CafeTran doesn't have a manual: what does that mean? Thread poster: 2nl (X)
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2nl (X) 
Netherlands
Local time: 23:13
Selcuk wrote:
CafeTran is not an easy program to learn. Besides, new features are added all the time and there is no up-to-date help file.
But that also means that the developer works hard to find solutions to user requests.
I was wondering: could the fact that CafeTran doesn't have a well-structured manual lead to the often-heard conclusion that CafeTran is difficult to learn?
Would it be easier to understand how CafeTran is organised and structured, if a professionally written manual would have been made available?
[Edited at 2015-08-02 07:52 GMT]
| | | | Michael Beijer
United Kingdom
Local time: 22:13
Member (2009)
Dutch to English
+ ...
| probably maybe | Aug 2, 2015 |
2nl wrote: Selcuk wrote:
CafeTran is not an easy program to learn. Besides, new features are added all the time and there is no up-to-date help file.
But that also means that the developer works hard to find solutions to user requests.
I was wondering: could the fact that CafeTran doesn't have a well-structured manual lead to the often-heard conclusion that CafeTran is difficult to learn?
Maybe.
Would it be easier to understand how CafeTran is organised and structured, if a professionally written manual would have been made available?
[Edited at 2015-08-02 07:52 GMT]
Probably.
| | | | Selcuk Akyuz
Türkiye
Local time: 00:13
English to Turkish
+ ...
| maybe but is it possible? | Aug 2, 2015 |
First comes the egg, err CafeTran, a well organised, structured, user friendly, you name it...
Then comes the manual.
My version is 2015031603, outdated as usual. But any help file will be outdated when we talk about CafeTran. We need a technical writer as fast as Igor.
| | | | 2nl (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 23:13
TOPIC STARTER | CafeTran needs a professional technical writer | Aug 3, 2015 |
Selcuk Akyuz wrote:
My version is 2015031603, outdated as usual. But any help file will be outdated when we talk about CafeTran. We need a technical writer as fast as Igor.
I can confirm that. I find it very difficult to keep up with CafeTran's rapid development. I can hardly find the time to add any new articles to the wiki. Besides that, the whole content of the wiki should be scrutinised and rearranged, possibly in another publication form.
CafeTran doesn't have a large user community that wants to get involved, like oT has. So be it. CafeTran users have very likely better things to do than writing documentation for the CAT tool they use. If you already know how to do the tasks that you want to do with the tool, why writing this down? (Apart from the Hanses, that is.)
I can only hope that the investor that Igor has found, is willing to pay for a year's salary of a good technical writer to write a thorough manual for CafeTran. As a side effect: I wouldn't be surprised if the interaction between the developer and the writer would lead to some improvements in the usability of the user interface and workflows  .
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ToFrench
France
Local time: 23:13
English to French
| Lack of manual is a problem | Aug 26, 2015 |
I am currently struggling like hell with Cafetran, the lack of a manual is a problem, definitely. It's a usual problem with developers in general, most of the time they have no clue about what their users really want and how the use their software.
A lot of developers think that more functions their software has, the better. While users, especially professional users, just want a tool to do what they do. I for instance, I am a translator. I want a tool which helps me translate. Whil... See more I am currently struggling like hell with Cafetran, the lack of a manual is a problem, definitely. It's a usual problem with developers in general, most of the time they have no clue about what their users really want and how the use their software.
A lot of developers think that more functions their software has, the better. While users, especially professional users, just want a tool to do what they do. I for instance, I am a translator. I want a tool which helps me translate. While I understand that a certain amount of time is required to know your tools, this time needs to be limited. I don't want spend days and days learning how a software works.
When you install Word, you can start typing, you don't need to spend hours toying with all the menus. If you need the advanced functions, some amount of trying and messing around may be required. But you basically can use it really quick. ▲ Collapse
| | | | 2nl (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 23:13
TOPIC STARTER | Visit an experienced user | Aug 26, 2015 |
ToFrench wrote:
I am currently struggling like hell with Cafetran
I think that your best option would be to visit an experienced user. That is, if you really want to start working with CafeTran.
Do you have any experience with other CAT tools?
| | | | ToFrench
France
Local time: 23:13
English to French
Actually my struggling is that I can't make it work at all...
| | | | 2nl (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 23:13
TOPIC STARTER
ToFrench wrote:
Actually my struggling is that I can't make it work at all...
Though I have been using CafeTran on Mavericks, I'm not sure if the recent build would work on Mavericks (I cannot test that, since my Macs are all on Yosemite now).
What I do know, is that Java 8 (not Apple's Java 6!) is required.
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