Precision Translation Tools (PTTools), a developer of language translation software, recently announced the upcoming launch of its Slate Desktop productivity software.

Slate Desktop allows Windows users to increase their productivity by transferring translation memories (databases of sentences, paragraphs, or sentence-like segments that aid in translation) to the Slate engine. The Slate software then can customize their on-premises software to meet their individual needs as a whole or for specific products.

Tom Hoar, a co-founder of PTTools, commented that this release for Windows makes the underlying tools much more accessible to translators. Developers have been releasing this sort of statistical machine translation for years on expensive Linux platforms, the company release noted, but it is only now that individual translators can get their hands on a similar product at a lower price point.

“Slate Desktop is new because it brings SMT to Windows desktop for the first time,” Hoar said. “Without the Linux constraint, our new applications designed for professional translators offer a degree of confidentiality and customization -- dare I say 'personalization' -- that's just not possible through the cloud.”

Hoar indicates in that statement that Slate works on-premises. It does not rely on cloud-based servers for its functionality or for its language databases. Therefore, translators can worry less about the confidentiality of their translations because they can be sure all their information will remain local.

Although PTTools has been in business since 2010, it is trying an alternative avenue to receive backing for this new product. The official launch is not scheduled to occur until January 2016. In the meantime, PTTools is hosting an Indiegogo campaign to determine how much demand this new product could see and to offer discounts to any early backers.

As of the writing of this article, the Indiegogo campaign has gained nearly $4,000 and is funded to more than 60 percent of its goal of $6,500. Backers at various contribution levels can expect to see rebate vouchers, product licenses, and discounts for future upgrades.