docno|NN =|SYM "|'' lists-|NN 003|CD -|: 2205935|CD "|'' received|VBD =|SYM "|'' Fri|NNP Jul|NNP 9|CD 09:47:54|NN 1993|CD EST|NNP "|'' sent|VBD =|SYM "|'' Fri|NNP ,|, 09|CD Jul|NNP 1993|CD 18:25:04|NN +|NN 0200|CD "|'' name|NN =|SYM "|'' Andr|NNP '|POS e|SYM PIRARD|NNP "|'' email|NN =|SYM "|'' PIRARD@vm1.ulg.ac.be|NN "|'' subject|JJ =|SYM "|'' Thoughts|NNP about|IN characters|NNS transmission|NN "|'' id|NN =|SYM "|'' 01H0C1LQB78Y8WWAUK@INNOSOFT.COM|NN "|'' inreplyto|NN =|SYM "|'' Tue|NNP ,|, 6|CD Jul|NNP 93|CD 20:10|NN GMT|NNP "|'' To|TO :|: "|'' Robert|NNP G.|NN Moskowitz|NNP "|'' <|NN 0003858921@mcimail.com|NN >|NN ,|, ietf-charsets@INNOSOFT.COM|NN ,|, I|PRP have|VBP not|RB much|JJ time|NN to|TO spend|VB on|IN this|DT subject|NN ,|, but|CC I|PRP would|MD have|VB felt|VBN bad|JJ not|RB to|TO express|VB these|DT opinions|NNS once|RB .|. 

I|PRP have|VBP learned|VBN with|IN much|RB interest|NN that|IN people|NNS envision|VBP solutions|NNS for|IN international|JJ characters|NNS data|NNS exchange|VBP with|IN a|DT wider|JJR point|NN of|IN view|NN than|IN usually|RB heard|VBN in|IN the|DT networking|NN sphere|NN .|. 
I|PRP have|VBP been|VBN spending|VBG quite|RB a|DT time|NN of|IN my|PRP$ life|NN with|IN such|JJ problems|NNS .|. 
I|PRP thought|VBD I|PRP could|MD contribute|VB with|IN a|DT small|JJ text|NN explaining|VBG the|DT way|NN I|PRP have|VBP finally|RB come|VB to|TO think|VB of|IN the|DT problem|NN .|. 
Nothing|NN totally|RB new|JJ ,|, probably|RB ,|, but|CC a|DT different|JJ shed|VB of|IN light|JJ ,|, maybe|RB .|. 
The|DT text|NN may|MD sound|VB theoretical|JJ at|IN first|NN .|. 
It|PRP is|VBZ just|RB terse|JJ .|. 
The|DT ideas|NNS are|VBP based|VBN on|IN experience|NN .|. 
They|PRP have|VBP been|VBN put|VBN to|TO use|VB in|IN the|DT field|NN of|IN 8|CD -|: bit|NN characters|NNS .|. 
I|PRP participated|VBD to|TO the|DT design|NN of|IN Kermit|NNP multinational|JJ 8|CD -|: bit|NN characters|NNS support|VBP and|CC the|DT TCP|NNP /|NN IP|NNP network|NN I|PRP work|VBP for|IN is|VBZ well|RB on|IN the|DT way|NN towards|IN the|DT the|DT same|JJ theory|NN that|IN every|DT character|NN on|IN the|DT communication|NN line|NN is|VBZ ISO|NNP 8859|CD -|: 1|CD .|. 
Any|DT exception|NN to|TO this|DT ,|, like|IN translating|VBG EBCDIC|NNP directly|RB to|TO PC|NN code|NN on|IN one|CD machine|NN ,|, is|VBZ considered|VBN harmful|JJ to|TO our|PRP$ internetworking|VBG ,|, even|RB if|IN convenient|JJ .|. 

Every|DT piece|NN working|VBG towards|IN a|DT common|NN well|RB defined|VBN goal|NN finally|RB pays|VBZ more|JJR when|WRB all|DT parts|NNS start|VBP to|TO clutch|NN than|IN wandering|VBG for|IN immediate|JJ interest|NN .|. 
And|CC I|PRP hope|VBP that|IN saying|VBG that|IN my|PRP$ language|NN is|VBZ French|JJ will|MD make|VB the|DT ideas|NNS in|IN a|DT difficult|JJ to|TO write|VB text|NN even|RB more|RBR convincing|JJ ,|, despite|IN being|VBG short|JJ .|. 

