Tomas Wassmer’s recent article on Wordfast in the current issue of MultiLingual offers a glimpse of the changes in store in the upcoming release of Wordfast 6.0, and last week pre-release versions were made available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, so Wordfast users are now able to try out beta versions of the new Java-based Wordfast for themselves. These pre-release versions can be downloaded from the Wordfast store and come with licenses that are valid until the end of this year.

The most noteworthy thing about Wordfast 6.0 is that, unlike previous versions, it is a Java-based standalone application rather than a VBA-based add-on for Microsoft Word, which many users hope will bring about a more consistent experience across platforms and more stability overall. The VBA-based version will continue to be available as Wordfast 5.5 “Classic” for users who prefer that approach.

Interestingly, Ryan Ginstrom, the developer of a competing product called Felix, recently wrote about the significance of the distinction between standalone and embedded CAT tools, and there are certainly good arguments to be made in favor of either approach, but with the release of Wordfast 6.0, it will be in the relatively uncommon position of offering its users both options. How well will it succeed? Why not download the beta and see for yourself?