How to internationalize your website

The Web has become a multicultural and multilingual entity where websites must be available in the native languages of all the various target audiences. However, to provide each website in a local language requires more effort than "just translating it". In reality, local markets have specific technical and marketing requirements.

The process of internationalization creates a core website that is not biased towards any particular language or market: all market-specific items are determined outside the core. An internationalized website enables companies to create specific web content for targeted markets faster and at less cost.

This white paper profiles techniques for creating internationalized websites. These sites can be easily tailored for any target audience.

Includes advice on common internationalization issues and:

• Static and dynamically generated HTML pages
• Dynamic data
• Text and graphics
• Symbols and other design elements
• Locale-specific content
• Concatenated strings
• Sort order
• Text truncation
• Character encoding
• Identifying visitors and global gateways
• Identifying and tracking internationalization problems
• Content style
• Content location
• The REZ file
• Localization kits