localization, internationalization, and globalization. IBM definitions.

IBM defines these three terms as follows:

localization
Definition: In software engineering, the process of adapting an
internationalized product for a specific language, script, culture, and
coded character set. In localization, semantics are preserved, but syntax
may change.

internationalization
Definition: In software engineering, the process of producing a product
that is independent of any particular language, script, culture, and coded
character set.
Comment: Strictly speaking, an internationalized product is not usable in
any region of the world until it is localized to a specific region. Once a
product has been internationalized, it can be localized for a specific
language, script, culture, and coded character set with minimal expense and
effort.

globalization
Definition: The proper design and execution of systems, software, services,
and procedures so that one instance of software, executing on a single
server or end user machine, can process multilingual data, and present data
culturally correctly in a multicultural environment such as the Internet.
Presentation of data includes (a) allowing each individual user to select a
language for the user interface and that language may differ from the
language of the data that is being processed, and (b) presenting
information, such as dates and numbers, culturally correctly for each user
even if they are from different regions.

Kara Warburton
IBM Terminology
e-mail: kara@ca.ibm.com
Phone: 905-413-2170, Tie line: 969-2170

Received on Wednesday, 13 October 2004 19:45:44 UTC