From: Jeroen Ruigrok van der Werven (asmodai@in-nomine.org)
Date: Sat Jan 10 2009 - 06:13:20 CST
-On [20090110 02:15], Kenneth Whistler (kenw@sybase.com) wrote:
>As for the particulars, I guess nobody has been paying attention
>to what I've said about the ten FLAG SYMBOL XX characters
>(e-4E5..e-4EE). They are not symbols of countries, nor are
>they symbols of flags. They are flag icons being used in
>these sets as symbols for 10 common language localizations.
An even worse precedent. As any person who deals with l10n can tell you:
indicating localization based on a country's flag is a bad way to denote the
availability.
>That is why I recommend that:
>
> a. the glyphs be changed to make that clear
> b. the names be changed to EMOJI SYMBOL FOR RUSSIAN LOCALISATION
> or something similar
>
>All the FUD about "all the other flags" is merely creating
>roadblocks for accomplishing what needs to be done to get
>interoperable cross-mappings for these 10 symbols in the set.
It's not FUD Ken, it's called feeling left behind or excluded. Why would the
flag of any of the 10 be more special than any other?
We're not even talking about any political ramifications you might cause by
arbitrary encoding 10 flags (of which 3 at least are currently not that
loved too much by certain other countries in the world).
And I find it funny that the comments people put forward about flags is
suddenly FUD and are roadblocks. One could also ask why there's such a push
to get this stuff encoded in such a short time frame.
>As for TOKYO TOWER and STATUE OF LIBERTY, they are just two
>random doohickey symbols in the set. It is not worth the
>life-shortening effects of high blood pressure to worry about
>them opening the door to encoding a character for every
>tourist destination around the world.
Why include them in the first place? You only set a precedent. And to
exclude later destinations solely on the principle that these two were only
included due to being in the Japanese cellphone operator set is
shortsighted in my opinion. Why wouldn't other providers get a chance to
suggest their local landmarks? Right now I would have zero use for a Tokyo
Tower or Statue of Liberty symbol in my SMSes around Europe. So why force
some culturally local thing on the rest if it does not allow the possibility
to extend it?
>I can assure you that I have no plans to bring in a proposal
>for the COIT TOWER, SEARS TOWER, and WATTS TOWERS characters
>anytime soon. So I think the Irish NB may desist on demanding
>an encoding for the NEWGRANGE, OBRIENS TOWER, and OLD
>JAMESON DISTILLERY characters.
I had high hopes for la tour Eiffel, Brandenburger Tor, Euromast, la Torre
di Pisa, and other prominent places here in Europe.
-- Jeroen Ruigrok van der Werven <asmodai(-at-)in-nomine.org> / asmodai イェルーン ラウフロック ヴァン デル ウェルヴェン http://www.in-nomine.org/ | http://www.rangaku.org/ | GPG: 2EAC625B Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust...
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