TransTool: An Indonesian-made software solution for translation<\/p>\n
Vishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Translating documents into a foreign language can be a daunting
\nand lengthy undertaking. You must not only be fluent in your own
\ndialect but also that of a foreign tongue, in order for your
\nconverted manuscript to make any kind of sense. Dictionaries and
\nthesauruses are currently the best friends for professional
\ntranslators, but surely in this computer age there is something
\ndigital out there that can help.<\/p>\n
Perhaps there is.<\/p>\n
TransTool is a made-in-Indonesia software solution that can
\nassist and ultimately speed up any English to Indonesian (and
\nvice versa) translation. It claims to be able to translate multi-
\npage documents in seconds as well as accurately provide the
\ncorrect words, idioms and other phrases to ease the translation
\nprocess.<\/p>\n
There are many translation software programs on the market
\ntoday. Unfortunately, like most computer software in Indonesia,
\nonly the pirated copies are on hand. Bootleg copies can sometimes
\ncontain viruses or bugs that can affect the overall system
\nperformance of your PC. For English-to-Indonesian translation
\nprograms, there are only a few dictionary-based applications that
\ncan only convert individual words, not whole sentences.<\/p>\n
TransTool is the brainchild of Pius MS, who got the idea after
\nwatching his brother struggle though a translation project in
\n1986. He sought out to make a working computer program to help
\ntranslators nationwide finish their tasks. After initially
\nprogramming the application in COBOL (one of the oldest
\nprogramming languages around), the programming team finally
\nconverted to the Corel Paradox database system.<\/p>\n
The software itself comes in a CD box set, complete with
\nmanual. After the initial installation procedure, it then
\nrequires the user to contact the software company (via phone, e-
\nmail or SMS) to not only register but also to obtain an
\nauthorizing password to activate the program.<\/p>\n
Some people may feel uneasy about this process, since they
\nlose their anonymity when purchasing software. However, these are
\nthe steps software developers are forced to take to ensure
\nadequate compensation for their products. Piracy not only affects
\nthe large software companies but also the small startups that
\nPius and co. is a part of.<\/p>\n
"The fear is always there," Pius notes. "I believe that
\nsomeday someone might have succeeded in cracking the protection,
\nbut I am happy to see that 'bajakan' (bootleg copies) of
\nTransTool are not sold in software shops."<\/p>\n
Pius states that the development process is ongoing in order
\nto make TransTools more effective and, hopefully, give value to
\nthe nation.<\/p>\n
How good is it?<\/p>\n
There are two ways in getting a result. One is by typing the
\ntext directly into a box; another is by entering a file name (a
\ntext file) as the input. The result is shown in the opposite box
\nor written to a new file.<\/p>\n
The results are amazing. Never has this writer seen whole
\nsentences, paragraphs even, quickly translated and actually make
\nsense.<\/p>\n
As a litmus test, I plugged in a few stanzas from Aztec
\nCamera's Somewhere in my heart song (a good 1980s tune). The
\ntranslated sentences give a native Indonesian speaker a better
\nmeaning of what the singer is lamenting about.<\/p>\n
However, before you buy multiple licenses and fire your entire
\ntranslation staff, please remember that no hardware or software
\napplication on this planet (short of Artificial Intelligence) can
\nadequately compensate for a skilled translator. Many terms and
\nmeanings within a document, especially within the legal,
\ntechnical and medical fields, can only be provided by an
\nexperienced linguist<\/p>\n
The manual itself states that the results may not be perfect
\nand should never be given to others without editing. The software
\ndoes allow users to add words into the dictionary so it continues
\nto learn and grow. More importantly, the amount of time saved for
\nprofessional translators is enormous as the translated results
\nspeed up the conversion process. It can also give them a new
\nangle to approach a certain document.<\/p>\n
The software retails for Rp 770,000 and is available in
\nvarious software stores in nearly all the major cities in
\nIndonesia, from Padang to Jayapura. Most of the stores already
\nhave the TransTool poster. This software is proof that the skill
\nsets required to create software exist in Indonesia and should be
\nallowed to grow.<\/p>\n
It is vitally important for those who wish to use the software
\nprogram to buy the original program and not a pirated copy. By
\npurchasing authentic software, users will be able to help
\nsoftware developers continue their business and provide value to
\nthe local community. Buying a bootleg copy only gives money to
\nthe software pirates.<\/p>\n
Pius has some advice to other Indonesian software programmers:
\n"Make the software known to public (advertise, assign marketing
\nagents, etc), listen to suggestions, and support them patiently."
\nHopefully, there will be others who will have the opportunity to
\ntake this advice in Indonesia's corrupted software economy.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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