XTM

eleonorang

Hi, guys! Has anyone ever used XTM (https://xtm-intl.com/) before? Can you tell me what it is like and what your general opinion on it is? Any help will be appreciated, thanks a lot

JaneD

I have, Eleonora, and it's much like all these other online tools. OK but not as refined as things like Trados, which means that you work more slowly (i.e. effectively earn less money per project).

It also represents a dichotomy which I particularly dislike in that among developers/tool creators there seems to be a perception that we all live in cities and have wonderful 4G access. I live in the countryside and my connection speed is such that I'm lucky if I can do anything on the internet a lot of the time. Consequently a web-based tool is all but useless to me!

eleonorang

Hi @JaneD, thank you for sharing your experience! Sometimes the absence of too many functionalities on these online tools allows for a better workflow – at least that's how it feels to me when I use, say, Memsource – provided however that, as you rightly say, the connection speed is decent and the file to translate is not too big... in that case I might as well fall asleep on my PC ?

Dmitry

Hey @eleonorang! I used XTM a long time ago, so I'm not what it looks like right now. Of all the online CATs I tried I'd say Memsource and SmartCAT are the two of the best. My preference probably goes to Memsource as they're more focused on the tool itself, while SmartCAT has a ton of additional features that might get in a way or slow you down.

Also it feels like Memsource works faster (I hope Vova won't be mad at me for saying this ? ), at least that's what I could tell when I tried smartCAT about 6 months ago or so. Either way, I still think offline tools give you more flexibility and you don't have to depend on your Internet like @JaneD says.

eleonorang

Thank you, guys! I was just wondering whether XTM provided extra functionalities compared to other online CAT tools. An agency I work with is planning on switching to XTM from Studio (!) for projects for a big client upon the same client's decision and I was curious as to why ? But as long as the work environment is easy and fast to adapt to, it's OK I guess.

Dmitry I still think offline tools give you more flexibility

Exactly. I am satisfied with Memsource but sometimes it's a bummer not to be able to connect my own resources to the project - of course, that's the agency's fault for creating the project that way, not Memsource's, but still...

Dmitry

eleonorang switching to XTM from Studio

Interesting! I wonder what made them switch? Did they explain why they want to change. Isn't Studio the market leader?

eleonorang

Dmitry The reason they're giving up on Studio is clear: it's too expensive to keep using it, to maintain TMs and terminology databases, to request for support etc. I was just wondering why XTM among so many Web-based CAT tools. (I mean can't they get a real cat and be done with it)
I suspect XTM also offers also Project Management functionalities Studio doesn't have

Dmitry

eleonorang I think XTM has been longer on the market than any other trendy CATs, so this must be the reason (plus it's probably the price and functionality).

eleonorang

Dmitry I think XTM has been longer on the market

Wow, I didn't know that