I have just succeded to input my first Unicode characters in a Mac. It was
done in inDesign by Adobe and I used the "Insert character" function. It can
be done, but it isn't done easily.
I know, of course, that every character I write just now is a Unicode
character, too. My problem is to be able to input, e.g., a g+breve from the
Turkish alphabet, a special Maltese characters, a c+circumflex used in
Esperanto, and so on, without the need to select a different keyboard
layout.
Some characters with diacritic can be input pressing the
diacritic+character, at least in a Macintosh. I believe that a generic
layout allowing that any such combination be possible would be of great help
and ought to be included automatically with every operating system. Maybe it
is done already. One of the layouts installed with Mac OS 9 is labelled
Latin Extended (U). I cannot see what it means since it is constantly
disabled (=grey) and I have not seen any information about it.
Another solution would be the possibility to customize keyboard layouts. An
example: I am used to work with a Swedish keyboard, but need to write an
article about Czech films. Since I am a perfectionist I want to use the
exact spelling of the Czech names. If I could position the Czech characters
on the keyboard layout where I can easily reach them - more or less in the
way keyboard layouts can be customized with ResEdit -, my work would be much
easier. I have seen some time ago a similar program for Windows (called
"Compose", if I remember correctly), so I know it can be done. With the
richness that Unicode offers, the possibility for such ad hoc layouts ought
to be a natural addition to any Unicode savvy operating system.
Franko Luin
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