Networking|NNP has|VBZ had|VBN for|IN long|JJ the|DT problem|NN of|IN a|DT common|JJ representation|NN of|IN computer-specific|JJ data|NNS (|( numbers|NNS ,|, bit|NN strings|NNS ...|... )|) on|IN the|DT wire|NN (|( rather|RB ,|, on|IN the|DT connection|NN )|) ,|, because|IN different|JJ computers|NNS had|VBD different|JJ conventions|NNS for|IN them|PRP .|. 
To|TO solve|VB this|DT problem|NN ,|, rules|NNS like|IN XDR|NNP (|( external|JJ data|NNS representation|NN )|) have|VBP been|VBN devised|VBN ,|, and|CC ,|, because|IN it|PRP was|VBD so|RB important|JJ ,|, the|DT rules|NNS have|VBP been|VBN adopted|VBN .|. 

Character|NN data|NNS caused|VBD little|JJ problem|NN because|IN ASCII|NNP was|VBD assumed|VBN ,|, full|JJ stop|NN .|. 
There|EX was|VBD hardly|RB an|DT expressed|JJ rule|NN .|. 
It|PRP was|VBD tacit|JJ computer|NN culture|NN .|. 

Now|RB that|DT networking|NN reaches|VBZ its|PRP$ real|JJ dimension|NN of|IN an|DT international|JJ mesh|NN ,|, the|DT problem|NN of|IN national|JJ languages|NNS usage|NN becomes|VBZ very|RB real|JJ ,|, at|IN least|JJS locally|RB ,|, but|CC more|JJR and|CC more|RBR internationally|RB .|. 
Any|DT computer|NN has|VBZ to|TO exchange|VB more|JJR than|IN ASCII|NNP .|. 

Many|JJ generous|JJ people|NNS have|VBP spent|VBN much|JJ time|NN to|TO have|VB system|NN Si|NNP with|IN character|NN code|NN Ci|NNP translate|VB data|NNS for|IN system|NN Sj|NNP with|IN code|NN Cj|NNP under|IN protocol|NN Pk|NNP .|. 
With|IN much|JJ respect|NN for|IN their|PRP$ work|NN ,|, this|DT is|VBZ not|RB (|( no|RB longer|RB )|) the|DT way|NN to|TO do|VB it|PRP .|. 
Supposing|NNP that|IN N|NNP character|NN codes|NNS exist|VBP on|IN different|JJ systems|NNS ,|, the|DT effort|NN amounts|NNS to|TO M|NNP *|NN N|NNP *|NN *|NN 2|CD to|TO reach|VB a|DT complete|JJ solution|NN .|. 
Let|VB us|PRP count|VBP the|DT different|JJ character|NN codes|NNS (|( IBM|NNP have|VBP their|PRP$ share|NN )|) and|CC protocols|NNS ,|, the|DT bill|NN is|VBZ amazing|JJ !|. 

The|DT _|NN most|JJS _|NN important|JJ _|NN point|NN _|NN is|VBZ that|IN a|DT single|JJ common|JJ representation|NN code|NN be|VB defined|VBN _|NN for|IN _|NN the|DT _|NN line|NN _|NN (|( suiting|VBG the|DT purpose|NN ,|, namely|RB to|TO cover|VB all|DT national|JJ languages|NNS in|IN one|CD single|JJ way|NN )|) and|CC that|IN people|NNS be|VB instructed|VBN that|IN every|DT bit|NN of|IN text|NN should|MD travel|VB in|IN that|DT code|NN on|IN the|DT wire|NN ,|, whatever|WDT _|NN the|DT _|NN protocol|NN _|NN is|VBZ .|. 
(|( Meaning|NNP that|IN common|JJ tools|NNS be|VB available|JJ to|TO translate|VB present|JJ local|JJ code|NN )|) .|. 
It|PRP is|VBZ best|JJS for|IN a|DT computer|NN to|TO use|VB the|DT code|NN of|IN interchange|NN internally|RB ,|, but|CC all|DT computers|NNS in|IN the|DT world|NN can|MD not|RB be|VB modified|VBN overnight|JJ .|. 

