I was trying to type a #Peso symbol on my #Linux system, and much to my surprise, the #ComposeKey combination of <Compose><=><Shift-P> produces a Russian Ruble symbol, not a Peso symbol.

One Reddit user suggests using <Compose><-><Shift-P>, but this is totally backwards.

The Ruble symbol looks like a Latin Capital P with a single added stroke, the Peso symbol has two extra strokes.

The Ruble should be <Compose><-><Shift-P>, the Peso should be <Compose><=><Shift-P>.

https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmint/comments/17yp9t3/what_do_we_know_about_the_compose_key_for_special/

I would submit to you that the population of the world which uses and refers to Pesos (or Piso) is significantly larger than the population of the world which uses and refers to Rubles.

Mexico = 132,887,567
Philippines = 117,609,383
Colombia = 53,893,310
Argentina = 45,986,968
Chile = 19,945,850
Uruguay = 3,383,037

Russia = 143,273,700
Belarus = 8,950,793

And yet, Linux appears to have no default Compose Key mapping for the Peso, and the one you would intuitively think it should be gives you a Ruble, instead, while the one you think would give you a Ruble gives you nothing, at all.

Accordingly, I will be modifying my Compose Key tables. Peso > Ruble!

If I can figure out who is responsible for maintaining this software, I will submit a feature change request.

OK, I have modified my
"/usr/share/X11/locale/en_US.UTF-8/Compose" file to fix the problem with the Peso and Ruble signs I described. After logging out and in, it works here in Waterfox, as long as I am in my en_US keyboard layout.

Not sure what to do about Mozc for when I am typing in Japanese, though.

As you can see in the screenshot, the file has a commented out line that shows that at least someone has thought about adding a section for Peso, at some point, but it was never done?

Hundreds of millions of people around the world use the #Peso symbol for their #currency. Why is this not implemented by default?

#Linux #X11 #XWindow #ComposeKey #typography #FOSS

@gcvsa Many of us use $ for the currency symbol anyway, probably why. This is the first time I've seen that symbol.

@adriano Apparently, it's only used in the Philippines, and Latin America now uses the dollar sign for peso, which is so weird to me, and I'm just learning this today. I just assumed that the β‚± symbol came from Spain, which of course now uses € Euros.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_peso_sign

Philippine peso sign - Wikipedia

@gcvsa I just remembered: I watched this video a few days ago, and it kind of explains the comings and goings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bf4ll1vuWw
What does the $ actually stand for?

YouTube
@adriano That was truly enjoyable. I think YouTube actually had been suggesting it to me, but I just hadn't watched it yet, until you mentioned it.