🚀 go-pugleaf

Sender: "Mendez Translation S.A" <@mcimail.com:BXL/MENDBXL/BG@Mendez_Translations_S+pA+p>


My boss asked me to forward this message for Insoft-L.

I have joined Insoft-L just couple of weeks ago, and by now everybody here
at Mendez Translations is a big fan. (I forward them all the best stuff)

Btw. I sent you last week a message concerning where to localize. As I had
problems with my mail system it may have disappeared into the depths of
history. Could you please conform reception ? If you have not received the
text, I'll send it again.

[Note from Jeff: We got it, and it was redistributed to INSOFT-L on
                 August 10 in the message _Consolidated Answers for
                 "Where to Localize".  Thanks.  The queue of messages
		 awaiting redistribution is . . . ah . . . Huge model
		 right now. ]


Simon North (north@hgl.signaal.nl) wrote:
> Like a lot of other European countries (we have sourced most of the
> international and Common Market standards), we are stating it as a
> mandatory requirement that any product appearing on the Dutch market MUST
> have its documentation written in Dutch.

Here's Joe's text:

Translation is already a legal requirement in most EC countries: e.g. in
France since Dec. 31, 1975, the use of the French language is obligatory on
all imported products or materials; Same in Belgium (where they are 3
official languages!) and in Portugal.
In Germany, a label must be applied on products not localized/translated
indicating that the product does not exists in German.
For retail products, that laws are often ignored because the risk is almost
limited to reimburse the buyer.
A higher risk can be derived from the EC Product Liability Directives. It
contains the obligation to inform clearly (which implies is his language)
the user. The risks can be huge: e.g. if a message or a warning is
misunderstood because it was in a foreign language, and this causes an
accident.

Joe Mendez
Mendez Translations S.A., Brussels