Poll: At the end of the trial period of a tool, do you usually buy the full version of it? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "At the end of the trial period of a tool, do you usually buy the full version of it?".
This poll was originally submitted by Sara Negro. View the poll results »
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 19:45
Spanish to English
+ ...
If I like it and think it will be useful to me and the price is right, then probably yes.
However, about a year ago I bought a more recent version of an old MT package I had used for years and I have only used it maybe twice, because it turned out to be much more complicated and - for my purposes - much less helpful than its creaky old predecessor, which I still have on standby. Hence my reluctance to respond "Yes"...
| | | | Susanna Martoni 
Italy
Local time: 19:45
Member (2009)
Spanish to Italian
+ ...
| It really depends | Apr 19, 2012 |
I answered "Other" because it may happen that I use a tool because a customer asks me to do so for a specific work and - in this case - at the end of the trial period I do not buy the full version if there is no need to do other jobs with that tool in the future.
This is a pretty usual practice recently (new tools used to do just a couple of projects).
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 02:45
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
I don't use tools on a trial basis.
If a client says that they will give me more or steady work if I buy a tool or owning and being able to use a particular tool is a pre-condition of working with a particular client, then I will buy it right away and acquire those extra skills as fast as possible so that I have that extra advantage over the competition.
The extra work will soon pay for the initial investment.  ... See more I don't use tools on a trial basis.
If a client says that they will give me more or steady work if I buy a tool or owning and being able to use a particular tool is a pre-condition of working with a particular client, then I will buy it right away and acquire those extra skills as fast as possible so that I have that extra advantage over the competition.
The extra work will soon pay for the initial investment. 
Happy translating! ▲ Collapse
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William Murphy
Italy
Local time: 19:45
Member (2009)
Italian to English
+ ...
| Other - if I really use it, I buy it | Apr 19, 2012 |
I, too, answered other because I do not go overboard with programs. I do not need much more than Office, Nitro PDF, and Wordfast for say, 99% of my workload.
I used both Nitro and Wordfast trial versions before buying them and the 'try-before-you-buy' feature was very much a psychological bonus in my appreciation of those two products. I found both of the products to be worth an investment and so went ahead and finalized a purchase.
I have used some trial versions of o... See more I, too, answered other because I do not go overboard with programs. I do not need much more than Office, Nitro PDF, and Wordfast for say, 99% of my workload.
I used both Nitro and Wordfast trial versions before buying them and the 'try-before-you-buy' feature was very much a psychological bonus in my appreciation of those two products. I found both of the products to be worth an investment and so went ahead and finalized a purchase.
I have used some trial versions of other products without purchasing them in the end but, by and large, that was because the product was inferior to another or simply did not fulfill a need that would justify its purchase. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 19:45
Member (2006)
German to English
Julian Holmes wrote:
I don't use tools on a trial basis.
Yep, same here. I only buy the original version as I dont like having too much rubish on my computers
| | | | Diana Coada (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:45
Portuguese to English
+ ...
dasein_wm wrote:
I, too, answered other because I do not go overboard with programs. I do not need much more than Office, Nitro PDF, and Wordfast for say, 99% of my workload.
You took the words right out of my mouth, dasein_wm! The only software I ever bought was Nitro, Wordfast and Office.
| | | | DZiW (X)
Ukraine
English to Russian
+ ...
depending on the usefulness and rich experience of such trial software, but usually the limitations are so bad or the term is so short that I cannot come to the conclusion, so I jump to it.
Mostly it ends up in trying another rival software and it's really rare that I buy it, because there're heaps and plenty of them. Once a friend of mine bought a notebook with some antivirus and trial software with a rather long cooldown period (before it allowed re-installation), and he wanted to... See more depending on the usefulness and rich experience of such trial software, but usually the limitations are so bad or the term is so short that I cannot come to the conclusion, so I jump to it.
Mostly it ends up in trying another rival software and it's really rare that I buy it, because there're heaps and plenty of them. Once a friend of mine bought a notebook with some antivirus and trial software with a rather long cooldown period (before it allowed re-installation), and he wanted to keep all the software legal. So, in a month he had to uninstall it and clean the registry and files up so he could reinstall it later, but soon he got annoyingly bored and just changed for the rival options after the expiration period. Not bad--always brandnew updated legal software for free... for years.
On and off I'm frustrated that software developers force users to upgrade and add many unnecessary or even obnoxious features which render such a software almost unusable for me, e.g. *new-featured* MS Office 2007+ with those funny stripes. Yes, on the other hand I still prefer oldie WF 3.35x and free options like OmegaT, Across and others.
As for me, occasionally I like to try something new (provided that it can be sandboxed), but prefer just working and reliable options I know how to handle, that's why I'm reluctant to upgrade and... This is my court decision) ▲ Collapse
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 19:45
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Diana Coada wrote: dasein_wm wrote:
I, too, answered other because I do not go overboard with programs. I do not need much more than Office, Nitro PDF, and Wordfast for say, 99% of my workload.
You took the words right out of my mouth, dasein_wm! The only software I ever bought was Nitro, Wordfast and Office.
Same here with the exception that Nitro PDF is yet to be bought (after thourough testing)
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 19:45
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Wanted: functioning Bill Gates voodoo effigy, pins included | Apr 19, 2012 |
DZiW wrote:
... I'm frustrated that software developers force users to upgrade and add many unnecessary or even obnoxious features which render such a software almost unusable for me, e.g. *new-featured* MS Office 2007+ with those funny stripes. )
I thought it was just me! I absolutely hate Windows 7, simply because they have moved or changed everything that I normally use in my work ... and I still find it frustrating and awkward nine months later...
| | | | | when appropriate | Apr 19, 2012 |
Trial periods are great. I hate buying stuff without knowing what I'm getting. I've paid up for Wordfast Classic, Abbyy PDF Converter and memoQ after trying them out for nothing for a while first.
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 19:45
English to French
+ ...
neilmac wrote: DZiW wrote:
... I'm frustrated that software developers force users to upgrade and add many unnecessary or even obnoxious features which render such a software almost unusable for me, e.g. *new-featured* MS Office 2007+ with those funny stripes. ) I thought it was just me! I absolutely hate Windows 7, simply because they have moved or changed everything that I normally use in my work ... and I still find it frustrating and awkward nine months later...
and the new Office suite that goes along with it is no better... Why fix it, etc.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 13:45
English to Spanish
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Sometimes I try the trial version, then buy the product. Sometimes I buy the most recent version because I've used a much earlier version, and I've used it in past projects. So I do what Julian does: I invest in the software, hoping that it will pay for itself later. And it does.
Because I like to see my finished product, I developed a taste for desktop publishing software. After a while of editing PDF files, returning them to the client, then having their DTP specialist return the ... See more Sometimes I try the trial version, then buy the product. Sometimes I buy the most recent version because I've used a much earlier version, and I've used it in past projects. So I do what Julian does: I invest in the software, hoping that it will pay for itself later. And it does.
Because I like to see my finished product, I developed a taste for desktop publishing software. After a while of editing PDF files, returning them to the client, then having their DTP specialist return the PDF to show the changes I've made —but poorly implemented because he only understands English, I decided I want to be a one-stop shop for some of my clients. And they appreciate it.
Some translators are just happy to work with a minimalistic toolbox. Whether they're technology averse or not, or can't be bothered with learning tools outside of their comfort zone, is a topic for another day.
Speaking of MS Office, I had to revert from Office 2010 to 2007 because I hate some of the new changes, like CTR+H for Find.
[Edited at 2012-04-20 01:19 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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