| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | What do you think of pdfs? Thread poster: David Eunice
|
|---|
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:38
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| My suggestion | Feb 13, 2010 |
If you receive a document in PDF - give them your translation in PDF.
That'll teach them !
| | | | | I don't care, really | Feb 14, 2010 |
If the source format is not forthcoming, then the client can look forward to significant surcharges to cover the additional effort. End of story.
| | | | David Russi 
United States
Local time: 13:38
English to Spanish
+ ...
| A good agency to avoid.. | Feb 14, 2010 |
Pablo Bouvier wrote: David Russi wrote:
If translators and agencies STOPPED accepting them and going through costly and wasteful gymnastics to create a file that already exists (the source file that was used to make the PDF in the first place), or charging hefty surcharges for them, then we could get on with our business of translating without dealing with yet another technological distraction. This would be true in a brave new world. However, I know an agency that each document they receive is converted first in a Pretty Depressive Format and then send to the translator. As I asked they why, they told me this was intended to prevent translators from modifying the original...
What an idiotic notion, why would the translator modify the original? And what about using CAT tools? What about overwriting the source text, a common and time honored practice?
A good agency to avoid..
| | | | Laurent KRAULAND (X)
France
Local time: 21:38
French to German
+ ...
| So basically... | Feb 14, 2010 |
Pablo Bouvier wrote: David Russi wrote:
If translators and agencies STOPPED accepting them and going through costly and wasteful gymnastics to create a file that already exists (the source file that was used to make the PDF in the first place), or charging hefty surcharges for them, then we could get on with our business of translating without dealing with yet another technological distraction. This would be true in a brave new world. However, I know an agency that each document they receive is converted first in a Pretty Depressive Format and then send to the translator. As I asked they why, they told me this was intended to prevent translators from modifying the original...
So basically... they do not want the translation to be done, as this also is a modification of the original?
| | |
|
|
|
| What do you think of pdfs? | Feb 14, 2010 |
David Russi wrote: Pablo Bouvier wrote: David Russi wrote:
If translators and agencies STOPPED accepting them and going through costly and wasteful gymnastics to create a file that already exists (the source file that was used to make the PDF in the first place), or charging hefty surcharges for them, then we could get on with our business of translating without dealing with yet another technological distraction. This would be true in a brave new world. However, I know an agency that each document they receive is converted first in a Pretty Depressive Format and then send to the translator. As I asked they why, they told me this was intended to prevent translators from modifying the original... What an idiotic notion, why would the translator modify the original? And what about using CAT tools? What about overwriting the source text, a common and time honored practice? A good agency to avoid..
Indeed. It is idiotic and I already avoid such agencies...
| | | | | What do you think of pdfs? | Feb 14, 2010 |
Laurent KRAULAND wrote: Pablo Bouvier wrote: David Russi wrote:
If translators and agencies STOPPED accepting them and going through costly and wasteful gymnastics to create a file that already exists (the source file that was used to make the PDF in the first place), or charging hefty surcharges for them, then we could get on with our business of translating without dealing with yet another technological distraction. This would be true in a brave new world. However, I know an agency that each document they receive is converted first in a Pretty Depressive Format and then send to the translator. As I asked they why, they told me this was intended to prevent translators from modifying the original... So basically... they do not want the translation to be done, as this also is a modification of the original?
As David said: Idiotic...
| | | | NMR (X)
France
Local time: 21:38
French to Dutch
+ ...
| Sometimes it isn't | Feb 15, 2010 |
What an idiotic notion, why would the translator modify the original? And what about using CAT tools? What about overwriting the source text, a common and time honored practice?
One of my colleagues, a legal translator, doesn't use the original file but translates into a new file. She says overwriting the original file may take her into trouble. (no, she doesn't work for this agency, she doesn't work for agencies at all, only for law firms).
Back to the original question:
Q1. How do you deal with double-page pdfs with small fonts?
1b -- Zoom the pdf in an on-screen window and navigate as necessary -> I use two screens, no problem. No difference between one-page pdfs and two-page pdfs.
Q2. Would you prefer that the text was supplied in some other form?
2a -- Yes -> of course, I use (and have) cats. But it this isn't possible, I know how to do without. Sometimes if there are two pages or two or more columns, extraction is not possible.
Either 2d -- Plain text file or 2e -- MS-Word file
Q3. Score you opinion of dealing with typical double-page pdfs
on scale of one to ten: ->8
Q4. What source language(s) do you deal with?
French and English
| | | | Ambra Giuliani
United States
Local time: 15:38
Italian to English
+ ...
| To pdf or not to pdf? That is the question. | Mar 3, 2010 |
I work with It>En and En>It.
Quite a few of my clients have submitted their documents in PDF and trying to convert them has always been futile. The text was nibbled at and distorted but, at times, the results were hilarious.
I like to work with plain txt or MS Word.
In case of pdf double page and small font I enlarge and make a hard copy (if the text doesn't have a large number of pages), working directly from that and using MS Word for the translation. It... See more I work with It>En and En>It.
Quite a few of my clients have submitted their documents in PDF and trying to convert them has always been futile. The text was nibbled at and distorted but, at times, the results were hilarious.
I like to work with plain txt or MS Word.
In case of pdf double page and small font I enlarge and make a hard copy (if the text doesn't have a large number of pages), working directly from that and using MS Word for the translation. It makes dealing with the problem a 5.
Have tried a split screen but it does't work for me. I love to have paper in my hands.
In my perfect world pdf and ignorance would not be there, but I can deal with both. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Paul Dixon
Brazil
Local time: 16:38
Portuguese to English
+ ...
I cringe whenever I get a PDF file, for several reasons:
1. I have to go to the cybercafé to print them off, to avoid having to switch between windows. (If anyone has a good and free converter that is easy to install - I'm no technician - please let me know);
2. For some reason my computer can not print off PDFs, keeps asking me for an exit file (whatever that is). I have written to Adobe several times, even to the President of the Company, and they never even bothered... See more I cringe whenever I get a PDF file, for several reasons:
1. I have to go to the cybercafé to print them off, to avoid having to switch between windows. (If anyone has a good and free converter that is easy to install - I'm no technician - please let me know);
2. For some reason my computer can not print off PDFs, keeps asking me for an exit file (whatever that is). I have written to Adobe several times, even to the President of the Company, and they never even bothered to reply. Apparently they only give support if you pay. Other fonts were OK until yesterday (now my printer has packed up completely) but PDFs were a pain. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Pages in topic: < [1 2] | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » What do you think of pdfs? | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
| | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
