An Introduction to XLIFF Tony Jewtushenko Director R

1
An Introductionto XLIFFTony JewtushenkoDirecto
r RD, Product Innovator Ltd. Chair OASIS
XLIFF TC

• The XML Localisation Interchange File Format

2
Agenda

• Overview of XLIFF Definition, goals, and
  benefits of XLIFF
• Brief history of XLIFF
• ArchitectureMain features of XLIFF
• The Real WorldUse cases and Tools support for
  XLIFF
• The State of the (emerging) StandardWhere does
  XLIFF Stand Today?

3
XLIFF Overview

• A glance at the definitions, goals and benefits
  of the XML Localisation Interchange File Format.

4
What is XLIFF?

• A specification
• for the lossless interchange of localizable data
  and its related information,
• which is tool-neutral,
• has been formalized as an XML vocabulary,
• and features an extensibility mechanism.

5
XLIFF TCs Charter

• The purpose of the OASIS XLIFF TC is to define,
  through extensible XML vocabularies, and promote
  the adoption of, a specification for the
  interchange of localisable software and document
  based objects and related metadata. To date, the
  committee has published two specifications -
  XLIFF 1.0 and XLIFF 1.1 - that define how to mark
  up and capture localisable data that will
  interoperate with different processes or phases
  without loss of information. The specifications
  are tool-neutral, support the entire localization
  process, and support common software and document
  data formats and mark-up languages. The
  specifications provide an extensibility mechanism
  to allow the development of tools compatible with
  an implementer's data formats and workflow
  requirements. The extensibility mechanism
  provides controlled inclusion of information not
  defined in the specification.

6
Why XLIFF was created

• Localization offers the following challenges
• Insufficient interoperability between tools.
• Lack of support for overall localization
  workflow.
• Necessity of localization tools developers to
  deal with many formats.
• Large number of proprietary intermediate formats.

7
Advantages Localization Customer

• Single format for adjunct processing (e.g.
  quality control in terms of spell checking).
• Less dependency on vendors which are able to work
  with special formats.
• Tighter control on what goes to localization
  (Pre-filtering of what to translate or not).
• Controlled information flow (author/developer
  notes, item properties, etc.).
• ID-based leveraging.
• All advantages of XML-based processing.

8
Advantages Tools Vendor

• Focus on development of core functionality rather
  treatment of source format.
• Allow usage of tools in new contexts.
• All advantages of XML-based processing.

9
Advantages Service Provider

• Single format for adjunct processing (e.g.
  quality control in terms of spell checking).
• Less dependency on specific localization tools.
• Controlled information flow (author/developer
  notes, item properties, etc.).
• Allow usage of tools in new contexts.
• All advantages of XML-based processing.
• Open and standard solution for proprietary
  formats.

10
Advantages Technology

• For a given utility, only one implementation is
  necessary (e.g. not one spell checker for RTF,
  and another one for HTML).
• Increases usability of utilities (i.e. all
  formats with XLIFF filters can be used with
  XLIFF-enabled utilities).

11
Advantages Technology (contd)

• All advantages of XML-based processing
• Use of its internationalization features.
• Better interoperability and cross-platform
  support.
• Powerful rendering options (XSL-FO, CSS).
• Powerful transformation options (XSLT).
• Greater integration with Web services.
• Access to existing, and often open-source, XML
  implementation (lower costs).

12
Genesis of XLIFF

• Founded Sept 2000
• Founding Members Novell, Oracle and Sun
• Initially named DataDefinition Yahoo Group

13
XLIFF Timeline through 1.1

• September 2000 - DataDefinition Kickoff
• December 2000 - first face to face
• March 2001 - second face to face
• End March 2001 - draft 1.0 spec and DTD published
• June 2001 - White Paper published
• December 2001 - OASIS XLIFF Technical Committee
  Proposal submitted
• April 2002 XLIFF 1.0 Specification approved by
  formal vote as an OASIS Committee Specification
• May 2003 XLIFF 1.1 Specification approved by
  formal vote as an OASIS Committee Specification
• August/Sept 2003 XLIFF 1.1 Peer Review
• November 2003 Revised XLIFF 1.1 Specification
  approved as OASIS Committee Specification
• November 2003 XLIFF 1.1 Specification submitted
  for public review
• TC defers submission as formal OASIS standard
  instead work on segmentation support and
  representation guides to improve interoperability

