Unicode motivation/horror stories (was RE: benefits of unicode)

From: Edward Cherlin (edward.cherlin.sy.67@aya.yale.edu)
Date: Thu Apr 19 2001 - 19:23:15 EDT


>Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 13:23:40 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Kenneth Whistler <kenw@sybase.com>
>Subject: RE: benefits of unicode
>To: edward.cherlin.sy.67@aya.yale.edu
>Cc: kenw@sybase.com
>X-Sun-Charset: US-ASCII
>
>
>> I wonder if we could add a page in this vein to the Unicode site, or
>> failing that, to Tex's Benefits pages? That is, invite people to say
>> which problems brought them to Unicode, and how Unicode addresses
>> those problems. If you like the idea, let us take the discussion back
>> on the list.
>>
>
>It might be kind of fun to have a section of individual
>stories, "How I ended up doing Unicode", on the website.
>I wouldn't be the one organizing it, but you could float the
>idea on the list to see if others would like to participate.
>Tex might actually be a good place to start, since he already
>is doing the benefits stuff for the Progress site.
>
>--Ken

Ken told me offline that is was the lack of an IBM type ball with the
schwa character that set him on this path. In my case, apart from a
lifelong involvement in languages, math, and music, the proverbial
last straw was that "Smart Quotes" in Pagemaker 3 wrecked my APL
listings. It took me two months to discover the cause and turn them
off permanently.

I first learned about ISO 10646 as a direct result of work on the
ISO/ANSI APL standard, and about Unicode from John Dvorak's column in
PC Magazine.

We know about Joe Becker's work at Xerox, and about Peter and
Michael's work creating writing systems. I'm sure the rest of you
have stories worth hearing.

So, what do you think? Shall we? Where?

-- 

Edward Cherlin Generalist "A knot!" exclaimed Alice. "Oh, do let me help to undo it." Alice in Wonderland



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