Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site hcradm.UUCP Path: utzoo!hcrvax!hcradm!steve From: steve@hcradm.UUCP (Steve Pozgaj) Newsgroups: net.internat Subject: Re: 7-bit vs. 8-bit international characters sets Message-ID: <2295@hcradm.UUCP> Date: Tue, 8-Oct-85 12:31:19 EDT Article-I.D.: hcradm.2295 Posted: Tue Oct 8 12:31:19 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 9-Oct-85 01:14:07 EDT References: <149@ecrcvax.UUCP> <518@talcott.UUCP> Reply-To: steve@hcradm.UUCP (Steve Pozgaj) Organization: Human Computing Resources, Toronto Lines: 21 In article <518@talcott.UUCP> tmb@talcott.UUCP (Thomas M. Breuel) writes: > ... >A change in computer character set is always going to cause major changes >in current operating and utility software, regardless of how the change >is implemented. That's true. However, in order to attempt to achieve a truly internationally applicable software bus, for which UNIX seems to have volunteered itself, an effort must be made to anticipate solutions that are global enough to warrant making a major change "only once". I realize that that is a difficult goal, but it is certainly the mood of the Internationalization effort sponsored by /usr/group. At least, that's my reading of what happened at the most recent meeting (McLean Virginia, September 9, 1985). It is also a reasonable goal. To talk in terms of 7-bit or 8-bit is not too meaningful for countries that have a recognized need for 16-bit characters. Therefore, the fact that change will be necessary must, I believe, be accepted. In order to minimize the frequency and impact of such change, a well thought out standard must be decided explicitly, and not be allowed to happen by accident. I believe that that should be the intent of discussion in this newsgroup.