RE: i18n, l10n, g11n faq: Please review

Addison,

Thanks for taking the time to make these comments.  I propose that we address these at the same time as any others arising from the wide review I have just initiated.

Cheers,
RI


============
Richard Ishida
W3C

contact info:
http://www.w3.org/People/Ishida/ 

W3C Internationalization:
http://www.w3.org/International/ 

Publication blog:
http://people.w3.org/rishida/blog/
 
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Addison Phillips [wM] [mailto:aphillips@webmethods.com] 
> Sent: 01 October 2004 18:05
> To: Richard Ishida; GEO
> Subject: RE: i18n, l10n, g11n faq: Please review
> 
> All:
> 
> Actually, you might want to look at:
> 
> http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/NOTE-ws-i18n-scenarios-20040730/#IDARXSO
> 
> I like those definitions more than the ones here, I think. 
> That section doesn't focus exclusively on the three 
> numerically infixed beasties, but provides a nice 
> interlocking set of definitions (and has been quoted 
> elsewhere, I note).
> 
> My comments on the document as written follow:
> 
> 1. I18N should come before L10N. It is a more natural 
> progression in my opinion to move from enabling software, 
> content, or products to creating specific versions targetted 
> to a specific market.
> 
> 2. The definition of localization refers to "the adaptation 
> of a product". I would include content and software as in my 
> point #1 to make clear that localization may apply to more 
> than just the software code (the "payload" of a product).
> 
> 3. The same point applies to " Localization may even 
> necessitate a comprehensive rethinking of a program" I would 
> say something like:
> 
>   "Localization may even necessitate a comprehensive 
> rethinking of logic, visual design, or presentation"
> 
> 4. I don't like the definition of i18n because it sounds 
> remedial (the phrasing to me seems to denote a project rather 
> than an approach). I prefer the one from WSUS:
> 
>   [Definition: Internationalization]The process of designing, 
> creating, and maintaining software that can serve the needs 
> of users with differing language, cultural, or geographic 
> requirements and expectations.
> 
> 5. " Excluding localizable elements from source code." is not 
> clear. How about:
> 
>    "Externalizing localizable elements. In addition to 
> strings, localizable elements include sizes, positions, 
> colors, images, and other settings that may need to be 
> altered when tailoring the product for a specific local 
> market (during the localization process). Externalization 
> removes these items to separate files ("resources") that can 
> be loaded or selected based on the user's international 
> preferences at runtime."
> 
> 6. Spell out "for example". Don't use e.g.
> 
> 7. Globalization is sometimes written as g11n (ick). 
> Personally, I would move the infix defintions away from the 
> main definitions. I personally dislike them (Norbert 
> Lindenberg of Sun often refers to them as I19g, using the 
> German word...). 
> 
> 8. I dislike the globalization definition. While the first 
> paragraph is *a* correct definition of globalization, it 
> doesn't refer to the globalization that we are talking about 
> in the GILT industry. Globalization in that definition is not 
> something protested by quasi-anarchists wherever the G8 is 
> meeting. The definition we want should be *first*, not second. 
> 
> I don't particularly like the wording of the GILT definition 
> either. In particular, globalization is *not* a process. It 
> is an organizational approach to integrating 
> internationalization with product/content development so that 
> the product can be tailored for global or multi-lingual 
> markets easily. It is, in the words of Glen Perkins, "... a 
> fundamental architectural approach". 
> 
> 9. In the globalization definition we switch from "products" 
> to "Web sites" for no apparent reason.
> 
> Addison
> 
> Addison P. Phillips
> Director, Globalization Architecture
> webMethods | Delivering Global Business Visibility 
> http://www.webMethods.com Chair, W3C Internationalization 
> (I18N) Working Group Chair, W3C-I18N-WG, Web Services Task 
> Force http://www.w3.org/International
> 
> Internationalization is an architecture. 
> It is not a feature.
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: public-i18n-geo-request@w3.org 
> [mailto:public-i18n-geo-request@w3.
> > org]On Behalf Of Richard Ishida
> > Sent: 2004?10?1? 5:58
> > To: GEO
> > Subject: i18n, l10n, g11n faq: Please review
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Please review the latest version of Susan's FAQ and make any final 
> > comments before it goes out for wide review.  This version 
> > incorporates changes agreed based on comments made at two 
> telecons and 
> > email feedback received so far.
> > 
> > http://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-i18n
> > 
> > RI
> > 
> > 
> > ============
> > Richard Ishida
> > W3C
> > 
> > contact info:
> > http://www.w3.org/People/Ishida/
> > 
> > W3C Internationalization:
> > http://www.w3.org/International/
> > 
> > Publication blog:
> > http://people.w3.org/rishida/blog/
> >  
> > 
>

Received on Tuesday, 5 October 2004 11:47:55 UTC