14
XLIFF Timeline 1.1 forward

• Jun 2005 Approved Segmentation Support Features
• July 2005 Approved (X)HTML Representation Guide
• Oct 2005 Approved PO/POT Representation Guide
• Nov 2005 Approved 1st Draft XLIFF 1.2 Committee
  Specification XSD
• WIP Java Resources, Win32/.NET work in late
  stages

15
OASIS Standards Body Home of XLIFF

• OASIS Organization for the Advancement of
  Structured Information Standards
• Worlds largest independent, non-profit
  organization dedicated to the standardisation of
  XML applications and Web Services
• More than 150 member companies plus individuals
• Operates XML.ORG Registry, the open community
  clearinghouse of XML application schemas
  clearinghouse of XML application schemas
• Technical work on XML interoperability includes
  XML conformance and XML Registries/Repositories
• General XML technical resource

16
Drivers Behind XLIFF

• Alchemy Software
• Bowne Global Solutions
• Convey Software
• Ektron, Inc
• ENLASO Corp (RWS)
• Globalsight
• HP
• Lotus/IBM
• Lionbridge
• LRC
• Moravia IT

• Novell
• Oracle
• PASS Engineering
• Microsoft
• SAP
• SDL International
• Sun Microsystems
• Tektronix
• TRADOS
• XML Intl

17
Present OASIS XLIFF TC

• TC Officers
• TC Chair Tony Jewtushenko, Product Innovator Ltd
• TC Secretary Peter Reynolds, Lionbridge
• Current Members of TC
• Mat Lovatt, Oracle
• Eiju Akahane, IBM
• Doug Domeny, Ektron
• Milan Karasek, Moravia IT
• Christian Lieske, SAP
• David Pooley, SDL International
• Reinhard Schaler, Limerick Localisation Research
  Centre
• Bryan Schnabel, Tektronix
• Andrzej Zydron, XML- Intl
• Magnus Martikainen, TRADOS/SDL Inc.
• Florian Sachse, Pass Engineering

18
XLIFF TC in the Community

• Shared interests with OASIS Translation Web
  Services Technical Committee
• XLIFF may be used as data container for WS
• Shared interests with the OSCAR SIG at LISA
• Segmentation and word-count.
• Content markup (inline codes).
• Shared interests with the W3C i18n WG
• ITS I18n Tag Set (spec draft now in public
  review)
• Best practices.
• Provide feedback to W3C on l10n issues.
• Web services.

19

• Architecture
• A look at XLIFFs main features and how they
  work together.

20
The High Level View

• An XLIFF document can capture anything needed
  for a localization project
• Localizable objects (e.g. text strings) in source
  and target languages.
• Supplementary information (e.g. glossaries, or
  material to recreate the original format).
• Administrative information (e.g. workflow data).
• Custom data (e.g. initialization information for
  tools).

21
The XLIFF Document

• An XLIFF document is designed to store the
  extracted data related to localization.
• Each given source container (e.g. a file, a
  database table, and so forth) corresponds to a
  ltfilegt element in XLIFF.
• Each XLIFF document can include several ltfilegt
  elements.
• A whole localization project can possibly be
  stored in a single XLIFF document.

22
Bilingual Model

• Each ltfilegt element is designed to store one
  source language and one target language.
• The rationale is that the translation of
  different target language is done by different
  people most of the time.
• However, languages in ltalt-transgt element can be
  different. For example, proposed matches in
  national Portuguese when translating into
  Brazilian Portuguese.

23
Localizable Objects

• XLIFF allows not only text string as localizable
  object but also other object types such as
  graphics.
• Supplementary information can be represented in a
  generic way through inline codes (e.g. formatting
  of text).
• Relationship between object can be captured (e.g.
  all items in a menu).

