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Ouch, languages are complicated. Two simple solutions that I think might work for a small packaged-software company like mine: 1. Just don't bother internati
by bromley 16y ago
Ouch, languages are complicated. Two simple solutions that I think might work for a small packaged-software company like mine:
1. Just don't bother internationalizing. I think that's often not a bad solution for small software businesses anyway. It's not much use making a software package that works in French/German/Russian/Chinese/Swahili unless you have the language skills or partnerships to sell and support the software in those languages as well.
2. Design the software such that messages are whole sentences or phrases that stand alone and can be translated one-to-one. Nothing fancy like the %g type stuff for number inserts. Keep it simple stupid.
- cdavid 16y ago1 really only works if you work in a big market for your native language. For example, you will not sell a lof of your software in English in Japan or France (where translation is mandatory by law, although not applied thoroughly). What would you say if Japanese were trying to sell Japanese software with Japanese-only indications/manual ? Do you think many American would buy it ?
- zokier 16y agoI think you underestimate the market for English-only software.