A look into FUEL

Rajesh has already posted about the FUEL Hindi review meet that is planned over the weekend. The Frequently Used Entries for Localization or FUEL has in some cases taken to be another attempt at creating a glossary of standardized terms. That isn’t all that is there to this project. It is an attempt towards ensuring consistency in the quality of localized content by taking help of a collaborative process.

What makes FUEL unique is that it is a set of steps any content generating organization or a team involved in creating localized content can undertake and adopt to ensure consistently highly quality. So, you will note that FUEL has:

• a catchy name
• a version control system allowing evolution of terms
• a bug tracker / ticketing system
• and a mailing list (eventually)

Underlying all of the above is the fact that it allows inclusiveness and participation. Collaborative innovation is an aspect which will have a good part in making FUEL successful.

Till now standardization efforts via glossaries have either been automated or, have been automated and undertaken via opaque processes and made available in an ‘over-the-wall’ development model. FUEL is aimed at ensuring that contributions can be pooled in from existing efforts while providing an in-public review process towards creating terms.

ps: FUEL needs a logo too