Re: [WMASTERS] Re: glyph choices for char.encoding -version 1.2

["Harold F. Schiffman" <haroldfs@ccat.sas.upenn.edu>]

> In my opinion we can leave Tamil Nuermals. Its something
> 99.99 % out of Tamil. Even if its needed in some special
> cases (assuming that the user will use some GUI systems),
> it can be done using different "fonts".
> 
> Also because, it does not look good to "encode" two number
> system in an "ecnoding standard". One number can have only
> one code. How does it matter for calculations whether its
> Tamil number or Roman number.
> 
> We have the code already. Answer for "Whether it will be rendered as
> a Tamil Number or Roman Number", we will leave it to the
> Tamil community. And the answer is "Trivial".

Actually, I have about given up on the old-style ai's (lai etc.) but it
does occur to me that if you are going to include Tamil numbers, it would
be for the same reason appropriate to include old-style lai's.  The logic
is the same.  You would only use them to replicate older texts.

I myself only use Tamil numerals for one purpose, and it has very little
to do with computing.  I use them as a secret code:  I write down my PIN
numbers (of credit cards etc.) in Tamil numerals, because the likelihood
of a crook being able to read them in North America is zero. 
If we need Tamil numerals in a font encoding scheme, why don't we need
old-style lai's etc.? (Just wondering.)


H. Schiffman