What|WP computer|NN Si|NNP has|VBZ to|TO do|VB to|TO abide|VB by|IN the|DT external|JJ representation|NN is|VBZ the|DT sole|JJ matter|NN of|IN computer|NN Si|NNP :|: to|TO appear|VB to|TO others|NNS as|IN if|IN it|PRP were|VBD using|VBG it|PRP internally|RB .|. 
On|IN any|DT protocol|NN the|DT same|JJ way|NN ,|, even|RB during|IN dialog|NN with|IN computer|NN Ti|NNP using|VBG the|DT same|JJ code|NN (|( "|'' One|CD need|MD not|RB know|VB which|WDT kind|NN of|IN system|NN one|CD is|VBZ sending|VBG mail|NN to|TO "|'' )|) .|. 
No|DT tagging|VBG of|IN the|DT data|NNS nor|CC any|DT need|VBP to|TO know|VB any|DT character|NN code|NN other|JJ than|IN one|CD 's|POS own|JJ and|CC the|DT interchange|NN code|NN .|. 
The|DT M|NNP *|NN N|NNP *|NN *|NN 2|CD order|NN of|IN magnitude|NN reduces|VBZ to|TO N.|NN 
This|DT is|VBZ the|DT extended|VBN "|'' ASCII|NNP culture|NN "|'' of|IN some|DT future|NN ,|, no|DT doubt|NN .|. 

It|PRP is|VBZ a|DT very|RB important|JJ goal|NN just|RB now|RB .|. 

It|PRP is|VBZ a|DT fact|NN that|IN the|DT choice|NN of|IN a|DT character|NN code|NN has|VBZ long|JJ lasting|JJ effects|NNS ,|, because|IN of|IN the|DT building|NN software|NN base|NN .|. 
The|DT impact|NN of|IN today|NN 's|POS decisions|NNS is|VBZ amplified|VBN by|IN time|NN .|. 
The|DT sooner|RBR the|DT better|JJR .|. 
The|DT better|VB the|DT sooner|RBR .|. 

More|RBR theoretically|RB said|VBD this|DT time|NN ,|, this|DT local-code|JJ to|TO exchange-code|JJ translation|NN works|VBZ much|JJ a|DT la|FW OSI|NNP layer|NN (|( or|CC "|'' a|DT `|`` la|FW "|'' ,|, if|IN you|PRP do|VBP n't|RB mind|VB :|: -|: )|) 
Data|NNP is|VBZ encoded|JJ towards|IN a|DT lower|JJR layer|NN ,|, exchanged|VBD ,|, and|CC decoded|JJ back|RB to|TO same|JJ level|NN ,|, but|CC possibly|RB to|TO a|DT different|JJ local|JJ code|NN .|. 

It|PRP probably|RB belongs|VBZ between|IN level|NN 6|CD and|CC 7|CD ,|, as|IN it|PRP could|MD prove|VB that|IN the|DT application|NN layer|NN provides|VBZ all|PDT the|DT textual|NN data|NN .|. 
But|CC that|DT 's|VBZ not|RB sure|JJ ,|, like|IN for|IN XDR|NNP which|WDT can|MD be|VB used|VBN from|IN many|JJ levels|NNS to|TO convert|VB CPU|NNP data|NNS to|TO line|VB format|NN .|. 

Should|MD we|PRP merge|VB "|'' presentation|NN "|'' and|CC "|'' representation|NN "|'' layers|NNS ,|, split|NN level|NN 6|CD like|IN level|NN 2|CD or|CC not|RB assign|VB it|PRP to|TO any|DT level|NN ,|, I|PRP 'll|MD leave|VB the|DT discussion|NN to|TO the|DT theoricians|NNS .|. 

What|WP seems|VBZ clear|JJ in|IN my|PRP$ mind|NN is|VBZ that|IN the|DT translation|NN is|VBZ not|RB in|IN several|JJ final|JJ protocols|NNS ,|, but|CC a|DT protocol|NN by|IN itself|PRP --|: like|IN XDR|NNP --|: that|IN other|JJ protocols|NNS refer|VBP to|TO .|. 

And|CC this|DT may|MD be|VB the|DT most|RBS important|JJ point|NN .|. 
It|PRP is|VBZ a|DT pity|NN to|TO see|VB each|DT protocol|NN tackle|VBP the|DT problem|NN its|PRP$ own|JJ way|NN .|. 

