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Susan Su, managerAsian Globalization Center, Sun MicrosystemsAugust 2008

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Localization imperatives, challenges, and solutions

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Agenda

• 1- globalization at Sun• 2- internationalization• 3- localization• 4- translation processes and

challenges• 5- translation in the era of

open source• Q&A

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Globalization at Sun

• With distributed teams around the world and with broad technical expertise globalization team can guide the globalization requirements of a product

• Enable the product teams to focus on core functionality, rather than worrying about globalization issues

• Provide internationalization best practices to product teams

• Provide internationalization testing, localization testing, help product teams with internationalization bug fixing

• Help product teams to grow their international revenues

• One-stop shop for all globalization needs of Sun's software

• Offer coverage for web, training, legal, etc. contents for Sun users in Corporate, Marketing, Sales, and Service functions

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I18n - Internationalization• Process of

> Removing all cultural context from software, rendering it culturally neutral

> Externalizing strings and structuring forms, search and display (UI, date formats etc.) so that user visible messages can be easily translated

• I18n is required for Localization

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I18n – an example

getResourceBundle

"File""Edit""View"

"文件 ""编辑 ""查看 "

locale=en

locale=zh_CN

dialog.properties --...menu1=Filemenu2=Editmenu3=View

dialog_zh_CN.properties...menu1=文件menu2=编辑menu3=查看

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L10n - Localization• Process of

> Adding locale specific functions to specific product types

> Translating product's User Interface, messages, documentation, online help, marketing collateral, corporate messaging, training, legal contents as well as new content types (wikis, blogs...) etc., in a culturally sensitive way into target language(s)

> Testing and integrating the translations with the source product or offering

> Reporting localization bugs and bug fixing

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Translation• includes both vendor/internal processes and

technologies/tools:> Drive cost reduction, control translation quality, manage delivery

schedule, develop and maintain partner relationship, including outside language service provides, and opensource community engagement.

> Strong partnership with internal product development and quality engineering teams, documentation teams, services and developer outreach teams.

> Modernization efforts to enable automation and improve effectiveness and efficiency in both program and operations management.

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Translation process

Start

● Evaluating scope● Preparing vendor● Quality strategy● Kickoff meeting

Handoff to vendor

Cost & schedule review

Vendor translates & delivers

Linguistic & technical

review

Final delivery to:

- QA_matrix.ods

- issue RFW

PASS

FAIL

-> software build-> docs.sun.com-> Sun web sites

Post-mortem meeting

upon agreement

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Translation quality framework

• QA matrix> Sun's translation quality standards> Involves both linguistic and technical experts

• Style guide> Available in all major tier languages> Accessible in Open Translation website

• Terminology management – Sungloss> A Sun open source glossary tool, at

https://g11nportal.sun.com/sungloss/ > Manages and maintains terminology contents of glossaries

• Vendor scorecard> Quarterly quality metrics> Total vendor scoring

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Vendor management

• Manages all translation vendors approved for use throughout Sun > Brings in new vendors through qualification process> Strategic cost reduction through Dynamic Bidding Event

(DBE) every two years. > Regular vendor performance tracking through Vendor

Scorecard> Translation quality tracking through quarterly QA metrics> Quality improvement through Corrective Action Reviews

(CAR)

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Quality challenges• What if vendors didn't provide up-to-standard or

stable translation quality?• Vendor Recognition Program

> Before – passing rate as low as 50-60%> After – see below

Vendor Name Q4 Passing Rate Q3 Passing Rate

A 100% 100%B 99% 91%C 86% 100%D 96% 100%E 100% 100%F 100% 100%G 80% 100%H 100% 0%I 95% 100%

A B C D E F G H I0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Q4 Passing Rate

Q3 Passing Rate

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Quality challenges

• What was achieved through Vendor recognition program?> vendors well motivated to

provide up-to-standard translation quality

> translation quality remains stable across vendors and product lines

> client-vendor relationship nurtured

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Open translation• Translation in the era of opensource• Open translation web site:

http://developers.sun.com/techtopics/global/technology/translation/

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Open source translation projects - Participate!• OpenOffice.org

> 97 language communities in OpenOffice.org> OpenOffice.org in your language - http://contributing.openoffice.org/native-

lang.html

• Netbeans> NetBeans Localization and Translation Projects

http://www.netbeans.org/community/contribute/localise.html

> OpenSolaris Community: Internationalization and Localization - http://www.opensolaris.org/os/community/int_localization/

• Java > Via DocWeb - http://doc.java.sun.com/DocWeb/

• etc.

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Thank you!

Questions?

susan.su@sun.com

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susan.su@sun.com

Localization imperatives, challenges, and solutions