Re: Benefits of Unicode

From: Mark Davis (markdavis34@home.com)
Date: Mon Jan 29 2001 - 11:12:17 EST


Unicode Benefits>Allows for multilingual documents using any or all the languages you desire. Invoice or ticketing applications can print native language names.
*"multilingual documents" are rare -- as most people understand the term 'documents'. What more people care about is that all their customer information, from whatever country, can be stored and accessed everywhere, without data corruption when passing between different systems. Drop "and ticketing"

> One set of algorithms for processing text reduces development and support costs, improves time-to-market, and allows for single version of source code.
* "set of algorithms for processing" sounds too techy, and too specific. How about "way to process"
* And reduces maintanence: you don't have to have separate service packs for different national versions.

>Applications can be marketed globally the day of initial release.
* Not really an example; another benefit.

> ISO Standards insure interoperability and portability by prescribing conformant behavior. Applications process text consistently and conformance is verifiable. Note that pplications conforming to Unicode, also conform to ISO 10646.
* Needs significant rework. Drop "ISO" -- it is not the only game in town, by any means.. Also, they only insure interoperability if people follow them. "pplications", and drop commas

> Worldwide deployment capability. Text can be sent from any part of the world to any other part.
* Needs significant rework. Even if I were using Latin-1, it can be sent to any part of the world! Usually "deployment" doesn't mean 'data transport'

>Support by most, if not all, modern technologies allows easy integration. Applications can exchange text without conversion loss or errors.
* change "most, if not all," to "all". If it doesn't support Unicode, it isn't modern ;-)

...
>Internet-ready for use in E-business. Internet standards, such as XML, Perl, Java and JavaScript are Unicode-based
* why are the bullets on standards not combined?

> Continuous evolution extends application lifetime and expands capabilities to meet future needs. Unicode Version 3.0 added 25,000+ characters and new technical specifications that improved, for example, Middle Eastern language support.

> that improved, for example, Middle Eastern language support.
* If "Middle Eastern language support" is the major improvement, Joe Company Manager will not get it; pick another example.

You might also look at http://www.unicode.org/unicode/standard/WhatIsUnicode.html

Mark
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Tex Texin
  To: Unicode List
  Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2001 12:40
  Subject: Re: Benefits of Unicode

  thanks Mike.

  I was thinking that the description of the relationship between
  10646 and Unicode could be dealt with outside the benefits sidebar.

  I put it in the example here so the point isn't lost.
  If this table is used alongside text that covers the point it
  can easily be omitted.

  I want the table to be succint since it is easier for people
  to digest, and the points have more impact, but also I am afraid
  that once I give it to an editor, if they need to reduce it
  they might make reductions without my ability to influence the
  choices....

  anyway, here is how it looks now.

  J M Sykes wrote:
>
> But, as I said, leaving out an assertion someone just might quibble with
> saves the chore of trying to word a perfectly innocent statement more
> diplomatically, e.g. "anything that conforms to the Unicode standard ipso
> facto conforms to ISO/IEC 10646".
>
> Mike
>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
    Benefits of Unicode Benefits Example
        Allows for multilingual documents using any or all the languages you desire. Invoice or ticketing applications can print native language names.
        One set of algorithms for processing text reduces development and support costs, improves time-to-market, and allows for single version of source code. Applications can be marketed globally the day of initial release.
        ISO Standards insure interoperability and portability by prescribing conformant behavior. Applications process text consistently and conformance is verifiable. Note that pplications conforming to Unicode, also conform to ISO 10646.
        Worldwide deployment capability. Text can be sent from any part of the world to any other part.
        Support by most, if not all, modern technologies allows easy integration. Applications can exchange text without conversion loss or errors.
        Widespread industry support provides platform and vendor independence. Microsoft, HP, IBM, Sun operating systems,
        Oracle, Microsoft, Progress databases,
        and many others support Unicode. See http://www.unicode.org/unicode/onlinedat/products.html.
        Practical and apolitical design due to the diverse, international, industry and academic membership of the Unicode Consortium. Members include computer corporations, software producers, database vendors, research institutions, international agencies, user groups, and linguistic specialists. See http://www.unicode.org/unicode/consortium/memblist.html
        Easy conversion from legacy code pages. Unicode's comprehensive character set is a superset of existing code pages. Numerous cross mapping tables provided at: http://www.unicode.org/Public/MAPPINGS/
        Internet-ready for use in E-business. Internet standards, such as XML, Perl, Java and JavaScript are Unicode-based
        Continuous evolution extends application lifetime and expands capabilities to meet future needs. Unicode Version 3.0 added 25,000+ characters and new technical specifications that improved, for example, Middle Eastern language support.

  Created by Tex Texin
    texin@progress.com



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