RE: Khmer identifiers in XML (fwd)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 05:38:51 +0100
From: Maurice Bauhahn <bauhahnm@clara.net>
To: jcowan@reutershealth.com
Cc: anderskarlkeller@yahoo.com, ssmony@bigpond.com.kh
Subject: RE: Khmer identifiers in XML

Yes, John, I believe Khmer programmers will want to use Khmer Unicode
identifiers in XML.

Transliteration of Khmer is for practical purposes not reversable (I have
only seen one system which is reversable...and it is more complicated than
Khmer script), Khmer reportedly has more vowels than any other language, and
is extremely difficult to simulate phonetically.

We expect a Khmer Unicode implementation in Microsoft Windows in a
reasonably short period of time (I am working closely with them on that; and
also on Macintosh and Linux).

Cambodia was quite delayed in the computer revolution, but with Unicode
standardized implementations of their language pending, I expect they will
ramp up quite quickly. It's hard to join a society that doesn't recognize
your language;-)

Yes, you may use the information I have sent you.

Gratefully,

Maurice Bauhahn

-----Original Message-----
From: jcowan@reutershealth.com [mailto:jcowan@reutershealth.com]
Sent: 16 July 2001 03:40
To: Maurice Bauhahn
Cc: anderskarlkeller@yahoo.com; jcowan@reutershealth.com
Subject: Re: Khmer identifiers in XML


On Sat, 14 Jul 2001, Maurice Bauhahn wrote:

> I am very involved with Khmer Unicode as a hobby and XML in my professsion
> (Technical Support Analyst for Brio Technology, a Business
> Intelligence/Reporting software company). Is there anything I can do to
> facilitate the use of Khmer identifiers in XML?

Well, as you know, Khmer script can't currently be used for XML
identifiers.  The question is: is there demand for them, now or in
the reasonably foreseeable future?  On grounds of equity, it makes
sense that everyone be able to use their native script for markup
as well as text, without privileging those scripts that happened
to make the Unicode 2.0 deadline.

On the other hand, some scripts may not need to be included.
It is apparent that ancient Goths, Norsemen, Babylonians, etc.
will not demand the use of native-language markup.  I have also
been told (not by a native speaker) that any Yi speakers who get
to the stage of wanting native language markup would find it perfectly
acceptable to use romanized Yi instead, because you cannot learn
to use a computer at present without learning the romanization.

I am most interested in your views.

> Some of the items in which you might have an interest:

Thanks for this information; do I have your permission to pass
it to interested parties?

Received on Monday, 16 July 2001 07:44:54 UTC