The Linguasphere proposal

[jcowan at reutershealth.com]

Debbie Garside scripsit:

> Each linguistic item is allocated an alpha4 )B“langtag” (Fixed)
> COMPLETELY FIXED Each linguistic item is also allocated its PRECEDING
> alpha4 )B“langtag” (Fixed – but could possibly be changed with
> any changes annotated) thus forming the relationships between the
> )B“languages” and it is this that makes it such a simple hierarchical
> world language map.  It is a simple relational database based on the
> Linguasphere Register 1999/2000 which is superb for the purpose."

Okay, this is better than before.  But is this database maintained in an
open and transparent process, and is it freely redistributable?  Also,
there is a substantially different application complexity involved in
the RFC 3066 rule "If you don't understand a tag, truncate subtags from
the right until you do or there is nothing left" compared with this
relational-database lookup.

> One thing I can say before answering the question on use is: Given 4 billion
> IP addresses, who would have predicted a need for a greater range?

Nobody expected the Internet to be a worldwide mass-market phenomenon.  Unless
we start to have microprocessors as intestinal flora, we aren't going to see
another such expansion again.

-- 
John Cowan                                <jcowan at reutershealth.com>     
http://www.reutershealth.com              http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Yakka foob mog.  Grug pubbawup zink wattoom gazork.  Chumble spuzz.
    -- Calvin, giving Newton's First Law "in his own words"