Unicode block for programming related symbols and codepoints?

John D Burger john at mitre.org
Mon Feb 9 09:37:38 CST 2015


>> - Indentation codepoint, with no fixed defined graphical representation. For indentation based programming languages. 
> 
> That wouldn’t be compliant with existing languages and future languages might use any existing character. 
> 
>> Because: 
>> -- specific clients may want to show it different (for example as arrows, lines etc., using another color): 
> 
> Can’t good editors display tabs in a different color when required ? 

Lots of them already do, e.g. Emacs in various modes.

- John Burger
  MITRE

> 
>> --- browsers could let the web page creator let decide the visual representation (character and size) via CSS 
>> --- the same with editors, independent from the actual font 
>> --- in case of visual impairment, the user could even change the accoustical representation if the editor allows it 
>> -- unlike a space symbol, it wouldn't need more than one character per indentation 
>> -- unlike tabs or space, it wouldn't be whitespace 
>> -- unlike normal arrow characters, one could customize the length in an editor and wouldn't have to insert extra spaces for a better visual imagery 
>> 
>> - A codepoint for string literal quotes, that would spare one the escaping. 
> 
> I rarely escape quotes. 
> In a text, I use ’ (U+2019) as an apostrophe and «»“”‘’ as quotes, so I don’t need to escape them. 
> When I use PHP to generate some HTML code, I try to alternate simple and double quotes as much as possible. That way I rarely need to escape them. 
> 
>> - A statement separator symbol. 
> 
> To replace the semicolon in C and the languages based on its syntax? 
> 
>> - Other ideas? 
> 
> Aren’t you trying to reinvent APL? 
> 
>> 
>> You may now think, this is highly specific and you are right. 
>> However, so are EMOJI signs, in particular those like PINE DECORATION. 
>> 
>> These days, there are a lot of tools to create small embedded scripting languages and DSLs, which are used in-program in special editors. And there is a lot of people using them. 
>> Exactly these could really profit from such a codeblock instead of using conventional ASCII subset characters. 
>> Also, there is a lot of potential with really good text editors and IDEs where semantics may matter a lot. 
>> 
>> Excuse my english, I hope this was understandable. 
>> 
>> Best regards, 
>> 
>> A. Z. 
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> 
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