Re: Character sets

Daniel W. Connolly (connolly@hal.com)
Wed, 8 Feb 95 12:00:18 EST

In message <199502070149.UAA25159@ebt-inc.ebt.com>, Gavin Nicol writes:
>Given that we really do want a multilingual WWW, and that we do want
>HTML to be a conforming application of SGML, and that we want to
>acknowledge that yes, there is data in things other than ISO8859-1, we
>have this little problem of the SGML declaration.
>
>I have stated time and again that ERCS (Unicode) is the best answer,
>and as yet, we have no resolution. We also have no alternative
>proposal as yet.
>
>If someone has a better idea, let's here it. If not, let's call the
>matter closed, and use ERCS.

Stating that "ERCS (Unicode) is the best answer" doesn't help those of
us like myself that don't know what ERCS is and barely know what
Unicode is. I suspect you have seen neither support nor arguments nor
alternatives because folks don't fully understand your proposal.

Could you please:

* State the problem as you see it

* demonstrate that ERCS/Unicode is a globally cost-effective
solution to the problem, as well as not locally prohibitive

* discuss graceful deployment and interoperability issues

* give references to ERCS and Unicde

I should think this would make a nifty internet draft for this working
group to discuss.

After some consensus building, you'd have ammunition to convince vendors
to support it.

Dan