it was a "software and not a hardware problem".
And AppleCare will cover any OS X software problems, but not if caused by the Redmondians.
Cheers,
Hans
| | | | | Some thoughts | Feb 10, 2016 |
Ute Neumaier wrote:
Hello everybody,
For years I have been working with Windows with (some clients still ask for it) Trados 2007/Tag-Editor and then with Trados Studio 2011/2014. I have also been working with Wordfast. ...
So I am a bit fed up with Dell and also with Windows and I have seen that all the people who are working mobile use Macbooks. So I think that there must be a reason why. The all say that less viruses, more userfriendly and better service worldwide in case of problems.
If you want to run Trados (any version), you will have to run Windows on your Mac (either Bootcamp, or Parallels), as noted in the replies above. This means that you will not get rid of all the risks involved in using Windows. OTOH and to be honest, I don't know how Parallels works: it may be sandboxed, which would mean that if the WinOS catches a virus, it shouldn't spread on your OS X installation or data. But that's a question that experienced Mac users should answer, definitely not me.
I had to buy a new laptop a few months ago, and I also took a Mac for a test drive for a few days. Generally I have very little experience with Macs, but from what I saw, you will need to go for the higher specs if you want to run Windows under Parallels. This may make a Mac not exactly a wise choice cost-wise (higher-specs MacBook + Parallels license + Windows license).
This didn't make much sense to me, so I took a different route: I bought a Windows-based laptop (15", i7 CPU 2.6–3 GHz, 16 MB RAM, 256 GB SSD + 2 TB HDD, nVidia 2 GB dedicated graphics) with extended warranty: 4 years, next day, on-site. The cost: approx. € 1,350. If I had opted for a MacBook the cost would have been € 2,820 for the MacBook (similar specs, 1.75 TB less storage) + € 100/year for the Parallels license + € 230 Windows Home license = € 3,150 initial investment (+€ 100/year for Parallels).
[Upraveno: 2016-02-10 11:53 GMT]
| | | | Ulrike G.
Local time: 06:07
Member (2006)
English to German
| Runs like a charm, but get enough RAM | Feb 10, 2016 |
I have been using Mac and Parallels with Trados Studio for years - and strangely enough Windows runs a lot more smoothly on a Mac than on a PC (no crashes). Just make sure you get enough RAM (all you can get), because you will have 2 OS running. But via Parallels Trados seamlessly integrates into the Mac - even the symbols can be made to look the same. And I do not use the PC part to surf the net or do anything but run Trados and a few other PC-only programs. That way, I have never had any probl... See more I have been using Mac and Parallels with Trados Studio for years - and strangely enough Windows runs a lot more smoothly on a Mac than on a PC (no crashes). Just make sure you get enough RAM (all you can get), because you will have 2 OS running. But via Parallels Trados seamlessly integrates into the Mac - even the symbols can be made to look the same. And I do not use the PC part to surf the net or do anything but run Trados and a few other PC-only programs. That way, I have never had any problems with viruses, trojans, worms, you name it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Smart thoughts! | Feb 10, 2016 |
Stanislav Pokorny wrote:
...you will need to go for the higher specs if you want to run Windows under Parallels....If I had opted for a MacBook the cost would have been € 2,820 for the MacBook (similar specs...)
Good thinking! That's the way it is. It's all about specs and purchase price. And Trados, of course.
A Mac is not for everybody.
Hans
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Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:07
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Never seen in | Feb 10, 2016 |
Kristina Cosumano wrote:
a system upgrade that left me with the much-feared "blue screen of death"
The blue screen is a normal step in the boot process for the MacOS. After a system upgrade, and assuming you installed it correctly, a blue screen may appear and will stay there for much longer than usual, whilst the computer reorganises all the components of the upgrade you just installed. It is very unlikely that what you call the "blue screen of death" would appear whilst this is happening. Perhaps you should just have waited for a few minutes longer than you usually do. In fact after a system upgrade the computer may shut itself down and restart (with blue screen) several times over a period of about 10-15 minutes. This can be disconcerting if you've never seen it before and you may even think something is wrong. But it's normal.
The *real" "blue screen of death" only happens when the computer cannot access the hard drive when it starts up. This will only happen if something bad has happened to your hard drive, e.g. you allowed the drive to be become more than 85% full.
Even then, you can still fix it yourself, with a bit of intelligence and assuming you have a clone.
If you don't know what a clone is, you should find out !
https://bombich.com
PS do max the RAM - as others have advised.
[Edited at 2016-02-10 13:28 GMT]
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Tom in London wrote:
...do max the RAM - as others have advised.
This used to be a sound advice indeed, but with the PCEi based SSD, I wonder to what extend it's still true. Will it be noticeable?
Cheers,
Hans
| | | | Ute Neumaier
Germany
Local time: 06:07
Member (2008)
Spanish to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | Thank you so much for your reply, especially what the text below. Great! | Feb 10, 2016 |
MacbookAir 13inch is very sturdy, great keyboard and touch-pad, very light, great battery life. I have been only using MacbookAir for the last 5 years and I definitely recommend it as a full time translator travelling almost 6 months in a year.
I hope this helps.
Tuncay. [/quote]
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