Babylon 10

[Curt]

The people behind Babylon translation software have been working on a new version. Now it has been launched, so I downloaded it with great eager, because I was a huge fan of Babylon 6, a modest fan of version 7, a user of version 8, and a disappointed owner of a useless "lifetime" license key to version 9. Now the big question is of course, if this new version will make me a huge fan again?

They have introduced some changes, but I feel certain the changes only apply to the look of the program, the GUI, not the program itself (except that Win 8 now is supported). It still doesn't work with Firefox -  and I don't want to use Internet Explorer.

I can recommend Babylon 10 only if you are using Internet Explorer. edit: I haven't tested the combination.

Oh, I wanted to tell you a lot more about version 10,
but right now I am so disappointed with these people,
that I will stop right here.

[tomos]

it's a bummer when software you love goes like that ...

[cyberdiva]

Curt, many thanks for your update about Babylon 10.  From what you've said, I think I'll stick with Babylon 6, which I  use every day.  It's the best online dictionary I know for Spanish.  I love it, but I've never seen a reason to "upgrade" in spite of their annoying pop-up ads offering me a later version for a good price.  If and when you feel like adding to your comments about version 10, I'd be most interested, but even your relatively short message today was immensely helpful.  Vielen Dank.

[Curt]

-what made me stop was my anger with yet another lifetime key of mine being outdated.

Babylon, White Smoke, and eTeacher Hebrew, are all one and the same company!  
I may not be able to prove it, hey I may even be wrong!, but the methods and the timing in their various campaigns tells me, I am right, and they are a bunch of bad guys.

[cyberdiva]

Curt, you may be right.  I know nothing about eTeacher Hebrew, but my knowledge of Babylon and White Smoke makes me doubt that they're the same company.  I say this because Babylon at one point was able to produce a first-class product, whereas I strongly doubt that White Smoke was ever able to do so.  What I've seen of White Smoke tells me that even if it were free it would be overpriced. 

[kilele]

Hello, I like Babylon as well. Another dictionary compatible with their free .bgl glossaries is GoldenDict

[Curt]

-thanks for telling, kilele!  Please tell, if you can, if the Babylon dictionaries should stay inside the /Babylon folder, or if I must copy them to /GoldenDict?

[kilele]

you can set different path directories at
edit->dictionaries->sources->files

[Curt]

Another dictionary compatible with their free .bgl glossaries is GoldenDict http://goldendict.org/

-thanks for telling, kilele!

you can set different path directories at edit->dictionaries->sources->files

I really need this program to have a user's manual for total beginners!
(edit: they have screenshot manuals, if you know what I mean, but only for the more advanced stuff, not the basic "to translate, use Ctrl+mouseClick", which a program like Babylon has)

I have so far only tested the "scan popup" feature, because I don't want the big 'normal' window (will not close on Exit).

GoldenDict is working really well inside Explorer (where I don't want it to work), but not yet so well in Firefox (where 99% of my needs are). So far (I cannot find any useful manual) I have only been able to first mark a word, and then click a hotkey (Ctrl+C or Ctrl+X (!!!)). The "scan popup" will be visible instantly (this is really fast), but then I have to activate the popup before it will obey the Exit . If I open my (third-party) clipboard and press Enter on a clip (to make it the first and active clip), GoldenDict will pop up (unwanted), because a clip was added to the clipboard. What is even worse is that this clipboard controlled activation is preventing me from using GoldenDict's "scan popup" window if I want to copy its translation / explanation!

All this could be a little too much for my nerves, but GoldenDict deserves more chances. It really is excellent in many ways. Just the pleasure of seeing all my expensive dictionaries and thesauri again is wonderful. Can't this program use the "normal" procedure: Ctrl+mouseClick ?

[kilele]

Kurt, I'm glad that you find this dictionary useful. Actually I prefer Babylon because of its ability to identify phrasal verbs and idioms just by clicking over a single word.
Anyway Goldendict is a nice free alternative which allows to manage glossaries made by multiple dictionary programs.
The scan popup feature works really well on pdf, I use it unchecking "only show when selected keys are pressed" which I can't manage to get it to work this way on Firefox/Opera, in that case I double click a word and then press "ctrl+c+c"

Can't this program use the "normal" procedure: Ctrl+mouseClick ?

just check "only show when selected keys are pressed" and choose 'control', then press control and mouse over a word.
This works well for pdfs and internet explorer, for other browsers is broken so ctrl+c+c seems the only way for now.

[Curt]

Babylon wrote me today and offered me to be the first to receive a 30% discount. This reminded me that I've forgotten to inform you of their new system, Lite, Classic, Expert: Each offer is a "lifetime" package, but by now we know they mean "Lifetime of version 10" (please prove me wrong)!

[Curt]

...a "lifetime" package, but by now we know they mean "Lifetime of version 10" (please prove me wrong)!

I did of course say it so inaccurate, that I easily can prove me wrong myself! It is your lifetime with version 10 only, or something.

Anyway, I was actually posting to recommend GoldenDict, and to tell that I have donated kilele because he was the first to recommend GoldenDict to me; this program really made my day ("month")! I have invested quite a lot of money in Babylon dictionaries and thesauri, and was very frustrated with Babylon version 9 and 10 making my investments worthless, until kilele and GoldenDict came to the rescue. ♥

Another dictionary compatible with their free .bgl glossaries is GoldenDict http://goldendict.org/

-thanks for telling, kilele!

you can set different path directories at edit->dictionaries->sources->files

...GoldenDict deserves more chances. It really is excellent in many ways. Just the pleasure of seeing all my expensive dictionaries and thesauri again is wonderful.

So, dear reader, if you have some useless Babylon dictionaries, try GoldenDict!  

[kilele]

Thanks Curt  I'd like to recall again the wonderful feature of Babylon which allows you to detect phrases, idioms, phrasal verbs.. just by processing the context around a single word selected by the user. In my opinion this is the main characteristic which makes the difference between dictionary programs.