Mar 9, 2005 14:52
19 yrs ago
7 viewers *
English term
Italy
technical translation specialist
Native in: Italian 
Works in: English to Italian, German to Italian, French to Italian, and 2 more.
hybrid (context)
English
Marketing
Computers (general)
IT vendor instructing sales staff
"When we compete with as a service provided with Webex and Microsoft, our advantages are Fully integrated audio, flexibility and a hybrid solution."
...I received the following explanation from client:
"hybrid means we can offer a service or customer can buy software and install on their own premises"
but all the same I cannot understand this sentence, why being hybrid should be better, can you help with with a synonym/further explanation?
"When we compete with as a service provided with Webex and Microsoft, our advantages are Fully integrated audio, flexibility and a hybrid solution."
...I received the following explanation from client:
"hybrid means we can offer a service or customer can buy software and install on their own premises"
but all the same I cannot understand this sentence, why being hybrid should be better, can you help with with a synonym/further explanation?
Responses
+2
10 mins
Alexander Demyanov
Specializes in field
Software Engineering background
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English, Russian, Russian to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
28
Selected
a combination of 'product' and 'service' solutions
From your client's explanation it's not clear whether they can offer both at the same time (some functions are performed by SW running on customers' hardware, other functions are delivered as service, i.e. running on "our" HW). If so, then "hybrid" or "combination" would be appropriate.
If, on the other hand, they can only sell one or the other (the product or the service), then it's their busness model that is "hybrid" or "combined", not what they sell.
If, on the other hand, they can only sell one or the other (the product or the service), then it's their busness model that is "hybrid" or "combined", not what they sell.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
RHELLER
: the English is very awkward, but this is what I understand (a combination)
4 mins
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Thank you!
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| agree |
Charlie Bavington
: it's not just awkward, it sucks :-) . As I say below, I don't think that "hybrid" is really what the author means, but under the circs, 'combined' would work for translation into another language
17 mins
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Thank you!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "thanks to all three of you, you've all helped a lot!"
+1
23 mins
Charlie Bavington
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
Hassle-free translations for busy people
Native in: English
Works in: French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
a mixture of two or more things
as a synonym, hybrid generally just means "mixture" or "combination" (as in hybrid roses!), combining elements from more than one source.
Yet again, your text shows that the author knows more about selling IT than he or she does about writing meaningful English, since if the choice is between a) buying the full service or b) just buying the software and installing it themselves, then this, to me, is not "hybrid" (although it IS flexible), it's just a choice.
Unfortunately, "hybrid" is one of those buzzwords that people like to use without really thinking what it means.
However, on the assumption that you are translating this into another language, then the notion you wish to convey, if you are to remain faithful to the text and regardless of the true accuracy of the term "hybrid" in this precise context (i.e. the CICO principle), is that of "mixed", "mixture", "combination", etc.
Yet again, your text shows that the author knows more about selling IT than he or she does about writing meaningful English, since if the choice is between a) buying the full service or b) just buying the software and installing it themselves, then this, to me, is not "hybrid" (although it IS flexible), it's just a choice.
Unfortunately, "hybrid" is one of those buzzwords that people like to use without really thinking what it means.
However, on the assumption that you are translating this into another language, then the notion you wish to convey, if you are to remain faithful to the text and regardless of the true accuracy of the term "hybrid" in this precise context (i.e. the CICO principle), is that of "mixed", "mixture", "combination", etc.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Kirill Semenov
: You may critisize the general style of the author, but "hybrid solution" is an accepted term in the field. Just google it a bit ;-) + I see. Still, for me "hybrid" is something "heterogeneous" :)
12 mins
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I know it is, old chap :-) I just happen to think that the term is inappropriate here, in the light of the client's explanation, for reasons as outlined above.
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| agree |
Alexander Demyanov
: Poor me failed to think of "choice" as the word in case they can only sell one or the other.
14 mins
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4 mins
Kirill Semenov
Ukraine
Ukraine
Specializes in field
Ukraine
60+ books translated and published
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
24
heterogeneous
A "hybrid" solution is the one which consists of software/hardware produced by different manufacturers.
It may mean, say, a network which combines SCASI/SATA/Fibre Channel interface or a PC with both Microsoft and Adobe software installed.
The latter example is especially weird. ;-)))
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Note added at 6 mins (2005-03-09 14:59:34 GMT)
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A \"hybrid\" solution is better because if -- it\'s a good one! -- it widens the range of available hardware/software drastically and gives better choice in the terms of costs spent.
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Note added at 1 day 1 hr 38 mins (2005-03-10 16:30:48 GMT)
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I thought my example of different interface standards made it clear that I was speaking not only of vendors.
There is a lot of products on software and hardware market. Some are easily integrated with each others while others are not. Say, it\'s possible to integrate FC with SCASI/SATA interfaces, but this is not that simple. A network which uses both a heterogeneous set of interfaces is a \"hybrid\" one. The same applies to software: while many software developers care about supporting standard file formats, etc., many developers are still competitious (see my example of MS vs. Adobe). Integrating such programs is also not an easy task.
But if a system builder/developer provides a \"hybrid\" solution, it\'s a great plus for a user, because it widens the choice drastically and allows to save so precious costs.
It may mean, say, a network which combines SCASI/SATA/Fibre Channel interface or a PC with both Microsoft and Adobe software installed.
The latter example is especially weird. ;-)))
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2005-03-09 14:59:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
A \"hybrid\" solution is better because if -- it\'s a good one! -- it widens the range of available hardware/software drastically and gives better choice in the terms of costs spent.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 1 hr 38 mins (2005-03-10 16:30:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I thought my example of different interface standards made it clear that I was speaking not only of vendors.
There is a lot of products on software and hardware market. Some are easily integrated with each others while others are not. Say, it\'s possible to integrate FC with SCASI/SATA interfaces, but this is not that simple. A network which uses both a heterogeneous set of interfaces is a \"hybrid\" one. The same applies to software: while many software developers care about supporting standard file formats, etc., many developers are still competitious (see my example of MS vs. Adobe). Integrating such programs is also not an easy task.
But if a system builder/developer provides a \"hybrid\" solution, it\'s a great plus for a user, because it widens the choice drastically and allows to save so precious costs.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Alp Berker
3 hrs
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thank you very much :)
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| disagree |
Alexander Demyanov
: "Hybrid" solutions are not about multiple vendors. They may be about combining different technologies or different business models.
7 hrs
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