What's the difference between translation and localization?
A1:
Translation is concerned only with the language aspectstranslating the words. Localization takes into account the customs, conventions, and culture of the region or locale.
2:
Do you need to know the language to be able to test a localized product?
A2:
No, but someone on the test team needs to be fluent. You can test the nonlanguage-specific portions of the software, but knowing a bit of the language will help you be more efficient.
3:
What is text expansion and what common bugs can occur because of it?
A3:
Text expansion can occur when text in one language is translated into another language. The length of text strings can grow 100 percent or more. Text that used to fit onscreen, in dialog boxes, in buttons, and so on no longer does. It can be truncated or cause other text to roll off. It's even possible to have the software crash because the extra long text no longer fits in the memory set aside for the string and other memory is overwritten.
4:
Identify several areas where extended characters can cause problems.
A4:
The order of sorted or alphabetized words and phrases, conversion between upper- and lowercase, and just general display and printing issues.
5:
Why is it important to keep text strings out of the code?
A5:
Localizing becomes much easier if the person doing the work has to modify only a text file rather than the programming code. It also makes the testing work easier because you'll know that the code didn't change on the localized version of the software.
6:
Name a few types of data formats that could vary from one localized program to another.
A6:
Measurements such as pounds, inches, and gallons. Time in 24-hour or 12-hour format. Currency has recently become more important now that many European countries have converted to the Euro. There are many others.
