In fact Pavel Tsvetkov

Pavel Tsvetkov said:

This could be yet another case of SDL refusing to recognize the file formats created by the competition in a somewhat dumb attempt to force everybody to buy Trados.

What other formats do we refuse to recognize?  I can't actually think of any that I cannot handle in Trados.

How about Trados not being able to properly import bilingual Word format: https://community.sdl.com/product-groups/translationproductivity/f/studio/26216/sld-trados-2019-is-still-incapable-of-properly-importing-reviewed-bilingual-files-but-is-this-a-feature

...which, as it turned out, was actually a "feature" and not a bug?

SDL has a long history of making life difficult for their customers.

Pavel Tsvetkov said:

How about Trados not being able to properly import bilingual Word format

This is our own format designed for translation outside a CAT tool and not in it.  A very poor example, and clearly something that could be avoided given it's only possible to create it from Trados Studio in the first place.

Pavel Tsvetkov said:

I remember 5-10 years ago the "Customer is defective" mantra being used a lot in SDL's dedicated help forum on www.proz.com. I hope that is not making a comeback now.

This has never been a mantra inside SDL.  But comments such as the one you chose to use here does seem to be something that goes on and on with little justification.

"This could be yet another case of SDL refusing to recognize the file formats created by the competition in a somewhat dumb attempt to force everybody to buy Trados."

Why would you even write this in a post asking for help?  Completely inaccurate and uncalled for.

Hi Paul,

I apologize if my initial comment has been found inappropriate or hurtful.

When a translator has been assigned a task with a short deadline and it turns out that Trados cannot even import the source file that was created by one of the big four CAT tools today (a very popular tool indeed and a direct competitor), this definitely raises questions and on a personal level: causes a lot of stress and anguish.

And having to download a plugin that adds the exquisite functionality of being able to open a source format... I have never come across such an implementation with another software vendor. As far as I am concerned, this is a world-first, but I am not a software developer, so this is just a personal observation: I may be wrong.

At any rate, being forced to add such functionality by having to think of, look for, locate, download and install a separate plugin is counter intuitive, takes time, and can potentially create additional problems that are then solved by receiving help through remote sessions. More waiting, more time, work lost, more stress.

Best regards,

Pavel

Hi Paul,

I apologize if my initial comment has been found inappropriate or hurtful.

When a translator has been assigned a task with a short deadline and it turns out that Trados cannot even import the source file that was created by one of the big four CAT tools today (a very popular tool indeed and a direct competitor), this definitely raises questions and on a personal level: causes a lot of stress and anguish.

And having to download a plugin that adds the exquisite functionality of being able to open a source format... I have never come across such an implementation with another software vendor. As far as I am concerned, this is a world-first, but I am not a software developer, so this is just a personal observation: I may be wrong.

At any rate, being forced to add such functionality by having to think of, look for, locate, download and install a separate plugin is counter intuitive, takes time, and can potentially create additional problems that are then solved by receiving help through remote sessions. More waiting, more time, work lost, more stress.

Best regards,

Pavel

You are not forced to do that at all. The job has obviously been created in another tool. The solution is to use this very tool. If you do CAT hopping, this is YOUR and solely yours responsibility to make sure, the complete process will work. Accepting a short deadline and hoping to manage without properly knowing how to is simply irresponsible. Coming to this forum and blaming others for what you should have known is not the fine English art, this is what I call moaning.

Pavel Tsvetkov said:

I have never come across such an implementation with another software vendor. As far as I am concerned, this is a world-first, but I am not a software developer, so this is just a personal observation: I may be wrong

You are wrong. memoQ uses plugins for many things too.

"The customer is defective". Thank you for making my point.