Dear All,
I would like to explain why Myanmar computer users conception on font.
1. As mentioned in Ko Ngwe Tun's previous discussion, we use internet cafe
computers and have *less option for installing new fonts or browser based
addon*.
2. *Myanmar Unicode has history of breaking previous version and luck of
migration support*. It is rather strange that there is NO convertor
available for myanmar1 (Unicode 4.0) to myanmar2 (Unicode 4.1) or myanmar2
to myanmar3 (Unicode 5.1). People don't trust to follow Myanmar Unicode now.
People even think Unicode Font is government stuff.
3. *Unicode font are not redistributation* (yes wrong, but it is what people
think). This result low uptake of Unicode Font on web site. A web site will
not be happy to ask visitor to welcome with "please go to this web site to
install Unicode 5.1 font". A preferable solution is as provided by Zawgyi
publisher that freely redistribute on any web site.
4. *Free Unicode fonts offer low quality. *As webmastering in many web
sites, I know all three Unicode 5.1 fonts are not visually acceptable
quality.
5. *Unicode font input methods are low quality, extra cost or branding*.
Zawgyi uers has long being enjoy phonetic input.
I really think Myanmar Unicode uptake will take a long way, may be two more
years at least to change the people perception.
Myanmar Wikipedia should not take the burdon. At bottom line, Wkipedia is
providing knowledge, not font. Also people don't think Wikipedia is good
enough to install a new font.
One thing to Mr Everson. I know Unicode standard fonts are the way to go and
Zawgyi is not. He talked a lot of rubbish. In this mailing list, everybody
understand important of Standard. But most don't know is how to make the
Standard widely use.
Best regards,
Okisan
On Sat, Jul 26, 2008 at 11:31 AM, Andrew Cunningham
<lang.support(a)gmail.com>wrote;wrote:
Hi all
2008/7/25 Jimmy Wales <jwales(a)wikia.com>
Michael Everson wrote:
I see your point, though in terms of Zawgyi we
have a body of people who philosophically refuse
to upgrade.
That's odd. What reasons do they give?
Probably many reasons. Similar to the Vietnamese encoding wars before the
widespread adoption of Unicode.
And i suspect that lack of wide spread font rendering/text layout solutions
is part of that
But the prevalent use of that font in web pages and blogs is another factor
But as Jimmy commented on about communities building up, I suspect that
Zawgyi has had such a similar phenomenon, it is a mechanism of display etxt
in various social networks that have evolved on the internet. So people
becoem atatched to it.
But proper support of Burmese and minority langauges do call for Unicode
5.1 compliant solutions both short and long term.
As Michael indicates it is important to have solutions in place for
Sanskirt and minority langauges as well as Burmese on
my.wikipedia.org. To
his list i'd also add Pali.
I find myself in a difficult position, working for a state library, a SA. I
have to support licesing and copyright. Wether its open source, creative
commons, a commercial EULA. And Myanmar Unicode 5.1 solutions are relatively
hampered in the Windows environment by licensing issues.
Being involved with W3C inetrnationalisation activities, I strongly support
web standards and best practice, esp with respect to internationalisation
and accessibility (in its broadest sense) and from that perspective Unicode
5.1 is the best approach.
I'd agrue their should be a single community building articles for
wikipedia in Burmese. perosnally transcoding for end users is an posisble
interim measure. Although I'd suggets that editors are encouraged and aided
in migrating to Unicode 5.1, and that transcoding is left to supporting
thaose end users that require it.
Michael and others, I'd like to assist in analysing the fonts and CSS if
there is anyway I could help.
--
Andrew Cunningham
Vicnet Research and Development Coordinator
State Library of Victoria
Australia
andrewc(a)vicnet.net.au
lang.support(a)gmail.com
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