Re: the utf8 flag (was Re: decode_utf8 sets utf8 flag on plain ascii strings)

Marc Lehmann skribis 2007-03-31  3:05 (+0200):
> Oh, maybe I know the reason for the confusion.
> I do talk about the *Perl* level, while you often talk
about the
> *implementation*. When I say byte or octet string
below, I mean on the
> Perl level. 

This is not the reason for confusion, because I also discuss
the Perl
level. For my terminology, I use whatever is common in the
Perl
reference documentation.

> For example, on the Perl level, upgrading a string does
not
> change its semantics anywhere except w.r.t. to bugs and
unpack: It still
> stays an octet string if it was an octet string
before.

s/octet string/character string/ and you're entirely right.
"Octets" are
a bit harder, because of the definition of an octet:

    octet

        <jargon, networking> Eight bits. This term is
used in
        networking, in preference to byte, because some
systems use the
        term "byte" for things that are not 8 bits
long.

There's no easy way to fit numbers greater than 255 into 8
bits without
sacrificing support for 0 thru 255 inclusive. It may even be
impossible.
Who knows. The person who invents a way of storing more than
255
distinct numbers in unique single octets, will probably get
famous very
quickly 
-- 
korajn salutojn,

  juerd waalboer:  perl hacker  <juerdjuerd.nl>  <http://juerd.nl/sig>
  convolution:     ict solutions and consultancy
<salesconvolution.nl>

Ik vertrouw stemcomputers niet.
Zie <ht
tp://www.wijvertrouwenstemcomputersniet.nl/>.

On Sat, Mar 31, 2007 at 03:21:06AM +0200, Juerd Waalboer
<juerdconvolution.nl> wrote:
> > For example, on the Perl level, upgrading a string
does not
> > change its semantics anywhere except w.r.t. to
bugs and unpack: It still
> > stays an octet string if it was an octet string
before.
> 
> s/octet string/character string/ and you're entirely
right. "Octets" are
> a bit harder, because of the definition of an octet:

Please stop correcting completely correct statements. I am
entirely right
when I talk about octet strings above. It is a trivial fact.
It is said
when you think it isn't entirely correct, but that doesn't
give you the
right to your current behaviour.

>         <jargon, networking> Eight bits. This
term is used in

And stop lecturing me about basic stuff. I quite well know
what an
octet is, and I am quite certain when I chose
"octet" over "byte" or
"character".

I meant "octet string" above, and my statement is
entirely correct with
"octet string".

If you think you need to correct me, please state why the
above isn't
entirely right in its original form. In fact, I now assume
you are
very confused about that byte/octet/character stuff if you
cannot even
understand the correctness of simple facts like the sentence
on top of
this mail.

And I am full of your ridicule and belittlement. I am not
impressed by
people who make empty claims and miscorrect completely
correct statements
because they have difficulties understanding them. If you
want to be
taken seriously, try it with logics (which you find not
useful at times),
not abusive behaviour (which certainly isn't useful
anytime). Certainly I am
not impressed by illogical arguments, or even non-arguments
such as personal
coding style preferences, which I happily tolerate as
opinions, but should
never be presented as the only true way without sound
arguments.

-- 
                The choice of a
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