[wdmmg-dev] Metadata and localization - questions

[Stefan Urbanek]

On 22.8.2011, at 13:23, Friedrich Lindenberg wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> just to say: I'm now back on OpenSpending, looking forward to all of this!
> 
> On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 12:19 PM, Stefan Urbanek
> <stefan.urbanek at gmail.com> wrote:
>> How important is localization? should it be considered or not?
>> If yes, what level? metadata only (labels) or also data (localized classifications, for example)?
> 
> This has an additional level, the software, which already is
> internationalized. I do think that we want to have both support for
> metadata and data localization eventually but we should do this with a
> concrete use case in mind. For example, the Israeli budget data which
> was utterly incomprehensible to us before we Google translated it; or
> the EC FTS dataset, which is available in three languages by default
> (EN, DE, FR).
> 
> In terms of immediate development priorities, though, I think we have
> higher-value things we should deliver (explorer, compare-o-tron,
> dataset modeling WUI, ETL fully established, …)

Despite having higher priorities, this is one decision that has to be taken very early, as it affects all processes and structures bottom-up. and there are many ways how to solve this. I am asking that, because I've already experienced a project that had to be rewritten from scratch, just because of this. We do not have to provide localization, just have to be ready for it.

Note that there are three levels of internationalization:

1. applicaton
2. metadata
3. data

Where 1. is trivial to solve, and you already have tools for that, 2. is not that difficult, but little bit more complicated not to put too much burden to the original data provider. 3. is non-trivial to solve, as each solution has it's own advantage and disadvantage from ETL and OLAP perspective. ETL tools, mostly in the Staging area will be affected by decision how  internationalization will be implemented. Therefore if "ETL fully established" is the priority (I think it is), then decision about way of doing i18n should come as early as possible.

Anyway, I consider your answer to be "yes" :-)

Will bring more information on this topic, such as possible options, soon.

Stefan

senior business intelligence consultant
http://knowerce.com