[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: ISO 8859 or Unicode? And how to convert?



Ian Cairns wrote:
> André Wendt wrote:
> > I keep running into more and more problems with the encoding of my
> > name. Whether it's e-mails, files I receive or (lately) even the
> > unlock screen of my screensaver: André is often encoded André
> > which is plain ugly. I have a file where even gedit's
> > auto-detection mechanism has to pass.
> 
> I tried to write a short and helpful response and found I couldn't.

I as well fell into that same problem.  But since you took the leap I
will too.

> Changing your system code page may make some things that are currently
> broken work and break others that are currently working.

Ian's and your messages were encoded in ISO-8859-15.  I believe mine
will be encoded in UTF-8 which I forced for this message so that you
can compare the result.  I am using a UTF-8 encoding by default for
most things but I normally am use ISO-8859-1 for sending email because
it traditionally has had the most support in *other people's* mailers.

UTF-8 is clearly the place to transition.  As time goes by I believe
that UTF-8 will be the best supported charset.  In my opinion it
clearly has the best technical solution to the problem.

André, did your name come through okay here in what I hope sent
through as UTF-8?

As far as how to convert:

 * Make sure you have a ISO 10646 (Unicode) font installed.  Here are some.

    apt-get install xfonts-efont-unicode xfonts-efont-unicode-ib

 * Set up your Xresources to use one of them.

    pager /usr/share/doc/xfonts-efont-unicode/README.Debian

 * Select a UTF-8 locale.  For me I have:

    export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
    export LC_COLLATE=C

Bob



Reply to: