Defining globalization
You might probably find several different definitions for
globalization. Here, globalization is defined as an architectural
process where you place as much application functionality as possible
into a foundation that can be shared among multiple languages.
Globalization is composed of the following two parts:
- Internationalization
- Developing
language-neutral application functionality that can recognize, process,
and respond to data regardless of its representation. That is, whatever
the application can do in one language, it can also do in another.
For example, think of copying and pasting text. A copy and paste operation
should not be concerned with the language of the text it operates
on. For a ColdFusion application, you might have processing logic
that performs numeric calculations, queries a database, or performs
other operations, independent of language.
- Localization
- Taking
shared, language-neutral functionality, and applying a locale-specific
interface to it. Sometimes this interface is referred to as a skin.
For example, you can develop a set of menus, buttons, and dialog
boxes for a specific language, such as Japanese, that represents
the language-specific interface. You then combine this interface
with the language-neutral functionality of the underlying application.
As part of localization, you create the functionality to handle
input from customers in a language-specific manner and respond with appropriate
responses for that language.
