Re: Unicode block for programming related symbols and codepoints?

From: John D Burger <john_at_mitre.org>
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 10:37:38 -0500

>> - Indentation codepoint, with no fixed defined graphical representation. For indentation based programming languages.
>
> That wouldn’t be compliant with existing languages and future languages might use any existing character.
>
>> Because:
>> -- specific clients may want to show it different (for example as arrows, lines etc., using another color):
>
> Can’t good editors display tabs in a different color when required ?

Lots of them already do, e.g. Emacs in various modes.

- John Burger
  MITRE

>
>> --- browsers could let the web page creator let decide the visual representation (character and size) via CSS
>> --- the same with editors, independent from the actual font
>> --- in case of visual impairment, the user could even change the accoustical representation if the editor allows it
>> -- unlike a space symbol, it wouldn't need more than one character per indentation
>> -- unlike tabs or space, it wouldn't be whitespace
>> -- unlike normal arrow characters, one could customize the length in an editor and wouldn't have to insert extra spaces for a better visual imagery
>>
>> - A codepoint for string literal quotes, that would spare one the escaping.
>
> I rarely escape quotes.
> In a text, I use ’ (U+2019) as an apostrophe and «»“”‘’ as quotes, so I don’t need to escape them.
> When I use PHP to generate some HTML code, I try to alternate simple and double quotes as much as possible. That way I rarely need to escape them.
>
>> - A statement separator symbol.
>
> To replace the semicolon in C and the languages based on its syntax?
>
>> - Other ideas?
>
> Aren’t you trying to reinvent APL?
>
>>
>> You may now think, this is highly specific and you are right.
>> However, so are EMOJI signs, in particular those like PINE DECORATION.
>>
>> These days, there are a lot of tools to create small embedded scripting languages and DSLs, which are used in-program in special editors. And there is a lot of people using them.
>> Exactly these could really profit from such a codeblock instead of using conventional ASCII subset characters.
>> Also, there is a lot of potential with really good text editors and IDEs where semantics may matter a lot.
>>
>> Excuse my english, I hope this was understandable.
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> A. Z.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Unicode mailing list
>> Unicode_at_unicode.org
>> http://unicode.org/mailman/listinfo/unicode
>
> _______________________________________________
> Unicode mailing list
> Unicode_at_unicode.org
> http://unicode.org/mailman/listinfo/unicode

_______________________________________________
Unicode mailing list
Unicode_at_unicode.org
http://unicode.org/mailman/listinfo/unicode
Received on Mon Feb 09 2015 - 09:38:36 CST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.2.0 : Mon Feb 09 2015 - 09:38:36 CST