Re: [boost] [general] What will string handling in C++ look like in the future [was Always treat ... ]

Subject: Re: [boost] [general] What will string handling in C++ look like in the future [was Always treat ... ]
From: Brent Spillner (spillner_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-01-19 18:25:34

On 1/19/2011 11:33 AM, Peter Dimov wrote:
> This was the prevailing thinking once. First this number of bits was 16,
> which incorrect assumption claimed Microsoft and Java as victims, then
> it became 21 (or 22?). Eventually, people realized that this will never
> happen even if we allocate 32 bits per character, so here we are.

The OED lists ~600,000 words, so 32 bits is enough space to provide a
fully pictographic alphabet for over 7,000 languages as rich as English,
with room for a few line-drawing characters left over.  Surely that's enough?