24
An XLIFF Snippet

• A simple menu represented as XLIFF

25
Extract-Localize-Merge Paradigm (minimalist
approach)

• Separate data related to localization from parts
  not related to localization.
• Merge translated data with codes at the end of
  the process to create the final document.
• Skeleton file is optional and in fact not
  recommended in certain circumstances (e.g., HTML
  or if interop required)
• Spec doesnt define the SKL

26
Convert/Transform Paradigm (maximalist approach)
Original Material
Filter
Translated Material
XLIFF

• Fully map all original material into XLIFF
• Structural information stored in XLIFF container
• Translate XLIFF content
• Map XLIFF content to native translated material

27
Minimalist Example Source Content

• A very simple HTML file
• lthtmlgt
• ltheadgt
• lth1 class'title'gtAlmost the Smallest HTML
  Filelt/titlegt
• lt/headgt
• ltbodygt
• ltpgtJust some stuff here to fill up spacelt/pgt
• lt/bodygt
• lt/htmlgt

28
Minimalist Example Skeleton File

• Strip out the localisable stuff, leave tokens
• lthtmlgt
• ltheadgt
• lttitlegt1lt/titlegt
• lt/headgt
• ltbodygt
• ltpgt2lt/pgt
• lt/bodygt
• lt/htmlgt

29
Minimalist Example XLIFF File

• All the stuff that is stripped out goes into
  XLIFF
• ltheadergt
• ltsklgt
• ltexternal-file href'sample.skl'/gt
• lt/sklgt
• lt/headergt
• ltbodygt
• lttrans-unit id'1'gt
• ltsource xmllang'en'gtAlmost the Smallest
  HTML Filelt/sourcegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lttrans-unit id'2 restype'x-html-p'gt
• ltsource xmllang'en'gtJust some stuff here to
  fill up spacelt/sourcegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lt/bodygt

30
Maximalist Example XLIFF File

• All the stuff that is stripped out goes into
  XLIFF
• ltbodygt
• ltgroup restype'x-html-html'gt
• ltgroup restype'x-html-head'gt
• lttrans-unit id'1' restype'x-html-p-title'
  htmlclass'title'gt ltsource
  xmllang'en'gtAlmost the Smallest HTML
  Filelt/sourcegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lt/groupgt
• ltgroup restype'x-html-body'gt
• lttrans-unit id'2' restype'x-html-p'gt
• ltsource xmllang'en'gtJust some stuff here
  to fill up spacelt/sourcegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lt/groupgt
• lt/groupgt
• lt/bodygt

31
Supplementary Info

• XLIFF provides hooks for storing supplementary
  information (for example to glossaries or
  translation memories which should be used).
• The supplementary information can be referenced
  (i.e. reside outside of the document), or
  embedded within the document.

32
Administrative Info

• XLIFF provides mechanisms for capturing
  administrative information
• For relating source material to XLIFF documents.
• For storing workflow data.
• For providing pre-translation entries.
• For keeping track of changes.

33
Administrative Info Pre-Leveraging

• A set of proposed translation can be included
  for each lttrans-unitgt element, using the
  ltalt-transgt element.
• lttrans-unit id'1'gt ltsource xmllang'en'gtThe
  textlt/sourcegt ltalt-trans quality-match'high'
  origin'MTsystem'gt lttarget xmllang'fr'gtLe
  textelt/targetgt lt/alt-transgtlt/trans-unitgt

34
Custom Data in XLIFF 1.0

• In XLIFF 1.0, we use the ltpropgt element and the
  ts attribute to store user-defined information
  (note these features are deprecated in XLIFF
  1.1)
• lttrans-unit id'1' ts'ctx23a7'gt ltprop-groupgt
  ltprop prop-type'myType' gtSome property
  datalt/propgt lt/prop-groupgt ltsourcegtTextlt/sourcegt
  lt/trans-unitgt

35
XLIFF 1.1 Custom Data

• In XLIFF 1.1, we have the ability to customise
  XLIFF by extending
• Elements
• Attributes
• Attribute Values

