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Laszlo K

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Just got a curious observation about the User Manual of PTE

Just finished translating the English manual of V-7 to Hungarian which was 89 pages

The German is 105 and that is not big difference.

On the other hand the Italian is 157 and the French 169.

Now this is a huge difference in volume. Reading the french which is a lot more precise than the English

( unfortunately my french is not good enough to be able to translate with it)

I wonder how this come about. I guess there were different approaches to the original because the whole approach is very different with lot more detail.

If someone has an answer I would like to hear it.

I wish that the English version was the same as the French version to translate from.

Laszlo

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The reason is quite simple: the French user's guide isn't a translation from the English. It's an entirely new and different book created by Jean-Charles Pizolatto (Aginum, here) from scratch with his own ideas and approach.

It's not merely a listing and description of functions, as is primarily the English manual, but it explains in depth 'how to' use all of them.

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a few pages using google translate

achieve

of digital audio-visual

with

PicturesToExe

version 7.0.1

Thank you to everyone who provided

contribution to the achievement of this book.

To go further in the discovery of digital editing and

PicturesToExe:

While surfing the web

• The

site

official

Designer: www.wnsoft.com

• The

forum

official

the designer, Igor Kokarev, in English:

www.picturestoexe.com / forums.

Two French forums allow you to progress rapidly in the

discovery of the slide and PicturesToExe:

• www.diapositif.net, exclusively dedicated to PicturesToExe, with more

1200 montages for free download.

• www.diaporamaforum.com, more generic since apart PicturesToExe,

more slideshow creation software are used by members

(over 1200 packages for free download).

Books

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Automatic translation is terrible! And particularly for this type of text where there is much specialized terms. Just an example that you can see and appreciate in the last lines of the translated text copied by Ken. On one line you can read '1200 montages for free download' and further down 'over 1200 packages for free download'. That is supposed to be the translation of "slideshows"... two different terms that have no meaning whatsoever in English in this context !

When I think at all the hard work that Aginum has done for producing a professional quality manual (even the layout is professional as it's also a real printed book - do you guys still know what a book is? :D ) it's a real shame to see all that destroyed by a less than poor translation. On top of that, you should know that Aginum has already produced 4 versions of his book, and that he keeps it updated following all new PTE versions.

The original work of the author should be respected.

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Hello Laszlo,

Many thanks for your translation of our User Manual to Hungarian language!

Here some thoughts on the problems that you raised.

I admire the quality of the French User Manual completely written by Jean-Charles!

Regrettably I have no enough time (and skills of a technical writer) to write same English User manual. This was written by our employee. And I really want to rewrite it completely. Also I plan to provide the printed English User manual when it's done (in future).

The problem in a fact that a writer should know PicturesToExe very well, has skills of technical writer and do it for every version.

I contacted with specialized companies to order writing of the user manual. Their service is expensive, but the good result is not guaranteed because they can't know the our software program very well. I wouldn't want to get a formal description of features.

P.S. I'm thinking on this problem right now and I'll glad to hear any advices and suggestions on this subject.

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You all have raised some very good points.

To do the basic translation my partner to prepare our daily work have used Google translator. It would help to a certain extent with general word translation but not with context.

What we found out very quickly, was because of the special technical terminology required the translator HAS TO KNOW the program and its functions in detail.

There are words that we could not find in more than a dozen dictionaries we looked in for example: Gradient, Fade, Opacity etc. All of the existing meanings do not work in the framework of PTE. So a logical description of the word was used to describe it. The only way this could be done was to have the understanding of the program. My Hungarian partner and I had lots of discussion because he wanted to expend the detail and the explanation of different processes, while I insisted on staying within the framework of the English Manual even by page numbers since I didn't have authorization to rewrite the document. I had a number of exchanges with Alena when I found errors in the English, and these will be corrected according to her. In lots of cases I had to translate the thought of the process and not the words to make sense for the user.

We started to do this because my partner wanted to learn the program. He only speaks Hungarian and he lives in Hungary. I live in Canada and speak English but my Hungarian is 47 years old, and has not evolved since I left Hungary. So between two of us we have a very good working knowledge of the current English and Hungarian jargon. We both technically inclined. I have done photography and video for over 30 years and use PTE since V4. With the help of Skype and Desktop Control ( my partner has Multiple Sclerosis)we got the V-6.5 and V-7 done.

He is reading thorough V-7 now and my sister will read it for the correct language use and grammar and even though she knows nothing about the program at all.

So in short: A technical understanding of the program is essential to doe the job well.

There should be an agreement between Igor or the controlling body of PTE management and the translator to determine the best possible way to

explain the program and not only to translate the text since lots of the manuals are copyrighted and can not be altered.

If rewriting is needed instead of translation it has to be agreed to by both parties.

Also from Igor's perspective maybe have a few pages done(10-15)and have them verified at the home base before doing the whole document.

It is easier to find someone to read than translate into different languages.

Communication and understanding the process.

Laszlo

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Although, the best manual for PicturesToExe, in my opinion, is the French book by Mr. Jean-Charles Pizolatto, avatar "Aginum".

That book can be used as a perfect and complete manual.

But the first thing that one should consider, is to ask Aginum if he gives his permission for a translation to an other language!

Greetings,

Cor

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Well that is exactly what I say in my last sentence and thorough out my note. I did ask permission to translate but not to rewrite.

Work such is this manual is a big undertaking and requires a fair amount of effort.

Laszlo

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