How does DITA rate for Globalization?

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Subject: How does DITA rate for Globalization?




From: Don Day <>
To: "DITA TC list " <>
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2005 07:52:16 -0500






While discussing an invitation to liaise with a new workshop on
accessibility, I asked the general question, "How is DITA certifying to
best practices in accessibility and localization?"  This note introduces a
thread on the topic of Globalization/Localization in particular.

Globalization and localization refers to enabling an architecture like DITA
to support translation to multiple languages and to enable locale-specific
changes to content upon translation (to support differences in expression
such as time, date, numbering, or currency conventions).

DITA supports these features through:
(not an exhaustive list at this time... the list will be developed through
appends to this thread and rolled up in a summary document after
discussion)

   The xml:lang attribute on every element allows writers/translators to
   identify content that is different from the context language.
   The translate attribute on every element allows authors to identify to
   translators whether or not that content should be translated.
   Output transforms can use the xml:lang value on the topic element to
   switch the transforms to use that particular language/region code for
   generated text.
   ... (more can be said here)


Regards,
--
Don Day
Chair, OASIS DITA Technical Committee
IBM Lead DITA Architect
Email: 
11501 Burnet Rd. MS9033E015, Austin TX 78758
Phone: +1 512-838-8550
T/L: 678-8550

"Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
 Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?"
   --T.S. Eliot