（翻译基本完成，欢迎协助校对）

[ 译者按：这本小册子是自由／开源软件本地化的综述和政策指导。
IOSN另有一本详细的本地化技术指南，见
http://www.iosn.net/l10n/l10n-howto-toolkit/guide.pdf ]

本书从本地化的简介开始，包括介绍其益处和当前进行中的本地化工作。然后对软件本地化过程中的一些技术细节和相关标准（Unicode，OpenType 字体等）问题进行探讨。最后以政府如何鼓励本地化工作和技术人员如何参与工作作为结束。

这一册提供了自由／开源软件（Free/Open Source Software, FOSS）本地化的广泛视角，对发展中国家的政府和决策人士犹有裨益。它突出了自由／开源软件本地化的益处和策略，并提供了正走在软件自由之路上的一些国家的案例研究。

本册开篇介绍本地化，以及用自由／开源软件代替私有软件的好处。第二节提供了亚太地区自由／开源软件本地化的项目和工作情况的调查，包括从越南、泰国、柬埔寨、印度和马来西亚等国家获得的有益经验和教训。本册也提供了泰国、老挝和柬埔寨三个国家本地化工作的案例研究，以及对技术、资源分配、工具和技巧、实现、成本和语言问题的一些建议。

为了帮助本地化工作者起步，我们在两个附录中提供了本地化的关键概念和技术说明，为规划软件本地化项目的管理和实施人员提供参考。

Starts off with a general introduction of localization, its benefits and current localization efforts. Delves into some of the details of what is involved technically in localizing software, the standards involved (Unicode, OpenType fonts, etc). Concludes with details of what governments can do to encourage localization efforts and how technical individuals can get involved.

This primer provides a broad perspective on the localization of Free/Open Source Software (FOSS) for the benefit of policy and decision-makers in developing countries. It highlights the benefits and strategies of FOSS localization, along with case studies from various countries that are on the road to software freedom.

The primer begins with an introduction to localization and the benefits of choosing FOSS over proprietary software. The next section provides a survey of initiatives and efforts in localization of FOSS within the Asia-Pacific region, including best practices and lessons learned specifically in countries such as Viet Nam, Thailand, Cambodia, India and Malaysia. The primer also provides three case studies of localization efforts in Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia, as well as recommendations on technical issues, resource allocation, skills and tools, implementation, costs and language considerations.

To help localizers get started, two annexes regarding key concepts and the technical aspects of localization are provided. These are intended for project managers and implementers who are planning software localization projects.

• 版权页
• 前言
• 致谢
• 自由／开源软件本地化的总论
• 亚太地区本地化工作
• 自由／开源软件本地化的建议
• 进一步阅读
• 资源和工具
• 词汇表
• 关于作者
• 封底