native encoding

The character encoding discussion seems now to
focus (and I use that term loosely) on native
encodings, that is, if we negotiate utf-8 for a
session and if a particular syntax has a
well-known, native encoding other than utf-8,
which applies?

Perhaps I missed something and if so please
refresh my memory:  What is the objection to using
variants?

Thus if utf-8 is negotiated it applies to
everything unless explicitly overiden. If you want
to request a record in an encoding other than
utf-8, you include a variant request; if a server
wants to supply a record in an encoding other than
utf-8, it includes a supplied variant.

Please, if anyone objects to this approach speak
up.

--Ray