Re: Euro currency sign

On 19 Oct 1997 01:01:21 +0100, Peter Flynn
<pflynn@imbolc.ucc.ie> wrote:

[Sweden calling :-)]

> Perhaps someone could explain this more clearly:

>    UNICODE
>    The euro currency sign is in Unicode Version 2.0:
>        Unicode number       Glyph        Name
>        20A0                        CE           EURO-CURRENCY SIGN
>    The glyph "CE" (both characters are interlaced with the E lower)
>    is *not* the euro glyph.  

> So why does it say that it is? There is some serious mistake here;
> or is it a historical entry that just needs renaming now?

The first thing that comes to my mind when I se this "CE"
mentioned is the European CE marking on products.

In practice this mark indicates to a buyer of a product that
the manufacturer has manufactured the item following the
Euorpean standards for personal safety. One can find this
mark on almost everything ranging from childrens toys up to
electrical appliances.

For European electrical OEM companies, like the one I work
for, the CE marking procedure is somewhat similar to an
American UL (Underwriters Laboratory) inspection process.

The situation behind the marking procedure is that the
manufacturer guarantees to take responsibility for the
personal safety aspects of his product, and can be fined a
worst case fine of 500 million Euro for failing to comply
with this. (i.e. putting false CE marks on a product that
causes personal injury. This is clearly a lawyers area :-)

>    The euro glyph is like a "E" with two horizontal
>    bars in the middle.                   ^^^^^^^^^^ you must add this word
>                                                     in text descriptions.

> Correct. So a document must explain what CE is and why it is there,
> and why it is labelled "EURO-CURRENCY SIGN" when it is not.

Seems to me that someone has made a mistake in labeling that
glyph, if my guess about the origin of 'CE' is correct.

[snip]

> It's worth noting for our non-European colleagues that the majority of
> European citizens I have spoken to (and I have discussed this
> extensively with people from many countries) feel the new currency
> name is a serious mistake on the part of well-meaning and hard-working
> but ultimately grotesquely misdirected politicians and bureaucrats.

Amen to that :-)

> Nobody wants the name "euro" and it carries entirely the wrong
> semantics, and the citizens were not consulted about it, but the
> damage has been done, and cannot easily be undone, so we're stuck with
> it. Let's just hope we can find a suitably derogatory nickname :-)

It was originally called "Ecu" (French spelling and
pronounciation) named after an old type of coins that was
available in France from beginning of 1600 and onwards. One
can read "The Three Musketeers" and "Myladys Son" by
Alxeander Dumas and find that coin mentioned in several
places. Whoever decided to change it to "euro" should stand
trial :-)

P.S.
The Euro is supposed to be the official European currency
from January 1, 1999 when the European monetary union is to
come into effect. It's already now possible to do business
in Euro and the exchange rate right now is not far from 1:1
to the US Dollar, but varies with the market of course.
D.S.

= * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * = * =
 Jan Roland Eriksson -- d.tek.jre@ebox.tninet.se
   URL --- http://home2.swipnet.se/%7Ew-20547/

Received on Sunday, 19 October 1997 17:04:15 UTC