Software Globalization

Software Globalization is always a big deal and to be honest i do not know many software application with more or less shortcomings in this area. Globalization consists of Internationalization (preparing the application that they can be adapted to different locales) and Localization (translation of content for a specific locale).

you have to deal with locale specific

• messages
• dates
• numbers and currencies
  
• replacements
• conversions
  
• encodings
• sorting / collation
• test bounderies
• layouts
• .....
  

most of them seems to be easy for 95% of the use-cases but getting 100% done is at least tricky once you do not have the corresponding and suitable software infrastructure.

the best open source library in this domain I'm aware of is ICU. As always a software tool does not solve the problem itself it just gives you a solid base once you understand what needs to be done ;-)

related links:

• ICU Homepage
  
• CLDR Project
• opentag
• a bit outdated but still a good overview of software internationalization and localization