Software localisation - Essay Example

__________ ID: ______ ID: _______ Localization Q a) Localization is making believe. In IT "localization" means adopting full translation of a English software version in the language of any country. This where on the one hand makes consumer believe in the native cultural adoptation, but also it makes the native speaker of the target believes in professional localization procedure. "Translation has meant different things at different times; it has always been an unstable concept. This instability has, for the most part, been due to variable views first on the relations between translated texts and their source and target languages, and later on similar binary relations between translated texts and their source and target cultures". (2006a) Q.1 (b) Localization contributes to the creation of the MacWorld Localization has contributed to Mac OS X by supporting seven languages: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. Later releases have included functionality for more languages and Mac OS X v10.2 comes with full Unicode support and supports non-Roman alphabets (like Arabic, Thai and Hebrew) via improved input and a new Unicode Character Palette. Localization has allowed a single binary to support multiple languages and regional dialects. It also provides a mechanism to allow developers to dynamically add resources for new languages or regions. (MacOx) Q.1 (c) Localization promotes a homogenisation of culture through the use of global symbolism Localization results in the understanding of not only specific local markets, but the understanding of actual content surrounding a given culture promoting symbolism on a global context. The best example is that of "graphical globalization", where "any graphics appearing in the project material must be adapted to conform to standards in the target culture and language. All words in graphic files must be translated. The same goes for all cultural symbols (flags, clothes, etc.). This typically involves replacing the existing graphics with new ones, e.g. when the "symbols" sent for translation represent people of different skin color from the target region, flags of a given country, characteristic road signs, or even vegetation characteristic for the climate prevailing in a given country, all of these have to be adapted to fit the target culture". (2006b) Q.1 (d) Localization increases the digital divide Since there is a need for the digital content, browsers and other software tools to be available in the person's own language, therefore localization is rapidly increasing the division of digital content, while making the digital content user friendly for the users. (2006c) Q.2 (a) Beta Testing: A second stage test for a new software product prior to its commercial release. Just after its release it is send to different beta test sites in order to receive feedback about the product, and if it serves as error free, it is commercially released for sale. Q.2 (b) Case Folding: It is a Unicode casing file system in Windows environment. Q.2 (c) Enabling: To activate any service (software or hardware) or device driver. Q.2 (d) NLS API: NLS API stands for "National Language Support, Application Programming Interface" are interfaces that are used to manipulate the translatable text within dialog boxes. (2006d) Q.2 (e) Spacing Character: Used for indentation. Q.3 (a) Translator or Assistance Tools: Tools that translate instruction from one language into another language. While running or executing program assistance tools translate bite code into machine code. Example In Java language the instructions are translated into bite code language. Q.3 (b) Supported Files: A program when executes requires a lot or resources, which are provided by the supported files. Example: In 3D Graphics cards, enhanced graphics can be seen while viewing a program while in case of simple VGA card supported files are used to view the same program. Q.3 (c) Software Leveraging: Free or open source software program available throughout the Internet such as Java, Acrobat Reader, Macromedia Flash Player and PHP. Q.3 (d) Help/Document Leveraging: Free thesis, online papers or tutorials easily accessible throughout the Internet such as help tutorials. Q.4 (a) Cost Escalation: the risk of cost escalation arises where there is lack of experience and expertise as well as low efficiency. In order to minimize this risk it must be limited by the type of agreement sought by the client. The client if want a general agreement establishing the rules for pricing and management of the projects as they are approved, would define some upper limits for cost escalation. The probability of such cost escalation is medium-high. In this case the opportunism of the supplier can manifest itself. Moral hazard and imperfect commitment are to fear. It is the experience of the client with outsourcing and with the use of vendors, which helps reduce this probability. (2006f) Q.4 (b) Deterioration of service: Outsourcing decisions, and contractual arrangements of the type required by an IT outsourcing deal gives rise to diminishing service levels called "Service Debasement". There exist four possible scenarios for this outcome. In the first scenario, the characteristics of the outsourcing contract are such that there exists a small probability that it will result in poor service quality. Moreover, in this example, it is estimated that no serious loss is related to poor service quality. Consequently, the level of risk exposure of the project (with respect to this undesirable outcome) is low. In the second scenario, both the probability of service debasement and the loss related with poor service quality are high. In such a case, there is a high level of risk exposure. The loss due to a given undesirable outcome can be approximated either via quantitative analysis (for instance, by evaluating the amount of sales lost due to disruption of service to customers) or via qualitative assessment. (2006f) Q.4 (c) Reduction of flexibility: Flexibility decreases as an outcome of outsourcing projects with high risks due to the reason that customer supplier interaction is low, often the customers are not aware of the methods adopted for analyzing softwares. Q.4 (d) Impact on human resources: Lack of motivation gives rise to unskilled personnel, which builds a demand supply gap and can only be sustained by developing a need for professional and skilled project developers. Q.5 (a) What does XLIFF stand for and who developed it Extensible Markup Language Localization Interchange File Format was developed in 2000 by a group driven by companies including Oracle, Novell, Sun, and IBM/Lotus who started to define an exchange format for translatable data. The first draft of XLIFF was released in May 2001. (2006g) Q.5 (b) Main purpose of XLIFF is to give any software provider a single interchange file format that can be understood by any localization provider. It is loosely based on the Open Tag version 1.2 specification and borrows from the TMX 1.2 specification. However, it is different enough from either one to be its own format. (2006h) Q.5 (c) Extraction/merge principle in XLIFF Accessed from < http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/xliff/faq.php#WhatIsXLIFF> Q.5 (d) is the root element having an attribute named ID with the value "2". This root element contains two more child elements named and . Both and elements are using xml: lang namespace in order to specify the language which they are going to use for their child elements. But both and elements do not have further child elements. They both enclosing PCDATA within their starting and ending tags. References 2006a, < www.hivt.be/publicaties/lans/intro2003.pdf> 2006b, < http://www.argostranslations.com/articles/localization_challenges/> 2006c, < www.ejisdc.org/ojs/include/getdoc.phpid=40&article=40&mode=pdf> 2006d, < http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v5r4/topic/rzaik/rzaikdialogboxnlsapilist.htm> 2006f, < csdl.computer.org/comp/proceedings/hicss/1999/0001/07/00017068.PDF> 2006g, < http://xml.coverpages.org/xliff.html> 2006h, < http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/xliff/documents/xliff-specification.htm#Specs_Attr_Xliff> MacOx, Read More