Re: space (reply again, sorry)

[Chris Lilley:]

| On Sep 21, 11:51pm, Jon Bosak wrote:
| 
| > Code point 10/00 (decimal 160) is called NO-BREAK SPACE in ISO 8859-1
| > (Latin Alphabet No. 1).  It is defined as follows:
| >
| >    6.3.2 NO-BREAK SPACE (NBSP)
| >
| >    A graphic character the visual representation of which consists of
| >    the absence of a graphic symbol, for use when a line break is to
| >    be prevented in the text as presented.
| 
| Acording to that definition, Hello There could be validly presented as
| HelloThere. That has an absence of a graphical symbol and does not have a
| linebreak. The text as quoted does not say that the writing position is
| advanced or describe any other space-like properties.

You are absolutely right.  An interesting observation.  However, the
definition of the space character itself, which immediately precedes
the definition of no-break space in 8859-1, shows that the authors of
the standard had in mind space-like behavior; compare this with the
above:

   6.3.1 SPACE (SP)

   This character may be interpreted as a graphic character, a
   control character or as both.  As a graphic character it has the
   visual representation consisting of the absence of a graphic
   symbol.

So "the absence of a graphic symbol" means a blank spot on the page,
not the suppression of escapement.

Jon

Received on Wednesday, 25 September 1996 21:32:08 UTC