Translate.Net

Translate.Net is free and open source client for many language services available online (translators, monolingual and bilingual dictionaries). 26 sites, 40 services, 39 languages, 1367 translations directions.

Pros: Trasnslate.Net is a free tool for aggregating results of free language services from Internet into single GUI. It operates like specialized web browser - connect to web sites, query information and then show results in a unified view. The Translate.Net will help you to translate words and phrases to and from numerous languages in a simple way. There are several very popular translating services available online. These include translators, monolingual or bilingual dictionaries. This application acts as a client to several of these services and helps arrive at reliable translation, gives you an opportunity to compare and choose the best options. Currently the application supports some 26 sites with language services, 40 services, 39 languages, 1367 translation directions. That is quite a wide set of resources. These include Google dictionary and Google translator, Yahoo Babel Fish translator, SYSTRAN translator, PROMPT translator and dictionary. Online dictionaries include Wikipedia and Wiktionary, Merriam Webstar dictionary & thesauraus. Encyclopedias and other language services like thesauruses, phraseological dictionary, dictionaries of synonyms and dictionaries of antonyms, etc. are also available.

One can define user profiles and define a customized set of services. History is maintained of last used language pair, this is sorted by last use time. Locale information is cached. When you change the locale the latest used pair of language are selected to make things faster. Use of hotkeys allows users to activate Translate.net and make operating from any program faster.

Cons: Automatic translation is always a little tricky. While freestanding words may get translated quite well but phrases and sentences make the translations difficult. A lot of contextual information is necessary in such translations.

Overall: This is a very good and useful service besides being a free source application. This is clearly at a level of 4 stars.

The Translate.Net will help you to translate words and phrases to and from numerous languages in simple way. This free, open-source software work as client to most popular translating services available online (translators, monolingual and bilingual dictionaries). Using results of translations from many different sources allow receiving much more reliability of translation.
Already supported 45 sites with language services, 57 services, 70 languages, more of 4000 translations directions.
Services:
- Google dictionary and Google translator
- 9 DICT servers ( from http://www.luetzschena-stahmeln.de/dictd/index.php ) with 94 dictionaries
- Wikipedia and wiktionary
- Yahoo Babel Fish translator
- SYSTRAN translator (used by Yahoo Babel Fish)
- Merriam-Webster dictionary and thesaurus
- PROMT translator and dictionary
- and much more
Full list of languages\services available at http://translate-net.appspot.com/services.en.html
Features:
- intelligent switching of translation directions based on automatic detection of input language and keyboard input language (keyboard layout)
- system hotkeys by keyboard(Ctrl+C+C and\or Ctrl+Ins+Ins) and mouse (Alt+Right mouse button) or custom mouse\keyboard combination allow to activate Translate.Net and perform translation from any program easy
- portable version available
- ability to create user profiles - custom set of services
- history of used language pairs which sorted by last use time
.Net Framework 2.0 and internet connection required