Poll: Do you offer DTP services? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| | | www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 8, 2010 |
We used to (in PageMaker, QuarkX) etc.; at present, we don't
However, if an end client or an agency sends you a PDF document and asks you to produce a traslation "as close to the original layout (appearance, format etc.) as possible," that is also, in fact, nearly a kind of desktop publishing services, isn't it? Well, the only exception is that usually they don't pay for this additional service.
| | | | | www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 8, 2010 |
I leave it to people who like that sort of thing and are good at it.
If I spend time formatting, apart from normal titles, breaks and generally making the text look presentable, I tell the client up front that I will charge for it.
I usually avoid DTP-work, as I am not interested and do not have the software.
We should certainly not do it free! DTP-specialists have to earn a living, and dislike amateurs messing up their work, just as translators have to earn a living... See more I leave it to people who like that sort of thing and are good at it.
If I spend time formatting, apart from normal titles, breaks and generally making the text look presentable, I tell the client up front that I will charge for it.
I usually avoid DTP-work, as I am not interested and do not have the software.
We should certainly not do it free! DTP-specialists have to earn a living, and dislike amateurs messing up their work, just as translators have to earn a living and do their best to deliver a professional result... ▲ Collapse
| | | | mclanguage 
Uruguay
Local time: 19:23
English to Spanish
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| www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 8, 2010 |
I totally agree with Christine's aproach to service delivery –one shouldn't offer a service when not feeling comfortable with it or not having the appropirate tools.
We at MC Language Services actually specialize in projects with DTP, and even produce a printable file from a simple Word file. Of course, we count on translators with DTP skills and professional DTP partners for it.
Regards and good translation,
Mauricio Coitiño
Director
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| www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 8, 2010 |
I totally agree with Christine and mclanguage that a person should do what they are good at. On the other hand, I do enjoy making the text look good and would like to acquire some skills in DTP. Can anybody recommend what steps one should take for that purpose?
| | | | Elena Carbonell
Netherlands
Local time: 23:23
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
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| www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 9, 2010 |
Hi Natalia:
I love DTP and I work also proffessionally as a (web) (print) designer. I would recommend Adobe InDesign. Quark is also good but since InDesign is from Adobe, it works seamleslly with the rest of the programs like Photoshop or Illustrator. Once you have the programs, you can learn on your own by buying and reading and practising with books on how to use the programs. One of my favourite series for beginners is "Classroom in a book". You just follow the instructions and you learn... See more Hi Natalia:
I love DTP and I work also proffessionally as a (web) (print) designer. I would recommend Adobe InDesign. Quark is also good but since InDesign is from Adobe, it works seamleslly with the rest of the programs like Photoshop or Illustrator. Once you have the programs, you can learn on your own by buying and reading and practising with books on how to use the programs. One of my favourite series for beginners is "Classroom in a book". You just follow the instructions and you learn to do things on your own. Also on youtube you can find many videos of "how to".
That is to learn the programs... to learn design, that's something different and more difficult to achieve.
A good resource is this one:
http://www.bamagazine.com/
It's a digital magazine that explains step by step how to do things and why they are done that way, they teach about fonts, colour design, patterns, focal points etc. They have exquisite taste in their designs.
And of course there are lots of books about design.
I hope it helps. Cheers,
Elena ▲ Collapse
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
United States
Local time: 14:23
Spanish to English
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| www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 9, 2010 |
Like Elena, I love DTP. I have done serial issues over time for about 10 different journals or newsletters. It brings together all the careers that I never got to follow, from journalism to art and design. It is an adjunct to my business and I charge by the page. I once almost got a translation job using MS Publisher, but it didn't materialize, so I'm better off sticking with my "day job" - i.e., translation.
I am currently studying AutoCAD!
| | | | lillkakan
Local time: 23:23
English to Swedish
| www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 9, 2010 |
I can't help but be surprised that almost 20% of the respondents don't know what DTP is...
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| www.proz.com/polls/1578 comments | Feb 9, 2010 |
Hi Elena:
Thank you very much for the advice and the link. It is really helpful.
Natalia
| | | | | Yes, I am freelance Multilingual DTP specialist | Feb 22, 2010 |
I am Multilingual DTP specialist and providing my services to translators and agencies, because DTP need special skills & software. Sometime it is difficult for translators/agencies to know what type of software required for some projects, but a DTP specialist can suggest you better.
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