Degrees of Localization

Key Microsoft products, such as Windows and Office, can be used by many different language groups, but the extent to which the user interface (UI) fully incorporates a language can differ.

Language-specific proofing tools are the simplest form of localization. They include fonts and dictionaries, among other components, that enable a user to create or edit a document in a language different from the language used for the Windows and Office UI—enabling a user to edit a Portuguese document while using a Spanish version of Office, for example. Proofing tools can be purchased separately and are also included in Multilingual User Interface (MUI) Packs. This level of localization is sometimes called “enablement.”

Language Interface Packs (LIPs), the newest addition to the suite of localization products, are “skins” that can be applied on top of existing copies of Windows XP (Home and Professional) or Office 2003 Standard Edition to convert the UI to a local language. However, dictionaries, help files, wizards, and other UI elements are not automatically affected by a LIP. A LIP can be combined with a set of proofing tools for a given language to provide a more complete solution in that language.