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Thursday
- July 6, 2000
Net Elections Will Shape
Online Use
According to MSNBC:
"Coming this fall to a
computer near you: The world's first international cyberelections
to shape how Internet users find Web sites and communicate
with each other.
The vote for five directors
of ICANN — the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names
and Numbers — could lend credibility to a group often accused
of being secretive and out of touch with the Internet public.
ICANN decides over such technical
matters as addressing ultimately affect usage and growth
of the Internet, and with it the economy..."
Click
here for the full story. [Link no longer active]
Global Business Imperatives
Demand Multilingual Sites
For US companies, multilingual sites are no longer optional.
According to a new Report from Forrester Research, Inc.,
firms must build a centralized palette of software to gain
leverage, consistency, and speed while letting local offices
choose which components to implement. In-country teams will
customize applications to meet local needs, using translation
to keep content ethnocentric.
"Since 50% of all online
sales will be sold outside the US by 2004, building a multilingual
site has become critical -- particularly to those companies
serious about winning in the Internet economy," said
Eric Schmitt, analyst at Forrester Research. "When
offered in multiple languages, customer service features
like product data sheets and technical FAQs provide differentiation,
build brand loyalty, and cut support costs."
By 2003, Forrester believes
that a set of globalization software and services will
emerge as Web-based localization ascends and legacy translation
agencies diminish. In addition, today's eBusiness applications
that offer random multilingual capabilities will evolve
into more language-agnostic products by the end of 2001.
Finally, although qualified third-party assistance for
multilingual sites is currently scarce, eCommerce integrators
will increase globalization efforts.
To implement multilingual sites,
Forrester believes companies should architect global site
infrastructure, including a set of applications that can
be customized for any language or country. A core set of
software will provide a global, corporatewide foundation
for all sites in any language. Applications will be centrally
managed, belonging to a single global technology team.
Firms will enhance these software palettes with interactive
applications that support multiple tax and payment frameworks
and are anchored by a worldwide publishing system.
The next step in building global
site infrastructure involves localized application modules
that enable firms to implement applications in a new language
or locale. Modules will contain locale-specific information
needed to give applications a native look and feel, and
they will also make it possible for local Web teams to
administer the software. Due to the unique demands of each
market, local offices will selectively choose applications
from the palette as needed.
Before software applications
can go live, firms must establish processes to continuously
integrate new content. To route this content through translation,
editing, and approval, firms will use rules-based workflows
that allow language synchronization and support every content
type, including graphics, sound, and scripts. Administrators
will also be able to vary access and security by user through
a management console.
"For help building multilingual
sites, firms will look for strategy and integration services
but shouldn't neglect help from globalization specialist," added
Schmitt. "These specialists will enable firms to make
their eCommerce systems international, as well as prepare
applications for deployment in new markets."
For the Report "The Multilingual
Site Blueprint," Forrester interviewed 27 US-based
multilingual-site owners. These early adopters target both
business and consumer audiences, and most have maintained
a non-English presence for at least 12 months. Sixty-three
of the Fortune 100 Web sites are available in English only.
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