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Archiver > GEN-DE > 1999-03 > 0920281911


From: Michael Glueckert< >
Subject: Re: Education: How To Print Umlauts
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 1999 09:51:51 +0000


AF_BAUDISSIN schrieb:

> If I use the ue, oe, ae etc, will that be wrong or will it give a name
> a different meaning ?

No, it will still be recognizable. German passports e.g. transcribe
Umlauts in 7-bit ASCII, and don't use the Umlauts.

In a few (rare) cases it helps for the fine tuning of a search knowing if
the spelling was an Umlaut/Ligature letter or the sequential spelling.

Search engines, phonebooks, maps etc. usually deal with the transcribed
spellings the same way as with Umlauts or Ligatures in countries where
these are standard, as e.g. in Germany. In many other countries search
engines don't know how to handle strange letters. BTW, search engines
won't recognize u" as ü (ue), or similar.

The DIN/ISO transcription for Umlauts is: the base vowel plus an "e", and
the transcription for the greek beta like looking letter ß (sz) is double
s.

If you are able to create äöüß correctly on your screen, be aware this
will not be seen the same way on other screens. If you use Don's keys
(AFAIK only applicable for IBM compatibles) at least add in parantheses a
transcription that is readable for all.

($0.02)
Mike

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