Re: tlug: A couple of questions about Unicode

["J. David Beutel" <jdb@example.com>]

On Sat, 10 Jan 1998, Jonathan Byrne wrote:

> Chinese is no problem.  The same Unicode character reference can map to a
> different glyph for modern Chinese and classical Chinese within the same
> document, by specifying the classical Chinese font in one place and the
> modern Chinese font in another.

Unicode does not specify fonts, so whether the character is modern 
or classical is lost.  The capabilities of the word processor is
beyond the issue of encoding.  (I.e., the data file including the font
information does not constitute an encoding.)  The key question above
is whether it's just a matter of fonts.  Where does the form end
and the meaning begin?  E.g., is gothic script just a font change?
(I'd say yes.)

But, I think most resistance comes from the mapping between
Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, rather than within any one language.
Even if every glyph were identical between all 3 languages,
I am sure some native speakers would still object to mapping them to
the same encoding.

Nevertheless, I am in favor of Unicode.  The point of an encoding
is to capture meaning without form.  The data is more flexible and
useful that way, without the form weighing it down.  The small
amount of extra form which one gets by using the multitude of ISO-2022
or other encodings is not worth the expense of the complication
and incompatability.

--
J. David Beutel       "You're inhabited by the society you live in through
11011011 jdb@example.com  your use of language." McCorduck on Turkle on Lacan

---------------------------------------------------------------
Next TLUG Nomikai: 14 January 1998 19:15  Tokyo station
Yaesu Chuo ticket gate.  Or go directly to Tengu TokyoEkiMae 19:30
Chuo-ku, Kyobashi 1-1-6, EchiZenYa Bld. B1/B2 03-3275-3691
Next Saturday Meeting: 14 February 1998 12:30 Tokyo Station
Yaesu Chuo ticket gate.
---------------------------------------------------------------
a word from the sponsor:
TWICS - Japan's First Public-Access Internet System
www.twics.com  info@example.com  Tel:03-3351-5977  Fax:03-3353-6096