Note|VB that|IN the|DT "|'' level|NN 6|CD or|CC so|RB "|'' concept|NN applied|VBN to|TO text|NN extends|VBZ slightly|RB beyond|IN the|DT representation|NN of|IN characters|NNS (|( and|CC binary|JJ data|NNS )|) towards|IN file|NN structure|NN .|. 
Think|VBP of|IN the|DT line|NN separator|NN problem|NN of|IN NFS|NNP for|IN the|DT basic|JJ case|NN of|IN text|NN files|NNS .|. 
While|IN file|NN structure|NN (|( including|VBG file|NN name|NN etc|FW ...|... )|) is|VBZ clearly|RB a|DT specialized|JJ problem|NN (|( as|IN opposed|VBN to|TO communication|NN of|IN streams|NNS of|IN text|NN )|) ,|, the|DT impact|NN on|IN systems|NNS and|CC protocols|NNS design|NN is|VBZ just|RB as|IN high|NN .|. 

Clearly|RB ,|, it|PRP will|MD take|VB much|JJ time|NN to|TO stand|VB in|IN ASCII|NNP 's|POS shoes|NNS .|. 
But|CC doing|VBG otherwise|RB would|MD take|VB even|RB longer|RBR to|TO erase|VB and|CC redo|VB .|. 
One|PRP can|MD not|RB increase|VB complication|NN eternally|RB .|. 

Some|DT intermediate|JJ compromises|NNS will|MD have|VB to|TO be|VB used|VBN like|IN additional|JJ encoding|VBG on|IN pathes|NNS some|DT insist|VBP to|TO not|RB even|RB try|VB to|TO convert|VB to|TO 8|CD -|: bit|NN ,|, asking|VBG the|DT rest|NN of|IN the|DT networks|NNS to|TO convert|VB to|TO 7|CD -|: bit|NN instead|RB and|CC to|TO rewrite|VB all|DT their|PRP$ programs|NNS to|TO use|VB a|DT complicated|JJ method|NN for|IN sending|VBG plain|JJ text|NN when|WRB the|DT sole|JJ problem|NN is|VBZ that|IN it|PRP contains|VBZ 8|CD -|: bit|NN data|NNS .|. 

The|DT important|JJ thing|NN is|VBZ that|IN the|DT new|JJ layer|NN be|VB known|VBN and|CC used|VBN .|. 
It|PRP 's|VBZ the|DT interest|NN of|IN both|DT the|DT software|NN writer|NN and|CC buyer|NN .|. 
It|PRP will|MD get|VB void|NN when|WRB a|DT system|NN will|MD use|VB the|DT interchange|NN code|NN for|IN itself|PRP .|. 

Now|RB that|IN the|DT international|JJ character|NN code|NN ISO|NNP 10646|CD is|VBZ out|IN ,|, is|VBZ n't|RB it|PRP time|NN for|IN communication|NN systems|NNS to|TO be|VB able|JJ to|TO not|RB only|RB exchange|VB pictures|NNS and|CC sound|NN but|CC also|RB plain|JJ text|NN ?|. 
Will|MD ISO|NNP 10646|CD be|VB used|VBN by|IN OSI|NNP 6|CD ?|. 

Thanks|NNS for|IN your|PRP$ interest|NN .|. 

I|PRP go|VBP away|RB for|IN holidays|NNS today|NN .|. 
If|IN you|PRP write|VBP anything|NN you|PRP want|VBP me|PRP to|TO read|VB ,|, please|VB make|VB a|DT personal|JJ reply|NN and|CC allow|VB for|IN two|CD weeks|NNS before|IN I|PRP can|MD read|VB it|PRP .|. 
I|PRP have|VBP picked|VBN addresses|NNS from|IN a|DT BOF|NNP announcement|NN and|CC sent|VBD to|TO mailing|NN lists|NNS I|PRP am|VBP not|RB on|IN .|. 
Feel|NNP free|JJ to|TO forward|RB the|DT text|NN to|TO anyone|NN intersted|JJ .|. 

Andr|NNP '|POS e|SYM PIRARD|NNP SEGI|NNP ,|, Univ|NNP .|. de|IN Li|NNP `|`` ege|NN ||NN 139.165|CD .0|CD .0|CD IP|NNP (|( ULg|NNP )|) B|NN 26|CD -|: Sart|NNP Tilman|NNP B-|NNP 4000|CD Li|NNP `|`` ege|NN 1|CD (|( Belgium|NNP )|) ||NN Architecture|NNP &|CC Adm.|NN pirard@vm1.ulg.ac.be|NN aka|NN PIRARD@BLIULG11.BITNET|NN +|NN 32|CD (|( 41|CD )|) 564932|CD 
What|WP is|VBZ an|DT FAQ|NNP is|VBZ a|DT frequently|RB asked|VBN question|NN .|. 

