Web based applications represent a growing slice of the software development pie, but many of the internationalization issues involved are not yet standardized or are poorly understood. The simple concept of separating user interface from program code (represented by the extensive use of resource files on stand alone systems) seems to have cast aside in the typical web application. Mixing program code and user interface is the defacto standard for HTML and it is not uncommon to see a Java Servlet writing HTML code, which in turns contains Javascript. How do we best separate form and function in such an environment? Web applications may also have the added complexity of trying to present information to multiple clients in multiple locales simultaneously.

This presentation will present a survey of issues that Lionbridge has faced while helping our customers internationalize their web applications and present possible solutions. Specific programming examples using Java Servlets, Java Server Pages and Active Server Pages will be included.