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

December 18, 2009

Freelancers: hang out your "Gone Fishing" sign

A common challenge faced by freelance professionals is setting clear working hours and sticking to them. Too many times projects creep over into weekends, evenings, and vacations. How many times have you found yourself working on a 'sick day' or taking a 'working vacation'?
Of course, for many, the opportunity to work evenings or weekends to compensate for other activities is an attractive factor of freelance projects. Freelancers know that a major job perk is managing their own schedules. But whether someone organizes their freelance work much like a Monday through Friday nine-to-five job or a freelancer prefers the graveyard shift to work on projects, at some point, time off needs to be taken.
And with the Holiday season just a few days away, the challenge of organizing vacation time is top-of-mind for many freelancers.
Common advice includes plan ahead, take time off when there is a lull in your work, and give your clients a heads up about your vacation plans. But most freelancers will tell you it’s hard to say no to a project if it is being offered to you.
For TDABids.com account holders, our new project management system includes a feature allowing language professionals to set their account to ‘Inactive’ when they need time off: away on vacation, too much work or sick. When the account setting is set to ‘Inactive’ freelancers will not receive any new price quote requests. It allows freelancers to hang a virtual “Gone Fishing” sign.
The TDABids.com platform gives freelance language professionals a series of unique tools to manage their freelance jobs at no charge. To find out more, visit our site www.TDATranslator.com

Season’s Greeting and Happy New Year from A World in Translation

November 16, 2009

TDABids Links to the Rest: Cloud Computing

In a recent newsletter from SitePro News (Issue No. 1268), John Sylvester cites Jeff Jarvis, Professor of Interactive Journalism at the City University of New York, describing the best route for traditional media to take in the transformation of journalism as: "Cover what you do best. Link to the rest."

A World in Translation agrees with Jarvis and we are taking his advice.

TDABids.com is a software solution known as SaaS (the acronym for software-as-a- service). A more recent term increasingly popular to describe online software services like TDABids.com is 'cloud computing' as TDABids.com is a aoftware application available in the cloud.

We found a very simple, straightforward video on YouTube.com that explains what cloud computing is and how it works. To watch the video, click here.

The benefits of platforms like TDABids.com include: no expensive upgrades needed or implementation patches; no required software to buy or install. Users can access the system from their Internet browsers and upload and manage language projects without installing any additional software on their computers. Distributed over the Internet through a secure-access website, there are no compatibility issues and it is easily accessible from any location.

For more information, visit our website: TDADirectBuyer.com

November 8, 2009

First Cloud Computing Solution for Corporate Language Services

TDABids.com launched its cloud computing services for individuals in corporations to buy translation and other language services directly from thousands of independent language professionals: TDADirectBuyer. For a low fee of 5% per transaction, representing up to a 40% savings over the fees charged by agencies, corporate buyers will have access to a complete language services department solution.
TDABids.com—a proprietary solution developed, managed and hosted by Translatus, Inc.—is the first cloud computing solution for the translation and language services needs of corporations.
TDABids.com is a product of Translatus, Inc., a language management company with over eight years experience managing multi-language projects for some of the world’s leading companies. The company began developing TDABids.com over two years ago.
“TDABids.com began as an effort to better our in-house management software,” explains James Guidi, Translatus’ CEO, “but quickly the potential for distribution over the Internet, the move of large corporations toward SaaS and cloud computing solutions, combined with their growing demand for professional language services led to the development of the TDABids.com platform we are launching today.”
It is accessible via Internet, and as such, no expensive upgrades or implementation patches are required. Users are provided automatically with the most up-to date information, including uniform product updates, as soon as it is available. Users can access the system from standard Internet browsers and upload and manage language projects without installing any additional software. Distributed over the Internet through a secure-access website, there are no compatibility issues and it is easily accessible from any location.
You can read the complete press release online at TDABids.com marketing site: www.TDADirectBuyer.com/home/press

TDABids.com ready for market

In a press release to be released Monday morning, TDABids.com announced the launch of its services for individuals in corporations to buy translation and other language services directly from thousands of independent language professionals for a low fee of 5% per transaction, representing up to a 40% savings over the fees charged by translation agencies for similar services.
TDABids.com provides individuals from corporations with the management tools to process multiple jobs for translations, technical writing, desktop publishing in multiple languages for a fraction of the cost agencies charge. TDABids.com can operate seamlessly with a company’s in-house Language Service Department, or if needed, can become the company’s language service department. Furthermore, the online platform automatically provides users with the most up-to date information, including uniform product updates, as soon as it is available.
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.
You can read the complete press release on the company's marketing site: http://www.tdadirectbuyer.com/Home/Press

October 12, 2009

Top 100 Language Blogs Worldwide

What do Grammar Girl’s Mignon Fogarty and a bloke who calls himself Hairy Swede have in common? Their blogs were included in the annual list of the Top 100 Language Blogs for 2009.
The Lexiophiles blog and the bab.la language portal run the annual competition aimed at finding the best language blogs across all languages throughout the world. The press relase said “this year’s top 100 blogs were chosen out of a total pool of 473 nominations from 26 countries.”
The lion’s share of blogs cover an array of topics about learning languages. However, there are two subcategories for language buffs with their own top ten rankings: Language Technology and Language Professionals.
Read more here:
http://en.bab.la/doc/lexiophiles-top-100-language-blogs-2009.pdf

October 7, 2009

12 outdated tech words to avoid

Keeping up with the latest terminology has always been a challenge but it has probably never been quite so fast changing as today. In fact, the language we use to talk about technology is evolving even more quickly than the technology itself.
In an article published in BusinessWeek, “12 Words You Can Never Say in the Office,” staff writer Carolyn Duffy Marsan points out that in some cases it isn’t the technology that has evolved but the word used to describe it. Terms like “cloud computing” have simply replaced other terms like “ASP” or “Saas”, even though they all say more or less the same thing.
So what are the twelve “techie” words that will say more about your age than anything else—not to mention leaving the twenty-something-year olds raising their eyebrows in confusion?
1. Intranet, 2. Extranet, 3. Web Surfing, 4. Push Technology, 5. Application Service Provider (ASP), 6. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), 7. Internet Telephony, 8. Weblog, 9. Thin Client, 10. Rboc, 11. Long-Distance Call, 12. World Wide Web
Read the full article see why these 12 words made the black list: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2009/tc20090824_902851.htm