Re: Questionable definition of Unicode

From: Marion Gunn (mgunn@egt.ie)
Date: Thu Jan 24 2008 - 07:53:26 CST

  • Next message: Jukka K. Korpela: "Re: Questionable definition of Unicode"

    Stéphane,

    _ISO 10646_ is the character set, _Unicode_ its intended 'single
    encoding scheme'.

    It is possible to have diversity within a single scheme, if properly
    incorporated.

    mg

    On 24 Jan 2008, at 10:20, Stephane Bortzmeyer:

    > In http://www.icann.org/topics/idn/idn-glossary.htm, one can find:
    >
    >
    >> Unicode
    >>
    >
    >
    >> Unicode is a commonly used single encoding scheme that provides a
    >> unique number for each character across a wide variety of languages
    >> and scripts. The Unicode standard contains tables that list the
    >> "code points" (unique numbers) for each local character
    >> identified. These tables continue to expand as more and more
    >> characters are digitalized.
    >>
    >
    > Is it really a good idea to define Unicode as an *encoding scheme*?
    > (Specially since there are several official encoding schemes of
    > Unicode and many unofficial.)
    >
    > Using http://www.unicode.org/standard/WhatIsUnicode.html may be a
    > better start. I suggest "Unicode is a commonly used character set
    > that..."
    >
    > To quote the glossary in the Standard:
    >
    > Character Encoding Scheme. A character encoding form plus byte
    > serialization. There are
    > seven character encoding schemes in Unicode: UTF-8, UTF-16,
    > UTF-16BE, UTF-16LE,
    > UTF-32, UTF-32BE, and UTF-32LE.
    >
    >

    - -
    Marion Gunn * EGTeo (Estab.1991)
    27 Páirc an Fhéithlinn, Baile an
    Bhóthair, Co. Átha Cliath, Éire.
    * mgunn@egt.ie * eamonn@egt.ie *



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