Subj : UTF vs specific
To   : Karel Kral
From : Michiel van der Vlist
Date : Sat Sep 19 2026 11:46 am

Hello Karel,

On 19 Sep 26 08:29, you wrote to Eugene Subbotin:

 KK> Then I will wait for it. I thought conversion between 1 byte and "more
 KK> than one byte" encoding is that big move in new Golded+ approach.

You have to realize that in many cases conversion between one byte set and 
UTF-8 is a one way street. Ever so often conversion from UTF-8 to one byte set 
is not possible because it does not fit.

 ES>> But PLEASE do not post CP895 messages to Fidonet!

 KK> This I can not agree. It is about moderators of each echomail
 KK> conference and its rules. For r42 is only alowed CP895 (since ever). I
 KK> did some investigation since my rc42 and will not change.

That is for the sysops of R42 to decide.

 ES>> Neither the Fidonet standard FTS-5003 nor IANA recognizes this

 KK> Checking that FTS - 7.4.2012 - far after CodePage was stabilized in
 KK> r42. FTS should not be accepted in that shape, that time.

If the sysops of Region 42 wanted CP895 included they should have spoken in 
april 2012 when the draft for FTS-5003.001 was published. Now that the FTSC has 
stopped documenting current practise it is too late.

 ES>> encoding. Nobody else has a table for it - iconv, Windows and
 ES>> OS/2 do not know the charset - so every other reader, GoldED+
 ES>> without tables included, shows a CP895 message as rubbish,
 ES>> exactly what you saw.

 KK> I am using that code page since ever (in fidonet). See proper and use
 KK> characters. I wondered if new Golded+ can help me to live with OS in
 KK> UTF - which can not so far.

 KK> What must be done: 1) add CP895 into iconv

Considering that CP895 is a bit of an oddball not recognised in most of the 
rest of the world, that is not likely to happen. Also because almost anywone 
outside Fidonet has already made the switch to UTF-8 many years ago. Nobody 
will invest time and energy in reviving obsolete 8 bit characters sets.

 KK> and 2) get Golded+ working with 1byte against UTF and back conversion

That will be a waste of time and energy. Just skip that fase and go directly to 
UTF-8. That is the future for Fidonet. For the rest of the digital world UTF-8 
already is the present.


Cheers, Michiel

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