If you are new to software localization and visit the web sites of software tool vendors, they will tell you that What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) is an extremely important feature. We all know it is important for desktop publishing. WYSIWYG editing eliminates the need to print a flyer again and again [...]

Localizing windows software has an easy phase and a hard phase. Usually, the user interface elements, such as the menu and dialogs, are easy. In most cases, the amount of translatable text is minimal. This leads many companies to the conclusion: “OK, let’s go for other language versions of our software.” If the process involves [...]

In the past, I have worked with many software companies, and they all have one problem in common: Software developers like home-brewed solutions, independent from the development language they use. The reason is this: Software developers are all brilliant in their job! And there is nothing on earth they cannot code in a few hours, especially [...]

Localized software opens new markets and creates more revenue. This concept sounds great; however, what does it mean for you, as a software developer? How can you write software that you can easily localize? And what does localization mean for your day-to-day work? You might consider the [...]

Business colleagues often ask me if localizing software into foreign languages really means more sales and better revenues. If you complete the localization process in the right way, the answer is “absolutely, you can achieve higher profits”. Moreover, would successful software companies like Microsoft have been localizing software for years without a proven business case [...]

Welcome to The Localization Tool, a blog for everything related to software localization. — Markus Kreisel