Localization Industry Standards Association or LISA was a Swiss-based trade body concerning the translation of computer software (and associated materials) into multiple natural languages, which existed from 1990 to February 2011. It counted among its members most of the large information technology companies of the period, including Adobe, Cisco, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, McAfee, Nokia, Novell and Xerox. [1]
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a sovereign state situated in the confluence of western, central, and southern Europe. It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons, with federal authorities seated in Bern. Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. It is geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are located, among them the two global cities and economic centres of Zürich and Geneva.
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association participates in public relations activities such as advertising, education, political donations, lobbying and publishing, but its focus is collaboration between companies. Associations may offer other services, such as producing conferences, networking or charitable events or offering classes or educational materials. Many associations are non-profit organizations governed by bylaws and directed by officers who are also members.
Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data, or information, often in the context of a business or other enterprise. IT is considered to be a subset of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system is generally an information system, a communications system or, more specifically speaking, a computer system – including all hardware, software and peripheral equipment – operated by a limited group of users.
LISA played a significant role in representing its partners at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), [2] and the TermBase eXchange (TBX) standard developed by LISA was submitted to ISO in 2007 [3] and became ISO 30042:2008. [4] LISA also had a presence at the W3C. [5]
The International Organization for Standardization is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations.
A number of the LISA standards are used by the OASIS Open Architecture for XML Authoring and Localization framework.
The Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) is a global nonprofit consortium that works on the development, convergence, and adoption of open standards for security, Internet of Things, energy, content technologies, emergency management, and other areas.
OAXAL: Open Architecture for XML Authoring and Localization is an Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) standards-based initiative to encourage the development of an open Standards approach to XML Authoring and Localization. OAXAL is an official OASIS Reference Architecture Technical Committee.
LISA shut down on 28 February 2011, [6] and its website went offline shortly afterwards. In the wake of the closure of LISA, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute started an Industry Specification Group (ISG) for localization. [7] The ISG has five work items: [8]
- Term-Base eXchange (TBX) / ISO 30042:2008 [9]
- Translation Memory eXchange (TMX), with GALA [10]
- Segmentation Rules eXchange (SRX) / ISO/CD 24621 [11] )
- Global information management Metrics eXchange – Volume (GMX-V);
Translation Memory eXchange (TMX) is an XML specification for the exchange of translation memory data between computer-aided translation and localization tools with little or no loss of critical data.
Segmentation Rules eXchange or SRX is an XML-based standard that was maintained by Localization Industry Standards Association, until it became insolvent in 2011, and then by GALA.
Global information management Metrics eXchange or GMX is a collection of current and proposed standards, primarily targeted at the needs of the translation industry. They are concerned with measuring quantitatively aspects of a document, particularly those with relevance to the translation process and were being standardised by Localization Industry Standards Association as part of the Open Architecture for XML Authoring and Localization until the demise of LISA. The primary use cases are in quoting, estimating and billing translation work.
Another organization that was formed in response to the closure of LISA is Terminology for Large Organizations (TerminOrgs), a consortium of terminology professionals who promote terminology management best practices. [12]
