[db-wg] To internationalise or not, that is the question?

On Wed, 5 Aug 2020 at 14:46, ripedenis--- via db-wg <db-wg at ripe.net> wrote:
> We have a problem with UTF-8. Many people keep saying you want it, we should have it, let's do it...But every time we get to these difficult, non-technical questions every one goes silent. This is why we have never implemented UTF-8 since it was first mentioned many years ago. No one in the community seems to know how to answer these questions.
>
> So I have a suggestion. The RIPE NCC has the manpower with the expertise to investigate these issues. I propose we put a task on the RIPE NCC to do a thorough investigation of UTF-8 in the RIPE Database from all possible angles and report back to the community. This can be a starting point to a more meaningful discussion.
>
> We need to know what impact having non Latin1 characters in different parts of the data set will have on the RIPE Registry, the RIPE NCC members, the different user groups of the RIPE Database and the social, legal and political impact of such a change. Which parts of the data set can/should/shouldn't be allowed to be in other character sets. Who really needs access to this data and what parts of it need to be understandable or interpreted. Which does bring into question the whole purpose of the RIPE Database and the data contained therein.
>
> Thoughts???

+1 from me on this.

My primary reason for the +1 is being able to correctly spell the name
of $legal-entity (e.g. contact/representative person, company name).
Similar to how if you have your legal name changed. Your passport will
also need to be re-issued. I do not know how often this has been an
issue in the past. But I consider it high time to do something,
instead of, as you refer to denis, continue to "drag our feet". (the
world is larger than [0-9a-zA-Z]. The RIPE community does not walk "in
too-small shoes")

-- 
Best regards,
CHRIZTOFFER