Books for Technical Translation
Kojien (6th Edition) DVD-ROM and Daijirin (3rd Edition) CD-ROM
Eijiro (4th Edition)
Microsoft® Computer Dictionary (5th Edition)
Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications
Read Me First! A Style Guide for the Computer Industry (3rd Edition)
The McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms

Kojien (6th Edition) DVD-ROM and Daijirin (3rd Edition) CD-ROM

Kojien is considered the authorative reference in Japanese. This DVD-ROM version contains all 240,000 entries in from the hardback version (6th edition). This dictionary also enables kanji lookup for doubling as a kan-wa jiten (kanji-Japanese dictionary). As of this writing, it is available for overseas shipping from Amazon Japan.

Daijirin is also 238,000 entries and over 2,000 illustrations. It is comparable to Kojien, and some users prefer its layout and style. It also enables kanji lookup. As of this writing, it is not available for overseas shipping.

Eijiro (4th Edition)

Admittedly, translators have mixed feelings about Eijiro.
On the one hand, it is not even considered a dictionary by some, but more of a glossary since it only lists words and their equivalents, with no hint as to their usage. As a result, if a translator decides to use Eijiro, it is strongly recommended that he or she double-check the exact meaning of the term used. We strongly feel that responsible usage of Eijiro requires this "double-lookup".
Once the dictionary is installed to your hard drive, entries can be added and edited using the PDIC software. The major advantage of Eijiro is its sheer volume because it contains terms that can often be found nowhere else. This 4th Edition of Eijiro contains an amazing 1.66 million entries. As of this writing, it is not available for overseas shipping.

Microsoft Press Computer Dictionary (5th Edition)

Technical translators in the computer field constantly need to stay up-to-date in this rapidly changing field. Windows-based applications abound for all kinds of equipment, forcing the translator to be proficient in the latest Microsoft and computer lingo.

The Microsoft® Computer Dictionary is perhaps the most authoritative (and one of the newest) computer dictionaries. It is also easy to use and extensively illustrated. This dictionary contains more than 10,000 entries. Available at a discount through Amazon.com.

The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications (3rd Edition)

In manuals for computer-related products, inconsistency reigns. It sometimes seems like each manual writer has his or her own style. Under these conditions, the task of the translator does not lie simply in putting the material of one language into another. He must also shape the translated product into a high-quality, proficient piece of work in the target language. This is essential for producing value-added translation.

The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications is an invaluable reference for producing manuals for computer-related products, especially software documentation. Originally designed as a style guide for writers at Microsoft, it describes the correct use of terminology and deals with style issues. This book is strongly recommended for translators in the computer field, and others will probably find it useful as well. Available at a discount from Amazon.com.

Read Me First! A Style Guide for the Computer Industry (3rd Edition)

Read Me First! A Style Guide for the Computer Industry (3rd Edition) is the perfect companion to the Microsoft style guide above. Content starts from the basics of the mechanics of writing and then delves into the specific points for each type of techincal writing style. For the translator, this guide covers internationalization guidelines that simplify translation and improve clarity for non-native English speakers for producing high-quality technical writing for computer-related publications.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms (7th Edition)

To a J-E technical translator, an English reference for source material can be a tremendous aid for understanding the material and putting it into English. Textbooks, manuals of similar devices, dictionaries, and other references are often all brought into play to produce high-quality work.

This is where the The McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms comes onto the scene. This dictionary contains 105,000 terms covering over 100 fields, from acoustics to zoology. Nothing can be more valuable to a translator than to have a wide range of technical information available in a quick, easy-to-use reference like this dictionary offers. It can be useful to anyone who has to keep up with developments in a variety of technical fields. Hardcover.