Re: .jp Localization of apps/libraries. (was "Re: [Gnome-print] Re: [ynakai@redhat.com: Re: Gnumeric bug 15607]")

[Yukihiro Nakai <ynakai redhat com>]

On Thu, 23 Nov 2000 09:11:00 -0600
Chema Celorio <chema@celorio.com> wrote:

> [added Owen to the CC: field]
> .....
> Yukihiro Nakai Wrote :
> > > Now we start to localize the next Red Hat Linux (7.1 called internally)
> > > but the first job is to remove whole UTF8 codes from gnumeric, gnome-print
> > > and other completely...
> ...
> 
> You are going to do What ?
> Remove the whole UTF8 from gnumeric, gnome-print and other completely ???

If thier new feature that depends on UTF8 prevents our traditional code, EUC-JP,
sorry we will delete them if we can't fix them...

> It does not make sense. It's crazy.
> I don't think that is the solution at all.
> 
> We are moving all the apps and libraries to UTF-8. 
> Removing  the UTF-8 code from all the sources is a LOT
> of work and will infest the programs with bugs.
> Also, if you do this for RedHat 7.1, you are going
> to have to do this again for every RedHat release.

It's our job. We always do that. GNOME, KDE, printing, input methods etc, etc...
In GNOME, gnome-libs, gnome-core, gnomecc, etc, etc...
We will patch again and again and again if the upstream does not accept
the patches. Sometimes there's no upstream. It's unavoidable whether
we do or don't want...

> We need to address the real problems, with real solutions.
> 
> Can you sumarize the specific problems you have with the use of UTF-8 ?

- Firstly, not only our products, but also almost of all Linux related products
  does not ready for UTF-8 yet especially in multibyte environments.
  It takes more time to be so. I think it's more than 2 or 3 years.
  So if there is an app that considers only UTF-8, or is too optimized
  for UTF-8, it's the problem.

- Some CJK characters with different glyphs share same code in UTF-8.
  So, if developers make such apps that show or print Japanese and Chinese
  at the same time, it's the problem. But Lauris told me there is a same
  problem in English and German, so this seems to be known well...

I discussed about those with Lauris, Jody and Miguel and now I see
they also support the legacy locales and multibyte in gnome-print, gnumeric.

But the bigger problem is:

- Most developers tend to ignore or lost our important mails.

I don't know why.   

Thank you for having time to discuss about our problem...

---
Yukihiro Nakai, Red Hat Japan, Development.