Re: ruby-mode : ruby-mode-set-encoding

[Stefan Monnier]

>> > To avoid "arbitrarily" breaking software systems and development
>> > environments that target other character sets.
>> Sorry, I meant "didn't" instead of "don't": these are recent programming
>> languages, and since Java was able to do it why couldn't Python do it?

> You're showing your age, Stefan, to call these "recent" programming
> languages!  And I think your memory may be going, because IIRC Java
> did nothing of the kind.

My memory isn't completely gone, it seems, since what I meant was indeed:

> Java supported only Unicode from the get-go IIRC.

But indeed, it is on the way out because I thought Java predated Python,
whereas it's the other way around.  This explains that.
OTOH Ruby came out pretty much at the same time as Java, so they clearly
could have done the same as Java, tho its Japanese connection might
explain that Unicode didn't seem like such a great idea to them at
the time.


        Stefan