Internationalization and Localization
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To create an application that you can distribute to foreign markets, there are two major steps that need to be performed:
- Internationalization - Internationalization is the process of enabling your program to work in multiple locales. A locale is the user's environment, which includes the cultural conventions of the target country as well as the language. Windows supports many locales. Each locale is described by a language and country pair. Internationalization covers generic coding and design issues; therefore, writing code developers perform most internationalization tasks.
- Localization - Localization is the process of translating an application so that it functions in a specific locale. In addition to translating the user interface, localization may include functionality customization. For example, a financial application may be modified for the tax laws in different countries.
You can use the Translation Manager to manage localization.
The following sections discuss guidelines for internationalization and localization of applications: