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			       INSOFT-L

	   The Internationalization of Software Mailing List

		   Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


			       June 1993

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			     Introduction


If you have any suggested enhancements for this document, please
send an electronic mail message to insoft-l-request@cis.vutbr.cz.

The author of this document is not responsible for the accuracy of
the information that it contains.  Instead, he depends on readers
of this document to provide up-to-date information.

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			   Table of Contents


Administrivia
=============

     A01      What is the purpose of the INSOFT-L mailing list?
     A02      Is INSOFT-L a moderated mailing list?
     A03      How do I subscribe to INSOFT-L?
     A04      Who owns the INSOFT-L mailing list?
     A05      If I have an administrative problem with the INSOFT-L
              mailing list, whom do I contact?
     A06      Does INSOFT-L have an associated anonymous ftp server?
     A07      Does INSOFT-L have an associated mail server?
     A08      Where can I obtain the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
              for INSOFT-L?
     A09      How can I obtain an archive file of messages previously
              distributed to the INSOFT-L mailing list?

Documentation
=============

     D01      Where can I obtain a list of publications related to
              the internationalization of software?

Internationalization
====================

     I01      Where can I obtain a list of tools for internationalizing
              software?
     I02      Where can I obtain a list of internationalized software
              products?
     I03      Where can I obtain a list of organizations related to
              internationalization?
	
Localization
============

     L01      Where can I obtain a list of tools for localizing
              software?
     L02      Where can I obtain a list of localized software
              products?
     L03      Where can I obtain a list of anonymous ftp sites that
              specialize in localized software?

Internationalization/Localization Techniques
============================================

     T01      How do I determine the date and time formats for
              a country?
     T02      How can I determine a user's international preferences?
     T03      Should shortcut keys be translated?

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			     Administrivia
			     =============

			     			
A01      What is the purpose of the INSOFT-L mailing list?


   INSOFT-L on LISTSERV@CIS.VUTBR.CZ   Internationalization of Software
                                       Discussion List

   Internationalization of software relates to two subjects:

        1. Software that is written so a user can easily change the
           language of the interface;

        2. Versions of software, such as Czech WordPerfect, whose
           interface language differs from the original product.

   Topics discussed on this list include:

        -- Techniques for developing new software

        -- Techniques for converting existing software

        -- Internationalization tools

        -- Announcements of internationalized public domain software

        -- Announcements of foreign-language versions of commercial
           software

        -- Calls for papers

	-- Conference announcements

	-- References to documentation related to the
           internationalization of software


A02      Is INSOFT-L a moderated mailing list?

   INSOFT-L is moderated.


A03      How do I subscribe to INSOFT-L?

   To subscribe to INSOFT-L, send an electronic mail message to
   listserv@cis.vutbr.cz with the body containing the command:

      SUB INSOFT-L Yourfirstname Yourlastname


A04      Who owns the INSOFT-L mailing list?

   Center for Computing and Information Services
   Technical University of Brno
   Udolni 19, 602 00 BRNO
   Czech Republic


A05      If I have an administrative problem with the INSOFT-L
         mailing list, whom do I contact?

   To determine which commands the listserver software that manages
   INSOFT-L can process, send an electronic mail message to
   listserv@cis.vutbr.cz with the body containing the command:

      help

   If you perform functions such as subscribe and unsubscribe through the
   appropriate listserver command, you free INSOFT-L's list manager for
   other tasks.

   However, when you need administrative assistance that the listserver
   software cannot handle, please send an electronic mail message to
   insoft-l-request@cis.vutbr.cz


A06      Does INSOFT-L have an associated anonymous ftp server?

   rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)

   The upper-level directory for INSOFT-L files is pub/lists/insoft-l.

   The file "master-index" in pub/lists/insoft-l contains a listing of
   all available files.  Every directory contains a file named 00README,
   which describes all subdirectories and files in that directory.


A07      Does INSOFT-L have an associated mail server?

   For INSOFT-L subscribers who do not have a direct Internet connection,
   you can get any files that are stored on our anonymous ftp server by
   sending a mail message request.

   For more information, send a mail message to

      mailserv@cis.vutbr.cs

   The body of your mail message should only include the command

      help

   Notes:

      1. This mail server is home grown.  It uses a program named
         "deliver" to intercept mail messages sent to
         mailserv@cis.vutbr.cs, but I coded all of the command
	 processing.  If you find any bugs (who me?) or want to
	 suggest any enhancements (it's very rudimentary, but it
	 works), please send your comments directly to me:

	    jbowyer@cis.vutbr.cs

      2. The mail server program depends on a good address in the
	 From: header of your mail message.  Before you use the mail
	 server, please make sure that the From: header in your mail
	 message contains a good address (i.e. a full Internet, BITNET,
	 or Usenet address)


A08      Where can I obtain the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
         for INSOFT-L?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l
      File:      faq

   Network News

      news.answers

   INSOFT-L's list manager will notify the list whenever an updated FAQ
   becomes available.

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			     Documentation
			     =============

			     			
D01      Where can I obtain a list of publications related to
         the internationalization of software?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc
      File:      publications

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			 Internationalization
			 ====================

			     			
I01      Where can I obtain a list of tools for internationalizing
         software?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc/products
      File:      internationalization.tools


I02      Where can I obtain a list of internationalized software
         products?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc/products
      File:      internationalized


I03      Where can I obtain a list of organizations related to
         internationalization?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc
      File:      organizations

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			     Localization
			     ============

			     			
L01      Where can I obtain a list of tools for localizing
         software?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc/products
      File:      localization.tools


L02      Where can I obtain a list of localized software
         products?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc/products
      File:      localized

   In addition, major software companies will have their localized
   products listed in a separate file.  For example, a list of
   Microsoft's products is available:

      Anonymous FTP

         Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
         Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc/products
         File:      microsoft.txt


L03      Where can I obtain a list of anonymous ftp sites that
         specialize in localized software?

   Anonymous FTP

      Site:      rhino.cis.vutbr.cz (147.229.3.10)
      Directory: pub/lists/insoft-l/doc
      File:      localized.ftp.sites

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	     Internationalization/Localization Techniques
	     ============================================


T01      How do I determine the date and time formats for
         a country?

         MS-DOS

	    See page 395 of the English MS-DOS 5 user's guide


T02      How can I determine a user's international preferences?

         Microsoft Windows

            In Microsoft Windows, it is relatively easy to have your
	    program use the GetProfileString API function to obtain the
	    user's international preferences from the WIN.INI file.
	    The following example shows various international settings
	    from WIN.INI that should be taken into account:

               [intl]
               sLanguage=enu
               sCountry=United States
               iCountry=1
               iDate=0
               iTime=0
               iTLZero=0
               iCurrency=0
               iCurrDigits=2
               iNegCurr=0
               iLzero=1
               iDigits=2
               iMeasure=1
               s1159=AM
               s2359=PM
               sCurrency=$
               sThousand=,
               sDecimal=.
               sDate=/
               sTime=:
               sList=,
               sShortDate=M/d/yy
               sLongDate=dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy


T03      Should shortcut keys be translated?

   Allow the user three choices:

      1. A set of shortcut keys for the language used;
      2. A set of shortcut keys that retains the original language
         conventions;
      3. Allow the user to establish a personal set of shortcut keys.

   Some software producers, however, mandate that the shortcut keys not
   be changed in a localized version.