36
Extending Elements

• Extension points in the following elements
• ltheadergt, ltgroupgt, lttoolgt, lttrans-unitgt,
  ltalt-transgt, and  ltbin-unitgt (and as of 1.2,
  ltxliffgt)
• content of each custom element can be any valid
  XML content
• empty content, PCDATA, mixed content, and so
  forth
• Custom elements defined in private namespace
  schema

37
Example of Extending Elements

• ltxliff version'1.1'
• xmlns'urnoasisnamestcxliffdocument1.1'
• xmlnssup'http//www.ChaucerState.ac.pg/Frm/XLFS
  up-v1'gt
• ltfile original'passus-1.doc' source-language'en
  m datatype'plaintext'gt
• ltgroupgt
• ltsupSourceInfogt
• ltsupBookgtPiers Plowman, Passus 1lt/supBookgt
• ltsupAuthorgtWilliam Langlandlt/supAuthorgt
• lt/supSourceInfogt
• ltsupWorkInfo Task'transcription'
  Context'Middle-English1360'/gt
• lttrans-unit id'1'gt
• ltsource xmllang'enm'gtWhat this mountaigne
  bymenethlt/sourcegt
• lttarget xmllang'en'gtWhat this mountain
  meanslt/targetgt
• ltsupReference Type'strophe'gt1-alt/supReferen
  cegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lt/groupgt
• lt/filegt
• lt/xliffgt

38
Extending Attributes

• Attributes of a namespace different than XLIFF
  can be included in these XLIFF elements
• ltfilegt, ltgroupgt, lttrans-unitgt, ltsourcegt,
  lttargetgt, lttoolgt, ltbin-unitgt, ltbin-sourcegt,
  ltbin-targetgt, ltalt-transgt, ltmrkgt, ltggt, ltx/gt,
  ltbx/gt, ltex/gt, ltbptgt, lteptgt, ltphgt, and ltitgt
• No specific location where to insert the
  non-XLIFF attributes
• No limit to the number of non-XLIFF attributes
  that can be used in an XLIFF document

39
Extending Attributes

• Attributes from the HTML extend ltgroupgt and
  lttrans-unitgt
• ltxliff version'1.1'
• xmlns'urnoasisnamestcxliffdocument1.1'
• xmlnshtm'http//www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40'gt
• ltfile original'table.htm' source-language'en'
  datatype'html'gt
• ltgroup restype'table' htmborder'1'
  htmcellpadding'5 htmcellspacing'0'
  htmwidth'100'gt
• ltgroup restype'row'gt
• lttrans-unit id'1' htmvalign'top'
  htmwidth'30'gt
• ltsourcegtText of row 1 column 1lt/sourcegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lttrans-unit id'1' htmvalign'top'
  htmwidth'30'gt
• ltsourcegtText of row 1 column 2lt/sourcegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lt/groupgt
• ltgroup restype'row'gt
• lttrans-unit id'1' htmvalign'top'
  htmwidth'30'gt
• ltsourcegtText of row 2 column 1lt/sourcegt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lttrans-unit id'1' htmvalign'top'
  htmwidth'30'gt

40
Extending Attribute Values

• Attributes where the list of values can be
  extended are the following context-type,
  count-type, ctype, datatype, mtype, restype,
  size-unit, state, unit, priority, and purpose
• User-defined values must start with a x- prefix
• There is no specified mechanism to validate
  individual user-defined values, beyond starting
  with x-

41
Example of Extending Attribute Values

• The following excerpt shows how the user-defined
  value x-for-engineer can be utilized in a
  document
• ...
• ltgroupgt
• ltcontext-group name'EngineersData'gt
• ltcontext context-type'x-for-engineers'gtData...lt
  /contextgt
• lt/context-groupgt
• lt/groupgt
• ...

