alaskagypsy Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 I have been checking out translation programs for Simplified Chinese.I have seen recommendations of Kingsoft, they have an English computer version coming out soon for internet use (was supposed to be out in June??), basically the same program as they have for Chinese. It will run around $98.I am also checking into other programs. Anyone used Speed EICQ. It is a $179 program with online database connectivity for advanced translations. Up to 95% correct translation.EICQ has a basic program for internet use for $79, with about 80% correct translation.I want something that is fairly good, yet not too high priced. I'd go up to $200 for something good. Link to comment
frank1538 Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 I have been checking out translation programs for Simplified Chinese.I have seen recommendations of Kingsoft, they have an English computer version coming out soon for internet use (was supposed to be out in June??), basically the same program as they have for Chinese. It will run around $98.I am also checking into other programs. Anyone used Speed EICQ. It is a $179 program with online database connectivity for advanced translations. Up to 95% correct translation.EICQ has a basic program for internet use for $79, with about 80% correct translation.I want something that is fairly good, yet not too high priced. I'd go up to $200 for something good.When I first started corresponding with Jingwen, I bought Transwhiz, which I thought did a pretty decent job. If the letter was not complex, I'd use it, and when it translated something, I would check it against a dictionary, make a few changes, and send it off. After several of these, Jingwen wrote me an e-mail and asked that I send my e-mails only in English. She said it was easier for her to translate my English than my Chinese. Link to comment
Bryan_Qunying Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 Without speending a bucket of money for a translator for your computer, just to find that it wasn't what you really needed, just use on of the "FREE" online translators. I use Babel Fish and it seems to work very well! Link to comment
leejcandle Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 I bought KingSoft Translator and Dictionary in Nanning for just a few bucks. Best I've had so far. Link to comment
mtbdude Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 After several of these, Jingwen wrote me an e-mail and asked that I send my e-mails only in English. She said it was easier for her to translate my English than my Chinese. that is so funny. Link to comment
leejcandle Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 I found while using TranStar that it really did some stupid things. So I got in the habit (after learning basic Mandarin) of reading the translations. Initially, I actually sent my emails to her and our translator bilingually; using a table in the email with English on one side and Chinese on the other. But once I got better vocabulary, I saw that TranStar was doing some really silly things with parts of speech being put in the wrong part of the Chinese sentence; I was having to edit much of what I wrote. Stay away from TwinBridge (SharpEye OCR and dictionary); bad installation, poor usability. NJStar (word processor) has been nice. Unlike the MicroSoft Pinyin IME, it has some radical lookup tables, and several input methods. While I was in Nanning, someone on Candle recommended KingSoft. It turns out I could see on my fiancees computer several KingSoft products; now I know she had earlier versions of what I eventually bought. I did some searching on the net (still in Nanning) and found Chinese advertisements for KingSoft QuickTrans and PowerWord. I'll post the simplified Chinese here so you can do your own search. KingSoft QuickTrans 2005: ½ðɽ¿ìÒë2005KingSoft PowerWord 2005: ½ðɽ´Ê°Ô 2005 Have your sweetie buy it for you; much cheaper than the English version whenever it comes out. You'll have to correct a few minor problems by creating your own entries in the user dictionary. But I've had good experience with the general quality of translation. The bottom line on these two is 50 Yuan each. Have your sweetie get both; at a total of 100 Yuan, my sweetheart complained that they are too expensive. But I knew that I was only spending $12 US. Link to comment
Guest enight Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 so far... the correctest; the one can pronounce with pure American Yankee accent; the lowest cost; the easiest to use... the best Chinese Tranlation operater is ... my husband... as far as I can 'key in' the words properly Link to comment
leejcandle Posted October 16, 2004 Report Share Posted October 16, 2004 enight, Can I get your husband to live on my hard drive? Link to comment
Guest enight Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 enight, Can I get your husband to live on my hard drive? ...sure... as far as you have Windows Media Center Operation System to support... Link to comment
leejcandle Posted October 17, 2004 Report Share Posted October 17, 2004 Aw shucks! That kills the deal. But back to the topic: Has anyone had any success with Text-to-Speech products? That's where, as a student of Mandarin, I want to fill a gap. I have seen many products, but I want to hear peoples' experience before I buy. I have used Clavis Senica, which sounds like syllables of a natural voice pasted together; still unnatural sounding. Maybe if I can find some reviews, I can make a decision. Link to comment
MikeXiao Posted October 24, 2004 Report Share Posted October 24, 2004 I use 'Translate 2004'. Bought through www.lec.com. Cost is about $200. My wife has not had any problem with the emails. We even used it to chat. Link to comment
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