Re: Upside Down Fu character

I think "if this were encoded, I think people might want to use it" was explicitly not a reason to encode something.

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Doug Ewell • doug_at_ewellic.org
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-----Original Message-----
From: Andre Schappo <A.Schappo_at_lboro.ac.uk>
Sender: unicode-bounce_at_unicode.org
Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2012 12:48:15 
To: unicode_at_unicode.org<unicode_at_unicode.org>
Subject: Re: Upside Down Fu character
Thank you all for the feedback WRT UPSIDE-DOWN FU 福 and, after consideration and incorporation of your feedback here is my response.
Foremost in my mind is the end user. The end user should be able to easily select and use a stand alone UPSIDE-DOWN FU with a user oriented mechanism such as character picker. Mechanisms, such as, html/css transformations and variation selectors are in the realm of the developer/techie.
Currently UPSIDE-DOWN FU may well not appear in plain printed text. I envisage that if UPSIDE-DOWN FU were included in Unicode then the situation would change. Not just in printed text but in electronic text. It would serve to add a new and contemporary dimension to an ancient tradition.
Conceptually, it could be considered that UPSIDE-DOWN FU is more akin to Emoji rather than akin to a display variant of 福. Decoration becomes an integral part of the character. e.g. http://majin.myhome.cx/pot-au-feu/dataroom/informations/fu_dao_le/fu_dao_le.html
Colour is also an important component of the character. Apple have done a really good job with their Apple Color Emoji font and I am sure would make a good job of a poster style enclosed UPSIDE-DOWN FU
So the "Enclosed Ideographic Supplement" seems to be an appropriate Unicode block as UPSIDE-DOWN FU will be enclosed. The actual styling of UPSIDE-DOWN FU 福, colouring and shape of the enclosure would be left to the font foundries.
André Schappo