Section 3.8. Internationalization and Localization

3.8. Internationalization and Localization

Two other aspects of both environments and the products that are created with them are internationalization (i18n) and localization (L10n). i18n is designing and implementing a product so that it can be localized, and it is notoriously difficult to do so after a product has grown. L10n is the work of creating a version of the product for a particular locale. Among other changes, L10n can involve translations; changes in the sort order for strings; different keyboard shortcuts; changes to date, number, and currency formats; and changes to the layout of UIs.

i18n and L10n of products and their installers is widespread. English is just another language; it will be the first one localized for only if it is the common language of the project. However, fully localized software development environments still seem quite uncommon outside Japan and France. This would require that the operating system and all other tools (such as the file editors, compilers, build tools, and bug tracking systems) use the local language and formats.

A number of non-English-speaking developers choose their tools by what the tools can do; whether the tools support their particular language is a secondary consideration. The basic free translation services that are provided by Google and Babel Fish (http://world.altavista.com) can help with the occasional message from a tool that they find confusing. To be precise, you can translate the words in the message, but messages from some tools are notoriously hard to understand even for fluent speakers of the original language of the message.

If you expect your environment to be used by people who are not comfortable with English, then the development tools should be carefully chosen to support this need. Open source tools from projects with lots of contributors and tools from large companies usually support the largest number of localized versions. If a tool discussed in this book has been internationalized, then this is mentioned. If a number of localized versions of the tool are available for the current release, then this is also noted.