Microsoft says the localisation and globalisation features built into Window 8 make it much easier for developers to modify their app for different languages and other locale-specific requirements, opening up the potential to reach 4.5 billion people in over 200 markets.
So what's the difference between localisation and globalisation? Globalisation means designing the app from the outset to be usable in different geographic areas and with different languages. Localisation is the process of adapting it to a specific region and/or language.
Windows 8 offers much greater potential to reach the world's diverse markets than its predecessors. According to a posting on the last October Microsoft Developer's blog "Microsoft is releasing Windows 8 into 109 languages, including 14 new display languages, and has a potential reach of over 4.5 billion people. With the advent of the Windows Store you can potentially sell apps in more than 200 markets, with support for local currencies in over 70 markets."
However globalising and/or localising an app is not without its pitfalls for the unwary and a more recent posting on the blog Windows 8 Developer highlights some of these.
The obvious pitfall to avoid is including any language or region specific resource in the code. "Don't include any hard-coded strings, display elements, or controls. Not a single one—not a title, label, button caption, image caption, or paragraph!" the blog warns.
As the blog explains, this ensures that you can localise resources separately from the code. "Translators don't need to compile your code, so you don't have to worry about bugs being introduced during localisation. You can maintain the code separately from the content of the resources. Code can be modified in a single code base, which reduces the risk of changing localised content."
And as the earlier blog explains, Windows 8 includes the Multilingual App Toolkit, an extension to Visual Studio 2012 for Windows 8 that "allows you to easily localise your app by yourself, using the Machine Translation Service, or with the help of localisers."
But don't make it hard for either machine or human translators. "Avoid colloquialisms or metaphors that are specific to a single language. Avoid technical jargon, abbreviations, or acronyms that are difficult to translate."
Less obvious pitfalls perhaps are including text in images, which of course will not be translated, and including images, particularly icons, that may be meaningless in some cultures, the traditional US mailbox for example.
There are many more. "Avoid the use of religious symbols, animals, or colour combinations associated with national flags or political movements. Avoid maps that include controversial regional or national boundaries. Refer to a nation as a 'country/region'. You don't want to put a disputed territory in a list labelled 'Countries'. Be mindful when using colour to convey meaning. Colours can have unexpected connotations in some cultures."
About Readify
Australia-based Readify, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, has over a decade of experience addressing key customer challenges by developing solutions and deploying services based on Microsoft technologies.
Readify has experience and expertise writing Metro Apps for Windows Phone 7, skills in XAML as it has written solutions in Silverlight or WPF, and knows HTML 5, CSS and JavaScript.
Its clients could attest to Readify's expertise and results. Clients over the years include Universal Music, the Victorian Electoral Commission, the Australia Post, Queensland Department of Education and Training, GraysOnline, The Australian Rugby Union, e-commerce site Tireweb, St George School, NSW, Queensland-based digital agency isnt media, Job network provider Workways, the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute (BCI NSW), The Queensland Department of Child Safety, startup business Webjet, business management solutions provider MYOB, and child welfare services provider Barnardos.
For more information about Readify's Windows 8 Development services, call +61 3 9600 2339 or 1300 666 274 (within Australia) or visit the Web site at http://www.readify.net/
More: Windows 8 Development News