42
Embedding XLIFF

• Can embed an entire or part of an XLIFF doc in
  other XML doc
• XML defined by XML Schema (XSD) that includes an
  ltanygt element in the definition of the element
  where the XLIFF data can be inserted

43
Data Validation

• In 1.0, validation by DTD
• In 1.1, validation by XML Schema XSD
• XSD provides better control over XML document
• Structure structured order can be specified
• Content support for standard datatypes like
  date
• Semantics can specify range of valid values or
  pattern
• Support for namespace

44
Deprecated or changed 1.0

• reformat feature changed
• tool attribute becomes tool element
• new tool-id attribute
• ts, prop / prop-group - deprecated
• header was required, now optional
• default can specify default values for given
  scope

45
Deprecated or changed 1.1 to 1.2

• Segmentation Support added
• Add mid as an optional attribute for the
  ltalt-transgt element
• Changed name attribute for ltcontext-groupgt from
  required to optional, and modified description
• Added extension point at ltxliffgt
• Tracking/Accepting Suggested Translations added
• Add a type attribute for the alt-trans element.
• Deprecate the use of multiple target elements in
  a single alt-trans.
• Deprecate the restype attribute for the target
  element.
• Introduce the phase-name attribute for alt-trans
  element.
• Introduce a convention more recent alt-trans
  elements should appear before older ones.

46
XLIFF 1.2 Segmentation seg-source

• How corresponding segments are referenced between
  ltseg-sourcegt and lttargetgt
• lttrans-unit id "1"gtltsourcegtFirst
  sentence.Second sentence.lt/sourcegtltseg-sourcegtltm
  rk mtype"seg" mid"1"gtFirst sentence.lt/mrkgtltmrk
  mtype"seg" mid"2"gtSecond sentence.lt/mrkgtlt/seg-s
  ourcegtlttargetgtltmrk mtype"seg"
  mid"1"gtTranslated first sentence.lt/mrkgtltmrk
  mtype"seg" mid"2"gtTranslated second
  sentence.lt/mrkgtlt/targetgtlt/trans-unitgt

47
XLIFF 1.2 Segmentation seg-source

• Alt-trans may also be segmented
• lttrans-unit id"3"gt
• ltsourcegtFirst sentence. Second sentence.lt/sourcegt
• ltalt-trans match-quality"100"gt
• ltsourcegtThe second sentence.lt/sourcegt
• ltseg-sourcegt
• ltmrk mtype"seg" mid"1"gtFirst sentence.lt/mrkgt
• ltmrk mtype"seg" mid"2"gtSecond sentence.lt/mrkgt
• lt/seg-sourcegt
• lttargetgt
• ltmrk mtype"seg" mid"1"gtTranslated first
  sentence.lt/mrkgt
• ltmrk mtype"seg" mid"2"gtTranslated second
  sentence.lt/mrkgt
• lt/targetgt
• lt/alt-transgt
• lt/trans-unitgt

48
XLIFF 1.2 Segmentation merged-trans

• Grouping translations across multiple
  trans-units
• ltgroup merged-trans"yes"gtlttrans-unit
  id"t1"gtltsourcegtThe German acronym
  v.lt/sourcegtlttarget equiv-trans"no"gtNiemiecki
  skrót v. OT oznacza górna pozycje
  silnika.lt/targetgtlt/trans-unitgtlttrans-unit
  id"t2"gtltsourcegtOT signifies the top dead center
  position for an engine.lt/sourcegtlttarget
  equiv-trans"no"/gtlt/trans-unitgt
• lt/groupgt

49
XLIFF 1.2 Segmentation equiv-trans

• To denote when translation is not direct
  equivalent to source
• lttrans-unit id"t1"gt
• ltsourcegtConstrained text for limitedlt/sourcegt
• lttarget equiv-trans"no"gtTekst angielski
  dlalt/targetgt
• lt/trans-unitgt
• lttrans-unit id"t2"gt
• ltsourcegtdisplay for Englishlt/sourcegt
• lttarget equiv-trans"no"gtograniczonego
  polalt/targetgt
• lt/trans-unitgt

50
XLIFF 1.2 Add a type attribute for the
ltalt-transgt element

• The type attribute is to be optional, and is to
  have the following values and meanings

