Tim Bray
@annaf There’s some weird shit in the dusty corners of Unicode: https://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1FB00.pdf
Jul 10 at 4:32pmWeb
Show threadMikio Braun 🪼4d ago
@timbray @annaf legacy computing? Do you know what it's for?
Show threadKeith Wansbrough4d ago
@mikiobraun @timbray @annaf Apple II emulation I think - at least one of the glyphs cites the Apple II
Show thread4am ❧4d ago

@kw217 @mikiobraun @timbray @annaf several of these map to the 32 "MouseText" characters that were available on later Apple II models. They were designed for creating text-based interfaces and used in iconic software like AppleWorks.

<https://github.com/blondie7575/WeeGUI/blob/master/docart/romchars2.jpg>

<https://www.apple2history.org/history/ah19/#02>

WeeGUI/docart/romchars2.jpg at master · blondie7575/WeeGUI

A compact and easy to use GUI library for 8-bit Apple ][ computers - blondie7575/WeeGUI

GitHub
Show threadElias Mårtenson4d ago
@kw217 @mikiobraun @timbray @annaf I was part of this project, there is more information in the original proposal we wrote. https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2018/18235-terminals-prop.pdf
Show threadKeith Wansbrough4d ago
@loke @mikiobraun @timbray @annaf this is great, thanks for sharing!
Show threadMikio Braun 🪼4d ago
@loke @kw217 @timbray @annaf Very cool. Did the PETSCII charset make it in?
Show threadElias Mårtenson3d ago

@mikiobraun @kw217 @timbray @annaf yes. This was the origin of this project. I asked on the Unicode mailing list why some symbols in PETSCII was missing, and the answer was basically because no one had made a good case for their inclusion.

It was then noted that there were several other computers whose characters were missing, so a working group was formed to create a new proposal.

Specifically for PETSCII, most characters already existed, so the legacy computing proposal added the remaining ones

Show threadMikio Braun 🪼2d ago
@loke @kw217 @timbray @annaf very cool, thanks for the explanation. I grew up with the C64/C16 etc. Seeing these makes me go back in time!
Show threadian4d ago
@timbray @annaf looks like TUI furniture, how ace! Thanks for sharing
Show threadStewart Russell4d ago

@timbray @annaf for representing the character sets of 8-bit computers. All within Unicode remit.

I worked with some of the folks putting this particular addition together. We didn't quite get all of the characters in that we wanted

Show threadJon Bosak4d ago
@scruss @timbray @annaf I remember these from the Commodore Pet.
Show threadSteve Loughran4d ago
@timbray @annaf I am so going to have to use some of those in a unicode aware programming language.
Show threadKeith Williams4d ago
@timbray @annaf Yup. You can build entire TUIs with these glyphs and/or re-live the early days of BBS ASCII-art with 300 baud simulators.
Show threadBen Collver4d ago

@timbray @annaf High five!

$ printf "\U1FBC7\U1FBC8"
🯇🯈

Show threadOtte Homan - remember Geordie4d ago
@timbray what? @annaf
Show threadLars Brinkhoff4d ago
@timbray @annaf It's not dusty but a recent addition. Blame @loke et al.