On 2012-05-28, Doug Ewell <d...@ewellic.org> wrote: ... > Again, just speaking about one platform (Windows) that seems to be in > somewhat common use, the problem is that the underlying architecture > doesn't support multiple dead keys on a single base character, nor does > it support a fifth, sixth, etc. shift state (unless one chooses to be > reckless and use Ctrl). This is unlikely to change in the next two to > three years. It isn't a matter of providing a layout—otherwise, anyone > with MSKLC and a supported Windows version could create one. .. > Microsoft can never support ISO/IEC 9995-3:2010 unless they change their > keyboard handling architecture, as above.
Why is this a problem? The X keyboard handling has undergone a couple of significant extensions of architecture over the years, and that involved getting lots of people to agree. Microsoft can just do it. And I don't see what the problem is, anyway: from a quick look at the MS keyboard model, one could (as one does with X) process keystrokes through a userspace library to get the desired effect. The keyboard driver may only handle a couple of shift states and one dead character, but an input library can do whatever it likes. No actual need to extend all the keyboard drivers - it can all be done by TranslateMessage(), can't it? -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
