May 19, 2010

TDABids.com prepares launch of new feature to be announced on Facebook

TDABids.com is preparing the launch of a new feature on its site unlike anything else available in the language services industry currently. To be one of the first ones to find out about what TDABids.com is up to, click on our "Like it" button to become a fan of TDABids.com's page on Facebook.

TDABids.com

(Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.)

April 6, 2010

Good advice; wish I knew the source

I miss bibliographies. I always dreaded doing them in college. (I never took very good notes and tended to rely on my memory to write most of my papers, and as a result, I was forced to go back and re-read the material to draft my bibliography.)
Today—more and more—it is surprising how quickly information can be detached from its source. It is alarmingly difficult to find an original source for much of the information published. It would seem that given how simple it is to create a hyperlink, everything we read could be linked back to its source but the opposite holds true.
In a recent op-ed piece in the New York Times, columnist David Brooks refers to the findings of a study which concluded that joining a group that meets even just once a month produces the same happiness gain as doubling your income. Wow, right? The one line reference was cited, tagged and tweeted over and over again. When I searched for the study, all I came up with was more tweets and tags of the same line. I, like most people, am thrilled to read that my happiness isn’t linked to the amount of money I earn. But I would like to read the study, at least know where it was published. Perhaps there is a downside to joining a group or an exception to the rule. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t doubt Brooks did his homework nor do I doubt the validity of the basic argument. (I came across this particular column through a link someone posted on my kids’ playgroup message board—we meet once a week!)
I think the advice is good: join a group that meets once a week… and not online (the last bit is my own advice and while it is most likely in line with the original study, I can be sure because as I said, I haven’t found it). And, please, if you have the link or any information as to where the study was published, post it here!

Learn a tongue twister: It's good for your health

Feeling tongue tied? Or are you just waiting for a translation job to download? Maybe you know someone you would like to impress? (Rattling off a tongue twister in that person's native language would be so much more interesting than the perfunctory ‘Where’s the nearest rest room?’). With 2932 entries in 109 languages, the site (http://www.uebersetzung.at/twister/index.htm) will give you sufficient material to get started with a new hobby in what is most referred to as the oral equivalent to juggling.
And, it’s good for you –really. According to a study which appeared in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “Adults with hobbies that exercise their brains — such as reading, jigsaw puzzles or chess — are two and a half times less likely to have Alzheimer's disease.” Exercise your brain!

February 1, 2010

TDABids.com News: Unlimited access to ratings and reviews for hundreds of language professionals

- Read unbiased reviews on hundreds of translators;
- View language professionals’ ratings before hiring;
- Ratings and reviews written by experienced project managers;
- Get reliable feedback on 2,000 language professionals in proprietary database.

Most consumers read product reviews before buying almost anything, a new car, refrigerator or a book. Before going to a new doctor or hiring a plumber, more and more people log on to review sites to check out what other patients or clients have to say about their services. Now, for the first time, translation buyers are going to have the same opportunity. TDABids.com, an online marketplace to buy translation and other language services directly from thousands of independent professionals, is offering registered users access to the ratings and reviews on hundreds of language professionals.
The reviews, written by project managers with years of experience working with freelance translators and other language professionals, are unbiased and based on real direct project experience. In addition to the reviews, language professionals are assigned a rating: neutral, negative and positive.
Much like the rating systems on major consumer product websites, language service buyers are prompted to leave feedback on the language professional upon the completion of a project, in addition to completing a standardized rating form.
While most language services buyers prioritize quality over price, without a service like TDABids.com, they have had to rely on recommendations from colleagues in local offices scattered around the globe.

The TDABids Database
Originally created and developed by the Translatus operations team, the TDABids Database with over 2,000 language professionals has played a key role in the company’s success in the translation and localization industries over the past eight years. The internal database contains an informative profile on translators contracted by Translatus from all over the world. The operations team maintained clear records of contact information, specialties, education and working experience, languages, program and software experience, pricing agreements and rates, along with continuous internal feedback on performance, delivery times and communication.
Registered users are given full access to this database and the TDABids.com team is continually working to maintain, grow and update the information it contains.
TDABids.com satisfies the demands of a market segment that up until now has been ignored. There are numerous sites for language services professionals to advertise their services and bid on jobs for a fee and there are agencies that offer online management tools at a considerable fee. However, TDABids.com is the first site to give individuals in corporations the high-end management tools to upload projects, share projects and request price quotes from multiple language professionals for a fraction of the fee charged by agencies.

Read the full press release on our site: www.tdadirectbuyer.com/Home/Press/Release

January 19, 2010

Watch your backdoor: IE6 security alert

Now there are two good reasons to upgrade your internet browser.
First, TDABids.com, Translatus’ innovative new translation management platform, is not compatible with the older versions of most browsers, working best with Mozilla Firefox 3.0 or higher, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 7.0 or higher and Safari 4.0 or higher.
The second reason is security experts are warning users of a vulnerability in Internet Explorer’s version 6.0 that may give hackers access to your computer—and your personal information—via a “trojan horse”. While other browsers and other versions of those browsers may present similar weaknesses for hackers to exploit in the future, most security experts are advising people upgrade to the latest version of whichever software they use currently and stay on the look out for security upgrades as they become available.
However, Germany's Federal Office for Information Security and France’s agency Certa issued warnings against all versions of Internet Explorer and recommended people switch to an alternative browsers like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome until a solution is found. According to BBC’s website, citing a Microsoft spokesperson, the company is currently working on a patch but a specific timeframe for its release had not been announced. Microsoft’s next scheduled security updated in scheduled for release February 9th and may possibly contain the patch. For more information, read the full article on BBC News’ website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8465038.stm