51
XLIFF 1.2 Additional revision to alt-trans

• Introduce the phase-name attribute for
  ltalt-transgt
• makes it possible to find out who made the
  change, when, and which process the change was
  introduced in.
• Deprecate the restype attribute for the lttargetgt
  element
• no longer needed, as the lttargetgt is always of
  the same restype as the lttrans-unitgt or
  ltalt-transgt it appears in
• Introduce the phase-name attribute for
  ltalt-transgt
• makes it possible to find out who made the
  change, when, and which process the change was
  introduced in
• convention more recent ltalt-transgt elements
  should appear before older ones
• determine the order of changes if multiple
  previous versions have been introduced

52
Additional 1.2 Deliverables

• Representation Guides
• (X)HTML XLIFF 1.1 Representation Guide approved
  and published
• PO / POT XLIFF 1.1. Representation Guide approved
  and published
• Java / Windows / .Net XLIFF 1.1 Representation
  Guide in late stage drafts

53
TBD for XLIFF 1.2

• Consistent representation across resource types
  (esp. for Win32 Java)
• escape codes (ie., \n )
• Replaceables (ie., installation is s
  complete)
• Will submit XLIFF 1.2 as formal OASIS
  specification
• Final update to specification within days
• Target date to approve as Committee Draft by end
  of 2005
• 60 day public review to follow
• Submit to OASIS for Standard Review in Q1/06

54

• The Real World
• A look at some concrete examples on how XLIFF
  can be used in localization projects.

55
Streamlining L10n Files
56
Localisation without XLIFF
Localisation Domain
Publisher/ Customer Domain
57
Localisation with XLIFF
- OR -
Localisation Domain
Publisher/ Customer Domain
58
Enterprise Localisation Automation with XLIFF
100 Translated
100 Translated
59
XLIFF Benefits
Reduced integration efforts
Integration
Vendor Independence
Manual overheads reduction, quality
OpenStandards
Automation
FlexibleSolutions
Cost,Time
Reduce cost, turnaround time
Leverage services, technologies, vendors
Scalability
Easy to scale and future proof
60
Benefits Use of XML Technologies

• XSL can be used to perform many tasks on XLIFF
  documents, for example
• Display translatable content in Web browser.
• Generate statistics (e.g. number of localizable
  objects).
• Availability of many XML engines makes using
  XLIFF easy
• Content-related checks (e.g. that certain
  characters do not appear as textual contents) can
  be performed with ordinary Web browsers.

61
XML-Enabled Translation Tools

• Any XML-enabled translation tool (ie., XMLSpy)
  can work with an XLIFF document, as long as the
  text to translate is initially copied in the
  lttargetgt elements. However, this does not mean it
  supports all XLIFF features, but just permits
  translation of lttargetgt content.
• Many tools cannot handle conditional translation
  (for example lttrans-unit translate"no"gt). Then,
  you need to add extra elements temporarily.

62
XLIFF Editors w/ Filters

• ENSALO Corp Various Utilities
  http//www.translate.com/shared/tools
• XML-Intl XLIFF Editor http//www.xml-intl.com
• Heartsome XLIFF Editor http//www.heartsome.net
• Alchemy Software From Catalyst 5.0 Visual
  XLIFF 1.1 Editor http//www.alchemysoftware.ie
• PASS Passolo Visual XLIFF Editor
  http//www.passolo.com
• Trados Support for XLIFF since version 7
  http//www.translationzone.com/sublink.asp?ID642
• SDL SDLX 2005 http//www.sdl.com/products-transla
  tion/products-corp/sdlx.htm

63
More XLIFF Editor Support

• RCWinTrans X8 http//www.wernerschaudin.de/
• TripleSpin LocFactory (Apple) http//www.triplesp
  in.com/en/products/locfactoryeditor.html
• Multilizer 6 http//www.multilizer.com/
• MetaTexis http//www.metatexis.com/
• Idiom Worldserver http//www.idiominc.com/
• CafeTran http//www.cafetran.republika.pl/index.h
  tml

