Translation is at the very core of today's international business world. While translations are a costly endeavor, the value of a well-translated product or service should eventually justify this expenditure.

Central to most translation processes today is the database that contains previously translated data: the translation memory. The consistently growing size of the translation memory represents an ever-increasing value to you as its owner. By the same token, it becomes increasingly attractive to third parties from the same industry. Through TM Marketplace, this asset can now provide an immediate return on investment through licensing to other parties.

And there is more than just a commercial relevance in licensing translation memories. Translation is about communication. Whether you are a market leader in your particular industry or an aspiring player, it's in your best interest to achieve communication with your customers by providing and helping to shape an industry-standard multilingual terminology.

Microsoft® has been the great visionary in this respect. Throughout the last 12 years, Microsoft has invested significantly in publishing a large portion of their translation memories into more than 40 languages. Its motive for doing this and for regularly updating these databases is to promote consistent terminology in its industry. To see what Microsoft itself says about its motivation for doing this, read "Translation Memories: The Discovery of Assets" which appeared in issue #72 of MultiLingual Computing & Technology.

As with any new concept, there are plenty of questions about this one. Find yours answered in our FAQ section.