| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Imagine a power outage. Would you be able to complete a translation without electronic gadgets? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Imagine a power outage. Would you be able to complete a translation without electronic gadgets?".
This poll was originally submitted by MNtranslates. View the poll results »
| | | | Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:09
German to English
+ ...
I could complete a translation in the event of a power outage, but not without electronic gadgets. Apart from anything else, what use would a hand-written translation be to my customer!
We do have a generator, though, for just such eventualities!
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:09
Hebrew to English
| Wouldn't be hard | Aug 3, 2012 |
As long as I had enough residual power in my laptop to print the source text then yeah, no problem.
| | | | | It depends... | Aug 3, 2012 |
If the outage occurs in the morning, more than likely. If it occurs in the evening, no.
My vision in the dark is getting worse and worse as I get older.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 03:09
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Perhaps, depends | Aug 3, 2012 |
If a solar flare, alien invasion or similar event took out all the electronics worldwide, I couldn't use a computer, but could probably still cobble something together on paper if desperate.
But seriously, where I live we have power cuts and internet failure on a regular basis. I usually go somewhere else with computer access to keep working, like a cyber cafe, wifi hotspot, friend's place, client's offices, whatever. Where there's a will there's a way.
| | | | | Save the world with your translation | Aug 3, 2012 |
neilmac wrote:
If a solar flare, alien invasion or similar event took out all the electronics worldwide, I couldn't use a computer, but could probably still cobble something together on paper if desperate.
Lol
And why on earth would you want to bother, then? Unless you were like Kevin Costner in that post-apocalyptic mailman movie... Or you were translating the e-mails of the aliens!
| | | | Julian Holmes
Japan
Local time: 10:09
Member (2011)
Japanese to English
I have a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) so I can shut down and save all work before the power is restored. However, I'd never classify a computer as an "electronic gadget."
If the grid's down, so is Internet access and I can get a bit of shut-eye until my office is powered up again. 
Mind you, if there were a big solar flare and huge electomagnetic wave were to hit our planet, we're all bsaically screwed... See more I have a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) so I can shut down and save all work before the power is restored. However, I'd never classify a computer as an "electronic gadget."
If the grid's down, so is Internet access and I can get a bit of shut-eye until my office is powered up again.
Mind you, if there were a big solar flare and huge electomagnetic wave were to hit our planet, we're all bsaically screwed and it's back to the Middle Ages again and deliverying hand-written translation by carrier pigeon. Then, again, translation per se would probably not exist. Ouch!  ▲ Collapse
| | | | | How widespread is the outage? | Aug 3, 2012 |
If it's over a broad area, like the outage we had throughout Southern California last year, then no. I would expect the client to understand.
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Jack Doughty
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:09
Russian to English
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In memoriam
I have spent more years translating without electronic gadgets than with them. I think there's still an old Olivetti portable typewriter in the back of the loft somewhere, I still have all my paper dictionaries (and still use them quite a bit, though I make more use of online ones these days).
Just checked to see if I still have any carbon paper, and I do, so I could still make a copy for myself.
But I certainly wouldn't want to have to do all that!
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Susana González Tuya wrote:
If the outage occurs in the morning, more than likely. If it occurs in the evening, no.
My vision in the dark is getting worse and worse as I get older.
Mine too...
| | | | | There will be | Aug 3, 2012 |
Julian Holmes wrote:
...Mind you, if there were a big solar flare and huge electomagnetic wave were to hit our planet...
Solar activity is reaching a peak in 2013, causing many out-of-order satellites and other junk up there to fall onto the Earth. And likely EM disruptions. Wear a hat.
I get a discount on generators, satellite Internet, SDcard-compliant pigeons and hard hats. Contact me for a turnkey solution in order to be able to work safely in 2013.
I replied No to the poll. Every time there is a power cut, I think of buying a generator. Every time the power is back up, I forget.
Philippe
| | | | | Probably, but... | Aug 3, 2012 |
Complete a translation: Just the time to print the source with help of my UPS and, yes, probably I could complete a translation (paper, pen, paper dictionaries, etc...)
Complete a job: unfortunately the postal system (in Italy at least...) seems not to be able to deliver docs throughout the world in a reasonable way! And in case of a broad power outage, not only mails would be completely blocked, nowadays!
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| | Eser Perkins
Türkiye
Local time: 04:09
English to Turkish
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SITE LOCALIZER | It depends... | Aug 3, 2012 |
...on many things like if I have paper copies of the document I need to work on, if I have to finish it in an hour and what kind of task it is (editing, translation, SEO, etc) since not all tasks can be performed on paper. For example, some of my regular jobs are performed on an online interface of the client. Plus, if I were to print every document I get for translation, I would have to use way too many cartridges for my printer, not to mention that excessive printing is not such an environment... See more ...on many things like if I have paper copies of the document I need to work on, if I have to finish it in an hour and what kind of task it is (editing, translation, SEO, etc) since not all tasks can be performed on paper. For example, some of my regular jobs are performed on an online interface of the client. Plus, if I were to print every document I get for translation, I would have to use way too many cartridges for my printer, not to mention that excessive printing is not such an environment-friendly practice.
I live in a place where I have to deal with this problem on a regular basis, similar to neilmac's situation. Especially during the winter time, I get about 2 hours of power outage on average every day. So I am most of the time in a really difficult situation with my deadlines. This is why I have to keep two batteries fully-charged for my laptop, a 3g modem. I also have a smartphone which facilitates my correspondence. At least, if all else fails, I run out of battery etc, I can contact the client and explain the situation.
I have also been entertaining the idea of getting a UPS but haven't decided yet. I need to do a little more research and learn more about their advantages or disadvantages, if any.
Have a great weekend all! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Heinrich Pesch
Finland
Local time: 04:09
Member (2003)
Finnish to German
+ ...
| For some time yes | Aug 3, 2012 |
I use a laptop with accu, so at least 3 hours would be left to continue work (using my mobile broadband connection). And I can reload the accu in our car using a converter. I do that often when I work at the holiday cottage, where we have no electricity at all.
That is one reason why I would never again buy a computer without accu.
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