Open Source TMS: optentm2 / Open Source Localization framework: okapitools

The open standards in the world of localization becoming more and more mainstream. XLIFF as the main data model to carry localized information between the different automated and manual steps within the localization process, TMX as a format to exchange translation memories, ... the full list of standards can be find here http://www.opentag.com/okapi/wiki/index.php?title=Open_Standards.
This enables more and more open source or free available tools to support certain steps in the localization process without dealing with proprietary and complex formats and conventions.
Few weeks ago the new project "opentm2" released first stable release. Based on IBM TranslationManager this infrastructure claims:

OpenTM2 provides an open platform for managing translation related activities with enterprise level scalability and quality. It serves as an open yet comprehensive localization tool that provides that integration platform. Ultimately, the goal is to create a cost-efficient and high-quality localization deliverable.

Promising and  goes into the same direction as GlobalSight mentioned in a previous post: http://trent-intovalue.blogspot.com/2009/05/open-source-tms-globalsight.html.
In addition infrastructure helps to automate common tasks in localization and dealing with the mentioned standards are available as open source. The project "Okapi framework"  provides a pipeline and several useful steps in localization processes, like

• read several input formats
  http://www.opentag.com/okapi/wiki/index.php?title=Filters
• common steps in localization process
  http://www.opentag.com/okapi/wiki/index.php?title=Steps
• connection to common translation resources (like TMS)
  http://www.opentag.com/okapi/wiki/index.php?title=Connectors

 In addition useful tools to e.g. test text segmentation rules based on SRX and provide a Java based infrastructure which can be embedded in your own application makes this framework something you should look at if you work for / in localization process.

Hopefully the story continues.....

(re)use of content

(re)use of content is a common topic in almost each domain has to deal with content. the rational is obvious and easy: use of existing content is faster and cheaper than creating new one.

there are two major requirements to (re)use content:

• you need a business object the content belongs to
  otherwise it is impossible to identify existing content and determine if this content is worth to use
• you need a well defined information type the content belongs to
  only if you know what type of content you have to create allows you to identify if it may already exist

based on those two trivial requirements you can define rules in which case (re)use is possible:

if existing content is created for the same business object and for the same information type as the new content you have to create.

to extend this scenario you can deviate your content from existing one if either the business object or information type is also derivate from the content you intend to use.

to derivate a test case from corresponding use case is obvious and valid as long as the business object both belonging to are the same. if a certain engine exists in three variants each derivate from a common building block the corresponding content is obvious also valid to use and derivate.

as you see usage of content requires both knowledge and connection to the business and to the content itself.
because of this many (re)use scenario fails in the real world (look into your own domain -- do you satisfy with your content (re)use?)

if you look at the two dimension enables usage of content you might understand that in many cases the usage of content between companies might be higher than the usage of content within one company. in many cases competitors dealing with similar business objects and information types beside different departments within one company might not.

this means that if the information types are not critical for a certain domain cross domain usage of content will become a possibility once the information itself is interchangeable (thats a topic for its own).

usage of translation is one of the most obvious scenario for cross company usage. because translation becomes more and more a cost center but is also a business driver the usage of common translation memories between companies working in the same domain is of course thinkable. content already translated for nokia might be used by sony as well, same is true for BMW and Daimler.

the "Language Data Exchange Portal" shows how this might work. each member provides content and funding and can participate from the complete pool of data available. as better the content is classified as better the results each company has......more to come?

Open Source TMS: GlobalSight

few days ago i stumbled over GlobalSight a open source TMS solution formally known as Ambassador.

the marketplace for TMS products are dominated by a few commercial vendors most of them doesn't make big money with those products.

why?

the translation / localization domain requires strong domain knowledge which isn't widespread especially the combination of IT knowledge and linguistic, translation and localization knowledge is hard to achieve.

in addition translation / localization today still means to process input files from pretty heterogeneous and in many cases proprietary file formats (e.g. HTML, Word, Framemaker, Quark, Excel, XML, software resources, .....), translate them and create output files using localized content and layout. that is one of the most appalling jobs you can think of as a developer.

in general XML can reduce the requirements for TMS but the majority of users are still not using XML based content creation and therefore are not able to use XML as data format for localization.

what does this mean for success of the solution GobalSight?

to be honest i do not expect huge developer community dive into further development or even contribution in this solution because of the reason mentioned above. only if additional companies (like those part of the mentioned Steering Committee) provide development resource to this project this can be more than "just another way to herald end of life of a not successful product"

different views?