CHARTER FOR RARE WORKING GROUP ON
CHARACTER SETS
(WG-CHAR)
21-Jul-1992
R.CH.S(92)12
1. OBJECTIVES, SCOPE AND METHODS
1.1 Objectives
The objectives are:
a. To provide a forum for coordination of European efforts
to introduce support for multiple character sets in
networked services
b. To act as a focus for user-requirement in the emerging
Character Set Technology and related standard documents
c. To encourage the availability of commercial products
supporting multiple character sets
d. To ensure ways and methods enabling the RARE users requirements
regarding the support of the multiple character sets to be met
in the relevant standard documents and IT applications used through
the network servoces.
1.2 Scope
The scope of the group encompassing the development of both
standards and applications, including:
- Establishing and determining the requirements of the RARE community for
support of the languages it encompasses
Repertoires/Subrepertoires
Registrations (IANA)
- Character sets technology:
identification
properties/attributes
coding methods
transformation/transliteration
correspondance between characters and glyphs
visual representation at the user devices/user interfaces
- Developing mechanisms to allow existing services and
terminal equipment to usefully transport and display
multiple character sets
- Support of multiple character sets in higher layer protocols
Directory, DNS, WWW, Gopher, WAIS, WHOIS
- Study and promotion of the new Document Processing and Interchange
technology with support and use of different character set repertoires
SGML, ODA, ODE, DSSSL, EDI/EDIFACT
- Promoting pilot implementations of services supporting
multiple character sets
1.3 Methods
To achieve the above objectives, the following means and methods are
to be used:
- Exchange and dissemination of knowledge and practical experiences
via e-mail-distribution lists and during occasional meetings
of WG-CHAR.
- The creation of small Task Force groups to address specific issues.
- Necessary administrative, secretarial and organisational support
is provided by RARE Secretariat in accordance with tasks and
procedures as agreed on between WG-CHAR convenor and RARE-Secretariat.
- Liaison with manufacturers and service providers to promote awareness
and availability of services which respect the linguistic needs of
the community.
- Cooperation and liason with the following bodies: EWOS, CEN/CENELEC,
IETF etc,
- Evaluate the standards under development and provide input regarding
RARE user requirements, liaise with appropriate manufacturers developing
new products in the field.
2. MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to anyone who wishes to join the WG-CHAR mailing list.
To subscribe, send mail to mailserver(_at_)rare(_dot_)nl containing in the body
of
the message:
SUBSCRIBE WG-CHAR Givenname Lastname
Membership is particularly encouraged from:
- Experts in the computer-representation of languages
- Operators and providers of network services who wish
to co-operate in the development of multi-lingual services
- Manufacturers of software and equipment sold in a
multinational environment.
- Developers of user interfaces on different equipments
(printers, terminals) for support of fonts and character
set repertoires
- Experts involved in developing API and other items
within the Internationalized efforts in the IT scene
- Experts involved in computer added translation of written text
in different natural languages.
3. POLICY ON STANDARDS
The policy on standards follows the general RARE policy:
- The group should strive to pursue open standards where possible
- Where such standards are not available, other solutions may be
proposed
- The group should be constituted in such a way that it is a body
acceptable for the purposes of having change control over Internet
standards documents
4. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER WORKING GROUPS
Communication and co-ordination with other RARE Working Groups is
achieved by:
- Co-ordination of work programs via the RTC
- Cross-participation in related groups
- Joint task forces created in co-operation with other groups
5. FURTHER INFORMATION
Additional information can be obtained by sending mail to
mailserver(_at_)rare(_dot_)nl containing in the body of the message:
INFORMATION WG-CHAR