Internationalization of FP Application

[wdg3rd at comcast.net]

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: filepro-list-request at lists.celestial.com

> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:59:33 -0700
> From: fp at casabellagallery.com
> Subject: RE: Internationalization of FP Application
> To: Scott Walker <ScottWalker at RAMSystemsCorp.com>
> Cc: 'Filepro_List' <filepro-list at lists.celestial.com>
> Message-ID:
> 	

> I am not sure if you are ONLY concerned with mailing address
> or all things possible.  If mailing address is your primary
> concern, I'll say you have nothing to worry about but the integrity
> of the personnel typing the information.  You just cannot have
> a standardized address system for all Central American, South American
> and the Caribean countries.  You will find that most of these countries
> do not have a standard system themselves.  This is due to massive
> development without preconceived studies or control.
> 
> That said, for addresses in these countries your best shot would be
> a group of fields (free hand text) of 5 or 6 lines ...
> 
> If your concern goes beyond a mailing address, you then need to look
> into LAW, Language, Currency, etc.
> 
> LAW because you will find that throughout these countries, invoices
> are government controlled and often forms are sold by government agencies.
> Depending on your target industry, you'll find volumes of regulations
> and "red tape" procedures that must be followed or else ... Countries
> such as Brazil, Guatemala, Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Mexico, etc. all
> have enough variations in how invoices are handled to drive a programmer
> crazy.
> 
> Language, of course, this is a given.  It is closely attached to LAW.
> Some of these countries will NOT accept an invoice as valid unless it is
> fully spelled out in its native language.  I can understand that!  Can you?
> 
> Currency.  Uh, a beautiful nightmare!  As moneys and invoices exchange hands,
> you need to keep track of their currencies UP/DOWN so that you can properly
> report balances.  In the same token, you MUST be able to accept payment in any
> currency as some companies are "International" and will gladly take anything
> for as long as they get paid.  Which brings you back to LAW ... 
> 
> As you can see, it is a LOT easier to write applications for the good old USA
> market where most people have plenty of business within their immediate cities
> and when they billed to a foreign country, they will NOT accept anything but
> $US$ and leave all the legal stuff to brokers or lawyers for hire and uncle
> SAM is simply happy to collect its share and wish you well.  :)

And folks wonder why Bill and I are anarchists.  The government does a "Free Trade" "Agreement" that runs a couple of hundred pages.  I'd rather just freely trade (preferably in specie rather than fiat).  Grams of gold require no special edits and no government requires no special forms.
--
Ward Griffiths    wdg3rd at comcast.net

Well, if you're gonna buy a ticket on the Titanic, you might as well go First Class.

Captain Audie Murphy, Texas Ranger, in _Roswell, Texas_ by L. Neil Smith, Rex May and Scott Bieser.
http://www.bigheadpress.com/roswell/