UTF-8, UTF-16 and UTF-32

[Dallas Clarke]

Dear Matthew



This was never a debate between the merits of UTF-8 verses UTF-16 verses 
UTF-32, nor was it a debate about the merits of Linux/Solaris verses 
Windows, it was a discussion about the lack of standardized support for 
UTF-16 in gcc and with the move by Microsoft to deprecate UTF-8 in favour 
for UTF-16, it would make life increasingly difficult for all gcc developers 
to process UTF-16.



I can competently code in both a Linux/Solaris and Windows environment, I 
choose primarily Windows because I like writing software that interacts with 
people. Such social skills are surely lacking in other environments. And as 
much as you would like to believe that people like me are Windoze 
developers, it took me nearly 10 years to master the WinAPI plus MFC plus 
.NET architectures, but only about 2 months to master the Linux/Solaris 
APIs.



I like technology, I like change, if Microsoft deprecates the .NET 
architecture (which I think they have already done with .Net v3.5 XML / XSLT 
architecture), I will just spend the time upgrading to the new design - who 
wants to be a stick in the mud?



Yours sincerely,

Dallas.

http://www.ekkySoftware.com