CEN/TC304 N876

Subject:  Report of the Open Meeting on the "Guide to Character Sets" Project
Date: 1998-12-02
Source: Mats Linder, Project Leader
Status: This content of this report was presented to the TC304 plenary in Nov Brussels

Report of the Open Meeting on the "Guide to Character Sets" Project

Attendance: Those present included, apart from the project team (Graham Dixon, Mats Linder, Chris
Makemson): Yuri Demchenko, Alexandrina Statescu, Elzbieta Broma-Wrzesien, Monica StŒhl, Wera
Lundstršm, Erkki Kohlemainen, Wolf Arfvidson, Țorgeir SigurĘson, Karl Ivar Larsson, Johan van Wingen,
John Clews, Tadeusz Holka, Evangelos Melagrakis.
Chair: Mats Linder.


1     Purpose, target groups
The discussion mainly concerned what type of standards should be discussed in the Guide. It was generally
agreed that – at least for the time being – it should concentrate on officially standardised character sets. This
limitation should, however, be made very clear in both in the title and the introductory material. Furthermore,
the text should indicate the wider context of industry standards, telecommunication standards etc. and as far as
possible the r™le of the Guide in that context.

2     Form of deliverable
It was agreed that a CEN Report would be preferable to a CEN Workshop Agreement. The requirement on
openness may however require a widely announced open meeting in conjunction with the next TC plenary
meeting, where in that case also other projects might be publicly discussed and informally agreed.

Whether or not the Guide will be made freely available on the Internet is something that will be decided by
CEN. (There is a possibility it will not.) However, CEN/ISSS Secretary James Boyd informed that the
deliverable – including the annexes – must be submitted also in paper form, i.e. suitable for word processing.

3     Detailed comments
A number of detailed comments were made and accepted. A chief concern was that the Guide should also
serve as a "TC 304 showcase" and include a brief section presenting the TC and its activities; also giving
contact points. (One must not assume that all readers will or can access the document via Internet.)

4     Future work
- In order for the deliverable to be changed into a CR, a new work item needs to be added to that effect
and the old one deleted.
- The revised draft to be circulated (beginning of February) within the TC with a request for comments.
- The final draft to be approved – possibly after an Open Meeting; see above – at the next TC Plenary.
- The approved version to be sent to the BT with a request for approval.
- Once approved, the CR will be sent by the CEN Central Secretariat to the CEN members.