Re: Z39.50 character encoding

I think Liv and I have a different understanding of what a "format" is.
I've been using the word format to mean the encoded record as represented by
bits on the wire.  In this sense, DC is not a format (but DC in XML is) and
in this sense it is both good and necessary for the format to explicitly
state the character set being used.

j.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Liv Aasa Holm" <Liv.A.Holm@jbi.hio.no>
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2002 2:12 AM


> You are right in one thing: we have agreed upon character sets OUTSIDE the
> MARC formats.  So when we convert between the different MARC formats we
> usually know which characterset is used.  But I think is is a major
drawback
> of formats like MARC21 (or the former USMARC) that it specifies a
character
> set AND that it is not really a valid MARC21 record unless it is in this
> specific character set.  The format, i.e. fields and subfields, should not
> be tied to a character set.
>
> DC is not only used with XML.  And, yes, it is a format.
>
> Liv