There is no question that international markets for computer products are growing. The question is how computer companies will take advantage of this growth. Digital Press has previously published a guide to help prepare software developers to organize for the international marketplace [1]. That work is an outstanding collection of information and standards intended for software designers who are planning to develop products of uniform quality with the international market in mind. By publishing this new guide, Digital Press continues its service to computing professionals and companies that have an eye on the global marketplace for their products.
“User information” is the kind of information that a user needs to install, use, or service a product in the form of visual and audio-based media. This information can be online or in hardcopy. The authors define “international user information” as “information designed to be easily:
Understood by native speakers of the language
Understood by non-native speakers of the language
Translated into a different language.”
After a brief foreword and preface, the book is organized into nine short chapters, four appendices, a glossary, and an index. The first chapter explains the context and defines international user information. The second chapter introduces Digital’s international product model and applies the model to the DECwrite software product as a real-life example. Chapter 3 is titled “Planning for Localization.” Localization is “the process of adapting a product to suit the language, conventions, and market requirements of a locale other than the one for which the product was originally developed.” This chapter discusses localization requirements and the developers’ role in localization. Processes and techniques for designing, writing, and illustrating international user information are addressed in chapters 4, 5, and 6, respectively. Voice communication products are covered in chapter 7. Chapter 8 is devoted to training materials and, finally, chapter 9 covers packaging concerns. Appendix A includes details about the translation process. Appendix B has character sets and keyboard standards. Appendix C contains local data formats, and Appendix D lists language-specific collating sequences for Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.
This book contains useful material for product engineers, product managers, and documentation developers who are developing universally usable products.
