Policy on subtag format; baku1926

[Frank Ellermann]

C Eddie Whitehead wrote:

> As a non-list member now, I'd nevertheless like to know the following
> (which may have some application to Reshat's requested subtag--that
> is, to whether it needs to be 1926baku or whether it can be either
> baku1926 or 1926baku):

That's a matter of taste at the moment, and so far nobody proposed to
hardwire a rule about it in 4646bis.  The posters on the review list,
members or otherwise, might develop some common preference.

> Whether or not there is any policy regarding the formatting of the
> variant subtags other than:

The policies are stated in 4646, they could be adjusted in 4646bis
if necessary.  It's as you say, length 5 to 8, digits and alpha, or
length 4 if it starts with a digit, avoiding any confusion with
script subtags.

> Specifically I'd like to know if all subtags with a date must
> begin with that date!

No.  There's no syntactical concept of a date in variant subtags,
and no prose about dates in variant subtags.  It's only handy for
cases like 1694acad, baku1926, 1926baku, or 1606nict.

> Or does it matter?

IMO it doesn't.  Maybe your registrations start a tradition of
preferring years at the front, or maybe not.

Frank