Subject: [idn] another idea

From: Keith Moore <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 15:28:27 -0400

I wonder how many people would support an "ACE now, UTF-8 eventually" solution
if there were a committment to upgrade the world wide web protocols to use
UTF-8 ASAP?

Many people have argued that the web protocols are easily upgraded.  Use of
UTF-8 with HTML is already defined, and many web browsers can display it if 
the appropriate fonts are installed (even if they don't nameprep IDNs in 
links before trying to open them).  The additional specification work needed 
to insure robust interoperability should be fairly minimal.  Furthermore,
the compatibility problems assocaited with upgrading the web also appear to 
be minimal (as compared to some other applications).  The web also makes
a good test case; the experience gained in upgrading web protocols should 
be useful to the efforts to upgrade other protocols.

Also, since the web is arguably the most visible Internet application, 
upgrading the web would be a big step toward making the Internet friendly
for those who use languages other than English.

While this WG can't insist that the work be done, my guess is that the 
appropriate communities would be interested in doing the work.

Keith

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From: Eric Brunner-Williams in Portland Maine <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 16:05:19 -0400

> I wonder how many people would support an "ACE now, UTF-8 eventually"

This revisits the speculative note of the 26th, without discernable
improvement. s/assurance/committment/.

> While this WG can't insist that the work be done, my guess is that the 

The amaya/jigsaw and mozilla/apache collaborative developments have i18n
projects, current status, and downloadable snapshots for test. For serious
inquiries, there are IE/IIS comperable bits as well. There are alternatives
to speculation.

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From: Keith Moore <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 00:49:50 -0400

> improvement. s/assurance/committment/.

The difference is the suggestion that the web adopt UTF-8 ASAP,
since this application seems to be of special interest and also because
the web appears to be easier to fix than some applications.

> inquiries, there are IE/IIS comperable bits as well. There are alternatives

There is also a difference between prototyping and specification.

Keith