Localization, or the translation and adaptation of software, its documentation and help files for different languages and cultures, has become a standard process in software development. While only a few years ago companies tried as much as possible to sell English versions of their software all around the world, both market growth and consumer awareness have changed this. Gone are the days when you would find software only in English in a country like Germany; in France, there is even a law requiring that all products and their documentation must be in French.
Localization can be a complex process, depending on the scale and complexity of the software in question. But an awareness of what localization entails can save a great deal of time and money. If developers design software with localization in mind, the entire process can be streamlined.
A Practical Guide to Localization, by Bert Esselink, is designed for all those involved in the localization chain, from software engineers and developers to translators, project managers and graphic artists. It gives a thorough presentation of the localization process, explaining the best way to design software to make localization easier, discussing the issues involved in translating and adapting software and documentation, and providing essential information for those who may be called upon to manage localization projects.
Localizing software is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. Not only does the program's interface and documentation have to be translated, but cultural differences need to be taken into account. (Is the target language written from left-to-right or from right-to-left?) Screen shots have to be updated, and, since different languages require different amounts of text to say the same thing, program interfaces may need to be redesigned.
Several chapters of this book cover documentation and online help, which can be affected by the choice of target language in unexpected ways. Such simple issues as the software used to write the documentation may even lead to difficulties.
For example, if documentation is created in a page layout program such as Quark Xpress or PageMaker, changes in the length of the text will change the layout, requiring additional DTP work to be done. Also, translators in many countries cannot afford such software. In addition, such software is very expensive, and the translator or localizer may need to purchase the program to translate the documentation.
Many languages have different writing systems than European languages -- Arabic and Hebrew, for example, are written from right to left, and not many word-processing and page-layout programs can handle these languages correctly.
The most useful lesson A Practical Guide to Localization provides is that successful localization is often the result of a careful examination of the process before the software is designed, so the software itself can be developed with localization in mind. Such simple strategies as not putting text strings in code, for example, can save a great deal of time and money, and these savings are multiplied by the number of language versions that will be made.
Since companies are increasingly focusing on a global market, localization is an indispensable part of software development. It is essential for all those involved to be aware of the key issues, both to save money and time and to provide the best quality software to their customers.
— Electronic Review of Computer Books
A guide and teaching tool for translators, localization engineers, testing engineers, desktop publishers, project managers, and others involved in the release of multilingual products. The first edition, published about two years earlier, was titled . Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
I have read the book cover-to-cover (minus the covers, of course), and my immediate reaction was, ‘Where was this book when I needed it?’ Regarding its suitability for industrial and academic use — on both counts, indispensable.
Bert Esselink is one of those rare individuals who understands the strategic, tactical and technical issues of globalizing IT products.This new edition is a refreshed look at the many details of this whole localization process presented in a clear and precise manner within the overall framework of a well-thought out product strategy.
At all times, both Window and Apple environments are covered where their particular environments are different.
Designed both as a reference work and a teaching tool by an expert in localization, technical translation, programming and computational linguistics, the book is refreshingly simple and clear to read without simplifying the subject matter in any way or concentrating merely on fundamental principles.Having rapidly established itself as one of the essential guides to software localization in its first edition, the volume has been fully revised to take account of the dramatic changes in the localization industry over the last two years. [...] The book is entitled a Practical Guide to Localization — the contents more than do this title justice. To re-quote a statement contained on the back page of the paperback edition — ‘Where was this book when I needed it?’
Er is geen twijfel mogelijk dat Bert de geijkte persoon is voor het schrijven van een boek over dit vakgebied.De eerste uitgave was al een zeer bruikbaar naslagwerk, maar Bert heeft zichzelf met deze uitgave overtroffen. [...]A Practical Guide to Localization is een gedegen informatiebron voor beginnende, en een handig naslagwerk voor ervaren localizers. Het boek is zeker een aanrader voor eenieder in de localizationindustrie [... ].
This second edition of 'Practical Guide to Software Localization', as it was the case with the first edition, is a good tool for terminologists, translators and students in technical writing who wish to keep pace with this industry that is expanding rapidly.
[...] 'A practical guide to localization' can serve as a valuable resource, for it does an excellent job of presenting both the why (theoretical) and the how (application) related to many localization concepts and processes. [...] the quality of the information provided in Esselink's book is both comprehensive and timely. [...] The quality of information related to each topic is impressive. [...] In the quest to better understand localization, Bert Esselink's 'A practical guide to localization' can be an invaluable source.
A practical guide to localization [...] does an excellent job of presenting both the why (theoretical) and the how (application) related to many localization concepts and processes. [...] The quality of information related to each topic is also impressive. [...] Esselink's information is also very well organized, with clear chapter headings and sub-headings that help you easily and quickly locate specific pieces of information. [...] In the quest to better understand localization, Bert Esselink's A practical guide to localization can be an invaluable resource. By providing both the ideas and applications related to different aspects of the localization process, and by providing such information in an easy-to-locate and easy-to-use format, Esselink's book can help technical communicators create more effective, localization-friendly documents.
In this truly impressive book, Bert Esselink has managed to cover the relatively new field of localization in detail within 500 pages. The book is well presented, indexed and lucidly written. It is the overview which is impressive, the degree of specification, the many pieces of useful advice and its wealth of pertinent internet addresses.The book is admirably structured and allows even non-specialists to understand what localization entails. Bert Esselink is to be congratulated on having written a book with a wealth of useful information, spanning from advice to novices to insight which will help even seasoned professionals. In that context the numerous references to web sites must be considered a gold mine in itself. So, in sum, Bert Esselink has authored a book which should be required reading for everybody with an interest in what is going on in not only translation but Translation Studies as well.
