Localization Test

 

Compatibility testing that takes into account North American operating systems is one thing. What happens if you have to support foreign language versions? Most companies are ill-equipped to configure systems and provide a test environment for localized versions of their software. Here at Beta Breakers, our software libraries are replete with localized versions of both Windows and Macintosh operating systems and our QA staff are very experienced setting up real-world conditions – even if that ‘world’ may be somewhere else.

 

While the industry switch to Unicode for globalization purposes has addressed many of the early issues developers were forced to contend with when localizing an application, many potential pitfalls remain. Font selection, properly formatting data to match cultural expectations, and even the placement of controls and the selection of iconography can all impact both how an application is received in its target market, and whether it meets its intended programmatic functionality.

 

Code Q’s experienced test engineers are well-prepared to consider all the facets of proper localization and give your developers the feedback they need to make your application successful in any language.

 

Code Q maintains extensive libraries of both virtual and physical operating systems in a variety of languages, as well as retaining the capability to test localization purely through the available regional settings within a given operating system. These localized environments can be rapidly deployed across dozens of discrete system configurations, allowing our labs to rapidly simulate any desired region with a minimum of hassle or expense to our clients.

 

Not sure what the potential hazards of software localization are?

 

We encourage you to take a look at

 

http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/DrIntl/faqs/faqs.mspx and http://developer.apple.com/internationalization/localization

 

for a detailed discussion of what it takes to make an application truly global in scope. Rest assured, Code Q will be here to support your internationalization effort in every way that we can!