3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the localization mechanism is operable to localize a different software product, wherein, in said localizing the different software product, the localization mechanism is operable to search the localization database including the imported translations to locate translations for the localizable text strings extracted from the localizable files of the different software product.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: in said searching of the localization database for translations of the extracted localizable text strings, in response to a translation for a localizable text string not being found in the localization database, the localization mechanism generating an entry in a translation kit for the localizable text string, wherein the translation kit is formatted in accordance with a canonical translation kit format, wherein the same canonical format is used for the translation kit regardless of the format of the localizable files, and wherein the translation kit is separate from the localizable files; after said searching the localization database for translations of the extracted localizable text strings, in response to the translation kit including or more localizable text strings to be translated: providing the translation kit to a translator for translation of the localizable text strings in the translation kit, wherein translations of the localizable text strings are added to the translation kit in accordance with the canonical translation kit format; and importing the translations of the localizable text strings from the translation kit into the translation database in accordance with the canonical translation kit format.