64
Software Publisher Support for XLIFF

• Sun Internal XLIFF Editor as described in this
  article http//www.sun.com/developers/gadc/techni
  calpublications/articles/xliff.html
• Novell XMsgTool http//labs.novell.de/ndk/doc/m
  sgtool/index.html?page/ndk/doc/msgtool/msg__enu/d
  ata/aec0nh0.html
• Oracle HTMLDB a rapid web application
  development tool for the Oracle database
  http//otn.oracle.com/products/database/htmldb/ind
  ex.html
• HyperHub Internal tool for editing XLIFF
  based translation archives
• IBM Domino Global Workbench Version 6
  (http//www6.software.ibm.com/devcon/devcon/docs/d
  wkbbet6.htm
• Macromedia Flash http//livedocs.macromedia.com/f
  lash/mx2004/main/wwhelp/wwhimpl/common/html/wwhelp
  .htm?contextFlash_MX_2004_Documentationfile13_m
  ul19.htm
• Ektron CMS http//www.contentmanager.net/magazine
  /news_h10309_ektron_supports_rapid_and_efficient.h
  tml

65
Open Source Tools Support for XLIFF

• Open Source XSLT Tools http//sourceforge.net/pro
  ject/showfiles.php?group_id42949release_id67485
  
• Suns Open Language Tools (XLIFF Editor)
  https//open-language-tools.dev.java.net/
• Transolution Open Source Translation Suite
  http//transolution.python-hosting.com/
• IBM I18n Components for Unicode (ICU)
  http//oss.software.ibm.com/developerworks/oss/icu
  /project/userguide/ResourceManagement.htmlXLIFF_u
  sage
• ENLASO OKAPI Text Extraction Filters and Merging
  Utilities http//dotnet.goglobalnow.net/
• KBabel (in progress) http//developer.kde.org/sum
  merofcode/xliff.html
• XLIFF Tools Project http//xliff-tools.freedeskto
  p.org/wiki/
• Open Source XML filter https//sourceforge.net/pr
  ojects/xliffroundtrip/

66
Very basic test of 4 major tools

• Run by xliff-tools open source community
• http//lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xliff-tools/
  2005-July/thread.html238
• 4 Test 1.1 Files (http//www.oasis-open.org/commit
  tees/xliff/faq.phpExamples )
• Example1.xlf (simple)
• Example2.xlf (complex auto-generated)
• Example3.xlf (small RC example)
• Example4.xlf (small Java properties example)
• Simple objective successfully open the test
  files in an editor

67
Very basic test of 4 major tools Results
note Tool 2 only supports XLIFF 1.0 test
files are 1.1
68

• Current State of Affairs
• A look at the adoption of XLIFF

69
State of Adoption

• XLIFF is an industry standard for Localization
  and not a Localization Industry Standard.
• Open source sector very very hot
• Look for more activity in this sector
• Tools are becoming much more robust, with built
  in TMs, Web distribution
• Addressing PHP, AJAX, Perl, Framework-du-jour
  (Spring, Struts, Ruby on Rails etc) which appear
  to be ignored by most commercial tools vendors
• Not quite ready to compete head-to-head with
  commercial tools
• Most commercial tools vendors today claim support
  for XLIFF
• XLIFF implementation is uneven
• Interoperability not feasible without some XSLT
• IDEs, CMS, Authoring tools slow to support XLIFF
• Need to lobby vendors to publish direct to XLIFF
• Eclipse plug-in?
• To dovetail, or follow tools certification efforts

70
Challenges to Adoption

• Flexibility vs. Interoperability
• Probably leaned too far towards Flexibility
• No standard implementation model
• But Representation Guides published or in the
  works
• IGNITE certification project
• Support for doc based content
• Some uptake (e.g., Heartsome)
• Segmentation Support in 1.2
• (X)HTML Representation Guide

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More Information

• The XLIFF TC Web Site http//www.xliff.org
• XLIFF Tools Project http//xliff-tools.freedeskto
  p.org/wiki/Resources
• Presenter
• XLIFF TC Chair Tony Jewtushenko (Product
  Innovator Ltd)(tony.jewtushenko_at_productinnovator.
  com)

72
Thank You...

• Questions?

73
Product Innovator Ltd

• provides product management and software process
  improvement training and mentoring services to
  technology companies seeking to maximize their
  productivity and revenue potential
• Contact
• tony.jewtushenko_at_productinnovator.com
• www.productinnovator.com
• 353 1 8875183 / 353.87.2479057