My go-to software

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A curated list of the essential (Windows) software I rely on daily in my work as a professional translator. If you’re a translator, installing these programs will set you up for success and ensure you’re ready to hit the ground running.

• AI: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini
• Automated app/time tracking: RescueTime
• Backup (online): Backblaze
• Backup (local): Macrium Reflect
• Beijer.bot (Dashboard menu of tools I use when translating, coded in AutoHotkey)
• Bilingual concordancing: LogiTerm
• Browser: Chrome
• CAT tool: CafeTran (my current favourite), Trados Studio, memoQ
• Clipboard manager: ArsClip)(also great: CL3)
• CSV editor: Rons Data Edit
• Ctrl+Alt+Delete: System Informer (formerly called ‘Process Hacker’)
• Desktop search tool: dtSearch + Copernic (content search), Everything (file name search)
• Dictation: Talon, Dragon Professional 16, Voice Access (Win 11), VoiceMacro
• Email: Gmail
• File manager: XYplorer (dual-pane file manager)
• Invoicing: LSP.expert
• CAT tool: CafeTran (my current favourite), Trados Studio (a buggy disaster, as usual), memoQ (the current version of memoQ is too slow to use comfortably)
• Machine translation: GT4T, Google Translate, DeepL, Amazon Translate, Microsoft Translator, ModernMT, and various LLMs (see AI above)
• Note-taking: Evernote (see: Note-taking apps)
• Scripting and automation: AutoHotkey (‘AHK, the ultimate glue on Windows.’)
• Terminology: MediaWiki (= this site), LogiTerm, Xbench, CafeTran, etc.
• Text editor: EmEditor, Visual Studio Code
• Text expander: AutoHotkey
• Automated app/time tracking: RescueTime
• Voice commands: Dragon Professional 16, Talon Voice, WhisperTyping
• Websites: MediaWiki (which powers michaelbeijer.co.uk)
• Website downloading tool: Cyotek WebCopy, HTTrack

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