Unicode 7.0 Paperback Available

The Unicode 7.0 core specification is now available in paperback book form.

Responding to requests, the editorial committee has created a pair of modestly-priced print-on-demand volumes that contain the complete text of the core specification of Version 7.0 of the Unicode Standard.

The form-factor in this edition has been changed from US letter to 6×9 inch US trade paperback size, making the two volumes more compact than previous versions. The two volumes may be purchased separately or together. The cost for the pair is US$16.24, plus postage and applicable taxes. Please visit http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/unicode to order.

Note that these volumes do not include the Version 7.0 code charts, nor do they include the Version 7.0 Standard Annexes and Unicode Character Database, all of which are available only on the Unicode website, http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode7.0.0/.

Purchase The Unicode Standard, Version 7.0 - Core Specification.

Announcing The Unicode Standard, Version 7.0

Version 7.0 of the Unicode Standard is now available, adding 2,834 new characters. This latest version adds the new currency symbols for the Russian ruble and Azerbaijani manat, approximately 250 emoji (pictographic symbols), many other symbols, and 23 new lesser-used and historic scripts, as well as character additions to many existing scripts. These additions extend support for written languages of North America, China, India, other Asian countries, and Africa. For full details, see http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode7.0.0/.

Most of the new emoji characters derive from characters in long-standing and widespread use in Wingdings and Webdings fonts. Additions to emoji characters include, for example:

Major enhancements were made to the Indic script properties. New property values were added to enable a more algorithmic approach to rendering Indic scripts. These include properties for joining behavior, new classes for numbers, and a further division of the syllabic categories of viramas and rephas. With these enhancements, the default rendering for newly added Indic scripts can be significantly improved.

Unicode character properties were extended to the new characters. The old characters have enhancements to Script and Alphabetic properties, and casing and line-breaking behavior. There were also nearly 3,000 new Cantonese pronunciation entries, as well as new or clarified stability policies for promoting interoperable implementations.

Two other important Unicode specifications are maintained in synchrony with the Unicode Standard, and have updates for Version 7.0. These will be released at the same time:

• UTS #10, Unicode Collation Algorithm — the standard for sorting Unicode text
• UTS #46, Unicode IDNA Compatibility Processing — for processing of non-ASCII URLs (IDNs)

Unicode 7.0.0 Beta

The next version of the Unicode Standard will be Version 7.0.0. The beta information page for Unicode 7.0.0 is located at: http://www.unicode.org/versions/beta-7.0.0.html
 
This version is planned for release in July 2014. A beta version of the 7.0.0 Unicode Character Database files is also available for public comment. We strongly encourage implementers to download these files and test them with their programs, well before the end of the beta period, April 28, 2014. These files are located in:

http://www.unicode.org/Public/7.0.0/
ftp://www.unicode.org/Public/7.0.0/
 
For detailed information and guidance on how to focus your review, see the section Notable Issues for Beta Testers on the beta page.

The Unicode Collation Algorithm (UCA) will be released in parallel with Unicode 7.0.0, and a beta version of the UCA is available at http://www.unicode.org/Public/UCA/7.0.0/. See also PRI #260.

Feedback requested for Unicode 7.0

Unicode 7.0 is slated to be released early in 2014Q3. Now is your opportunity to comment on the contents of this release.

The text of the Unicode Standard Annexes (segmentation, normalization, line breaking, identifiers, etc.) is open for comments and feedback, with proposed update versions for many of the documents posted at UAX Proposed Updates. Changes for the text of the annexes is relatively minor for Unicode 7.0, but the documents could still benefit from careful review. For some of the annexes, no proposed update version is posted, because there is no planned change to the content other than a nominal change to the version numbering. In such cases, feedback provided on the existing, published Unicode Standard Annex is still welcome, and will be taken into consideration by the Unicode Technical Committee before the release of Unicode 7.0.

Feedback on the Unicode Standard Annexes for Unicode 7.0 should be submitted by April 28, 2014, for review at the Unicode Technical Committee meeting in May.

Other planned changes for Unicode 7.0 include a large number of additions to the character repertoire and corresponding updates to the Unicode character properties. An announcement will be sent soon, when the beta version of the Unicode Character Database for Unicode 7.0 is available for comment.

Unicode 7.0 Annexes Available for Early Review

As technical work gets underway to prepare the publication of Unicode 7.0 (tentatively scheduled for June, 2014), the Unicode Technical Committee has posted proposed updates for several important specifications:

PRI #260, Proposed Update UTS #10, Unicode Collation Algorithm
PRI #261, Proposed Update UAX #15, Unicode Normalization Forms
PRI #262, Proposed Update UAX #44, Unicode Character Database

In UTS #10, collation weights are discussed more generically, with fewer references to the 16-bit weights used in the DUCET. Section 6.3.2, Large Values for Secondary or Tertiary Weights was merged into Section 6.2, Large Weight Values. In UAX #44, the derivation of the Alphabetic property has been updated and the discussion of @missing in Section 4.2.10 @missing Conventions has been simplified to reflect the revised conventions in the UCD data files, which eliminated special edge cases.

Review periods for these new public review issues close January 27, 2014. For details about reviewing and commenting, please see the Public Review Issues page.

http://unicode-inc.blogspot.com/2013/12/unicode-70-annexes-available-for-early.html