Re: help needed with adding new character

From: Jon Wilson (jon@phuq.co.uk)
Date: Thu Mar 18 2004 - 14:04:32 EST

  • Next message: Michael Everson: "Re: help needed with adding new character"

    jcowan@reutershealth.com wrote:
    >
    > "Ideographic" is a vexed term, and leads to bad reasoning, so let's not use it.

    I won't disagree with that.

    > There is little connection
    > between the up and down arrows as used by linguists vs. chemists, but we
    > encode only one set of arrows nevertheless.

    Correct.

    However, consider the case of right and left arrows. A double barred
    arrow has specific meaning ("implies" / "implied by") in mathematics and
    logic. Hence extra glyphs are required. A very simple typographical
    change makes the world of semantic difference. The semantics of a
    circled A changes when the lines of the letter touch or extend past the
    circle.

    I disagree that the anarchy symbol is not a character used in the
    representation of words. I can write a word beginning with "A" with
    either a simple LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A, or with an Anarchy symbol, or
    with an existing CIRCLED LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A. The first two have
    different meanings to anyone who understands what the Anarchy symbol is.
    Any self-respecting anarchist would laugh at the third (although it
    would constitute a suitable alternative glyph within the meaning of the
    Unicode standard).

    I also disagree that the Anarchy symbol has no use within a text. I do
    not doubt that I can find examples of published texts where the anarchy
    symbol is used throughout. Beware of saying "that isn't real text" just
    because the character isn't currently in Unicode. The code should
    represent usage, not the other way round. I understand that finding such
    text is probably crucial to a successful application.

    I also dispute that the anarchy symbol has the same ideographic value as
    a McDonalds logo. The McDonalds arch is only meaningful when represented
    in a particular font (and perhaps colour). The specific latin font used
    to represent the CAPITAL A in the anarchy symbol is unimportant.

    Jon

    PS. Croquet challenge accepted - I have a set at home. I believe I get
    to choose time and location?

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