Mark Leisher scripsit:
> http://www.hastingsresearch.com/net/04-unicode-limitations.shtml
Here's the key passage:
> The current permutation of Unicode [i.e 2.0] gives a theoretical maximum of
> approximately 65,000 characters (actually limited to 49,194 by the
> standard). This at first seemed like more than enough to the brave
> souls who set up the formal ranging of a very long consecutive string
> of numbers to which characters of different languages are assigned. It
> was a good idea, in camera except to the nations who were not invited
> to the initial party.
>
> These non-invitees include the groups with the most characters to
> assign. In fact, these particular rejects were none other than Mainland
> China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.
>
> The reaction was predictable (and in my view, justified). Mainland
> China has insisted that all of its normal, official 6,000 characters be
> included, along with the many "simplified" variations, plus the rest
> of the older, classic K'ang Hsi set of 40,000+ characters. This alone
> is enough to take up almost all of the space allotted in the entire
> Unicode/UCS-2 spectrum.
>
> Then Taiwan and the overseas Chinese (of whom there are 125 million,
> generally well placed and well-educated people) stated that they had
> the rights to their own complete set of K'ang Hsi characters all of
> them in their original complex forms. This was an addition of another
> 50,000 characters, and they could not use the same numbering as those
> assigned over to the Communists on the Mainland.
>
> Between the two groups, there was now the need to generate over 90,000
> individual numbered placements. Japan complained and said that it was
> no less a owner of its own characters (including "Kokuji", which are
> characters which appear to be Chinese-derived, but are actually uniquely
> Japanese), and so there should be another block set up for them. And since
> this could theoretically include all of the characters used up until now,
> another 40,000+ placements would be needed. And finally, not to be left
> out of the circle of legitimate claimants, Korea, because its own set
> of past and present circumstances, asked for its full measure too.
>
> These are just some of the many reasons the amount needed to satisfy
> such requirements could very easily be taken to a total of over 170,000
> characters, if every one of the nations listed above continues to push
> their written language rights to the maximum and there is absolutely
> no reason to expect any change in their desire to do so.
In short the author thinks that the Unicode and IRG people,
to say nothing of WG2, were a) clueless, and b) not representative
of the various CJK countries. Both statements are sufficiently refuted
by the facts.
-- John Cowan cowan@ccil.org One art/there is/no less/no more/All things/to do/with sparks/galore --Douglas Hofstadter
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