[uf-discuss] Currency Quickpoll: Preliminary results

[Lachlan Hunt]

Mike Schinkel wrote:
> Lachlan Hunt wrote:
>> For a program to do so, it would have to be aware of every single
>> alphanumeric character in Unicode.  That does not just include
>> [A-Za-z0-9].  It might be easier to do the reverse and know of
>> every character that isn't a known currency symbol, but then even
>> that list of symbols is missing some.
> 
> Is there not a regular expression that can provide every single
> alphanumeric character?

No, that's my point.  Have you seen how many characters there are in 
Unicode?  It may be theoretically possible to write such a regular 
expression, but it would very complex.

> Alternately, wouldn't it be preferred to have minimal markup if 
> [A-Za-z0-9] can be assumed and more complex markup if it cannot 
> as opposed to having all cases be the more complex markup?

[A-Za-z0-9] effectively only covers English.  There are hundreds of 
languages and thousands of characters covered by Unicode.

>> However, the format could make provisions for some form of
>> quantity, even if it doesn't explicitly define what such quantities
>> are.
> 
> I assume you are suggesting it would be optional, not required?

Yes.

> OTOH, if there is another microformat planned for measure, is it
> advisable to design in overlap?

I don't see it as overlapping, but rather leaving room for future expansion.

>> One of the problems I have with hCard is that those abbreviated class 
>> names are difficult to comprehend and remember...
>>
>> Abbreviations can be good in many cases, but you have to be careful
>> not to introduce too much confusion or ambiguity for authors.
> 
> However, I would disagree with abbreviations; the more ways it can be
> done, the more complexity in the spec and in the parser.  Better to
> have just one way until desired functionality requires multiple ways.

What?  I have no idea what you're talking about, I think you 
misunderstood what I was saying.  By abbreviations, I was referring to 
abbreviated class names, like those used in hCard.

-- 
Lachlan Hunt
http://lachy.id.au/