TMX, OSCAR, MARTIF, SALT, XML: standards for data exchange and reuse that change the way business is done.

CEC, DIN, ISO: standards that define what quality means and set thresholds.

TMX stands for Translation Memory eXchange; and OSCAR is the Open Standards for Container/Content Allowing Re-use. TMX is a standard that aims at providing a common way of structuring, reusing and exchanging translation memory data. The OSCAR special interest group, from LISA (Localisation Industry Standards Association), is responsible for its definition.

A short and clear introduction to the basics of TMX (Translation Memory eXchange) by Josu Gómez.

SALT stands for Standards-based Access service to multilingual Lexicons and Terminologies. SALT is a consortium of academic, government and commercial groups that is defining a set of standards for exchanging and reusing terminological data. This standard builds on a previous standard, MARTIF (Machine Readable Terminology Interchange Format). SALT concentrates more on formats for data exchange among machines while MARTIF focuses on people. MARTIF has become more specifically now MARTIF with Specified Constraints.

"OpenTag is a format developed for the extraction of translatable text with the capability of merging back the localized data in the original format."

These minutes gather the opinions of representatives from every EU country on quality assurance and the ISO, CEC and DIN standards. The central point is compatibility among the different standards and how they apply to issues such as models for contracts, subcontractors quality, etc. The meeting was held in 1998. (Downloadable file in PDF Format. 43 pages.)
N.A.: Currently the site (www.echo.lu) is undergoing significant changes and the reference is unavailable. Contact us if you want the article to be delivered to you via e-mail.

A summary of recent developments on standards in the US, with a special focus on the new initiative by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Published by Language Journal.

As the author puts it: "Why should you be interested in XML? [...] if you have translated a Web page or are even thinking about doing it someday, then you had better learn about XML."

The "XML Localisation Interchange File Format" is a format developed by a group of localization customers, localization suppliers, and tools vendors, including: Oracle, Novell, IBM/Lotus, Sun MicroSystems, Alchemy Software, Berlitz, Moravia-IT, and the RWS Group. XLIFF is a format to store extracted text and carry the data from one step to another in the localization process. It follows the same principles as OpenTag, and borrows also a few ideas from TMX.