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From: dougg@vice.TEK.COM (Doug Grant)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c,comp.std.internat
Subject: Re: What is a byte
Message-ID: <1804@vice.TEK.COM>
Date: Mon, 10-Aug-87 13:03:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: vice.1804
Posted: Mon Aug 10 13:03:47 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Aug-87 01:27:14 EDT
References: <218@astra.necisa.oz> <142700010@tiger.UUCP> <2792@phri.UUCP> <2034@xanth.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix Inc., Beaverton, Or.
Lines: 49
Keywords: 32 bit bytes!  You ain't seen nothin', yet.
Summary: 64 bits would make a better long term solution...
Xref: mnetor comp.lang.c:3573 comp.std.internat:86

In article <2034@xanth.UUCP>, kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes:
> 
> While we're developing nightmares about the number of bits the Japanese
> need in a char, remember for text processing that for 1 billion of the
> earth's residents, the smallest unit of text processing is the ideograph,
> and that even 21 bits is probably barely sufficient to represent the number
> of written words in Chinese.  Anyone for 32 bit characters?  I sure don't
> want 24 bit ones!  ;-)

Great idea, Kent!  But with so many characters and attributes in common
usage, even 32 bits isn't enough for everyone to communicate exactly what
they mean.

I would like to propose an ASCII-compatible 64-bit character set (really!).

Here's my suggestion for how to divvy up the bits:

	24 bits - character
	 8 bits - font
	 8 bits - size
	 8 bits - color
	 4 bits - intensity (boldness)
	 2 bits - blink rate (00 = don't blink)
	 1 bit  - normal/reverse
	 8 bits - sync
	 1 bit  - left over - any suggestions?

Here's how it would be ASCII compatible:

	The eighth bit of the first byte received would be used as an
	ASCII/extended character set flag.  If it is zero, the character
	is normal 7-bit ascii.  If it is 1, the next seven bytes are used
	to complete the eight-byte character.  Only the eighth bit of the first
	byte is set to one - the eighth bit of the remaining seven bytes
	is set to zero, thus assuring that when "Extended Character Set"
	characters come in, their bytes can be kept in sync.

	For those who say "but too much bandwidth would be used for
	64-bit characters!" I say hang on - fiber optic communications
	are coming!

	I'd sure like to see one standard character set that can
	accomodate the whole world!

Doug Grant
dougg @vice.TEK.COM

disclaimer:  These opinions are my own, but my employer is welcome
	     to adopt them.