Taming the tower of babel

Hewlett-Packard Co., the giant Palo Alto, California-based provider of computing and imaging solutions and services, had no idea it was opening a proverbial Pandora's Box when it created a Web site two and a half years ago for its Japanese customers to use to upgrade their software. Six months later, the project had grown like a weed. Plans were laid to translate and localize all the company's IT support materials in several languages for several regions. Today, seven languages in addition to English are supported by the IT-support Web site (www.itrc.hp.com). The Web site is providing services that traditionally have been provided by telephone.