Re: The rules of encoding (from Re: Missing geometric shapes)

One key criteris for inclusion in Unicode is that a character or symbol be
in circulation. Whether these are hand written, printed or electronic. If
one creates a new a new character then one first must get others to use it,
this takes time.

John
On 8 Nov 2012 14:57, "William_J_G Overington" <wjgo_10009_at_btinternet.com>
wrote:

> Michael Everson <everson_at_evertype.com> wrote:
>
> < ... collect examples of these in print ...
>
> Mark E. Shoulson <mark_at_kli.org> wrote:
>
> > We don't encode "it would be nice/useful." We encode *characters*,
> glyphs that people use (yes, I know I conflated glyphs and characters
> there.)
> ...
> > Unicode isn't a system for encoding ratings. It's a system for encoding
> what people write and print.
>
> An interesting situation is that the British Library collects pure
> electronic publications by a system of voluntary deposit. A publisher sends
> an email to a specified email address with the pure electronic publication
> or publications attached to the email. The British Library sends, upon
> request, an email receipt for such deposited items.
>
> http://www.bl.uk/aboutus/stratpolprog/legaldep/index.html
>
> I have at various times, as research has progressed, deposited with the
> British Library pdf documents that I have produced and published and I have
> deposited with the British Library TrueType fonts that I have produced and
> published and I have received email receipts for them.
>
> Some of the pdf publications contain new symbols, used intermixed with
> text in a plain text situation. I have used Private Use Area encodings for
> the symbols.
>
> Yet the publications have not been published in hardcopy form.
>
> A problem that exists with the ISO/IEC 10646 encoding process, in my
> opinion, is that there is not a way for new symbols for electronic
> communication systems to be considered for encoding unless there is already
> widespread use of them using a Private Use Area encoding.
>
> However, an encoding using a Private Use Area encoding has great problems
> in being implemented as a widespread system.
>
> Also, I feel that implementation other than for research purposes using a
> Private Use Area encoding would cause problems for the future: I feel that
> a formal encoding is needed from the start.
>
> I feel that the rules for encoding such new symbols are out of date and
> not suitable for present day use.
>
> Unfortunately, it seems that there is not a way available for me to
> request formal consideration of the possibility of changing the rules.
>
> Technology has changed since the rules were made.
>
> Is it possible for formal consideration to be given to the possibility of
> changing the rules please?
>
> William Overington
>
> 8 November 2012
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Received on Thu Nov 08 2012 - 05:30:45 CST