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Agency asks me to install their PM-Software - Thoughts?
Thread poster: Alexander Hartmann
Parrot
Parrot  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 07:50
Spanish to English
+ ...
Wasn't there a famous case of that some years ago? Nov 27, 2015

The software turned out to be a subscription thing. You paid the agency 10 euro a month for maintenance.

Not that it was foolproof, but they did send people around to maintain it if you complained. The problem was, that they kept blacklists of complainers, among other issues. One colleague found out during a project when he found a folder of them on the platform, precisely because there had been a security glitch.

There are FTP, upload and payment platforms. Those are f
... See more
The software turned out to be a subscription thing. You paid the agency 10 euro a month for maintenance.

Not that it was foolproof, but they did send people around to maintain it if you complained. The problem was, that they kept blacklists of complainers, among other issues. One colleague found out during a project when he found a folder of them on the platform, precisely because there had been a security glitch.

There are FTP, upload and payment platforms. Those are fine. But software?
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Peter Shortall
Peter Shortall  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Romanian to English
+ ...
Is there a subscription fee? Nov 27, 2015

Parrot wrote:

The software turned out to be a subscription thing. You paid the agency 10 euro a month for maintenance.



My thoughts exactly. I know of at least one large, well-known company that charges translators a monthly fee for access to its portal. The company tried to sign me up a few years ago and mentioned the portal in the agreement I was asked to sign, but didn't mention the fee, funnily enough. I found out about it when I did my own research on the company before signing, and that plus a number of other concerns made me decide not to go ahead. I don't regret that decision.

I agree with what has been said already about small and medium-sized agencies being the best ones to work for. In the translation industry, I find that big doesn't necessarily mean reputable!


 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 02:50
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Software needs more computer resources Nov 27, 2015

Another factor that I haven't seen mentioned is how many computer resources this program takes up. Bear in mind that every program running on you computer ties up CPU and memory resources. CAT tools take up quite a bit on their own, and adding another piece of software will add an unknown amount of computer resources to be used up.

 
Oliver Walter
Oliver Walter  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:50
German to English
+ ...
Resources and uninstallation Nov 27, 2015

1. You can find out something about the use of your computer's resources with, for example, the Tiny Resource Meter from PESoft (http://perso.accelance.net/~pesoft/trm/us_trm.html - I am using version 0.96a). It is a small program, runs under Windows (without formal installation: just put it somewhere on the hard disk and execute it when you want) and you can tell it what to display (e.... See more
1. You can find out something about the use of your computer's resources with, for example, the Tiny Resource Meter from PESoft (http://perso.accelance.net/~pesoft/trm/us_trm.html - I am using version 0.96a). It is a small program, runs under Windows (without formal installation: just put it somewhere on the hard disk and execute it when you want) and you can tell it what to display (e.g. % of CPU used, amounts of RAM and disk space used: any of up to about 25 fields).

2. Uninstallation: if you decide to install the PM software it's probably advisable to ensure that you will be able to uninstall it completely if you want to. In Windows this could be done by creating a "restore point" just before the installation; to uninstall you would then reinstate that restore point. This approach can sometimes be advisable because in some cases the uninstall program that comes with an installed program doesn't completely uninstall it.
Oliver
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Alexander Hartmann
Alexander Hartmann  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 07:50
Italian to German
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Their response Nov 28, 2015

Thanks again for all the feedback in this thread!

As mentioned earlier, I have let them know about my thoughts and my decision not to install their software. Their response was that they will forward my request about what is included in the software etc. to the IT department. Moreover, the pointed out that they have never had such a query before and that they cannot quite understand how I get my jobs without such software - since an automated "forwarding service" between the final c
... See more
Thanks again for all the feedback in this thread!

As mentioned earlier, I have let them know about my thoughts and my decision not to install their software. Their response was that they will forward my request about what is included in the software etc. to the IT department. Moreover, the pointed out that they have never had such a query before and that they cannot quite understand how I get my jobs without such software - since an automated "forwarding service" between the final client and the service provider in forms of a specific software is "standard in the translation business" ...

Too funny!
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Dan Lucas
Dan Lucas  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:50
Member (2014)
Japanese to English
You're so unreasonable Nov 28, 2015

Alexander Hartmann wrote:
Moreover, the pointed out that they have never had such a query before and that they cannot quite understand how I get my jobs without such software

"Alexander, everybody else is perfectly happy with this, and our rates, and our contract. Why are you being so difficult about such trivial matters?"

If I had $100 for every time an agency had pulled the "genuinely bewildered and a little hurt by freelancer's refusal to accept conditions" tactic on me, I would be on my way to genuine wealth.

Well done for standing up to them, anyway.

Regards
Dan


 
2nl (X)
2nl (X)  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 07:50
Very funny Nov 28, 2015

Dan Lucas wrote:

Ask yourself this: if you told this agency that you wanted to install your own proprietary software on their network "to improve translation efficiency", what do you think their response would be? That's right, it would be a "no", probably with an incredulous laugh, because that would be a huge security risk for them.


I actually think that this is very funny. Thanks for a good laugh .

[Edited at 2015-11-28 10:06 GMT]


 
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei
Kuochoe Nikoi-Kotei  Identity Verified
Ghana
Local time: 06:50
Japanese to English
We all have that software Nov 28, 2015

Alexander Hartmann wrote:
an automated "forwarding service" between the final client and the service provider in forms of a specific software is "standard in the translation business" ...

It is indeed and it's called... email. They may have heard of it.


 
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Agency asks me to install their PM-Software - Thoughts?







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