Changes/Unicode 9.0

Unicode 9.0 support

Summary

Unicode 9.0 got released on 21th June 2016. Version 9.0 adds 7,500 characters, including six new scripts and 72 new emoji characters. These new script provide support for languages Osage, Nepal Bhasa, Fulani and other African languages, The Bravanese dialect of Swahili, used in Somalia, The Warsh orthography for Arabic and Tangut, a major historic script of China.

Owner

• Name: Mike Fabian Pravin Satpute Carlos O'Donell
• Email: mfabian At redhat DOT com, pravins At fedoraproject DOT org, codonell AT redhat DOT com
• Release notes owner:

Current status

• Targeted release: Fedora 25
• Last updated: 2016-07-05
• Tracker bug: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>

Detailed Description

We are upgrading core libraries in Fedora for Unicode 9.0

• Updating Glibc localedata.
• Updating Lib ICU. (If upstream releases well in time)
• libunistring - This portable C library implements Unicode string types in three flavours: (UTF-8, UTF-16, UTF-32), together with functions for character processing (names, classifications, properties) and functions for string processing (iteration, formatted output, width, word breaks, line breaks, normalization, case folding and regular expressions).
• Unicode UCD

Benefit to Fedora

With this change, users and developers of Fedora will get Unicode 9.0 support through core libraries. Users will get an updated Unicode data from locales. No new functionality is added. Fedora is the leading distribution when it comes to internationalization. By including this change, Fedora users and developers will get the Unicode 9.0 support exactly on the time.

Scope

• Proposal owners: Work with upstream, file bugs and provide patches where required.

• Other developers: This change will impact glibc, ICU and all applications that uses these libraries. Other Developers do not need to make any changes from their end, but they need to watch how their application behaves with improved localedata. We need proper testing to see that it does not break any application.

• Release engineering: No work required from Release engineering.
  • List of deliverables: N/A

• Policies and guidelines: No, this change does not required any updates to Policies or packaging guideline updates.

• Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)

Upgrade/compatibility impact

Upgrade will be smooth. Users will get same packages with an updated Unicode data.

How To Test

• Glibc includes extensive test-case coverage to test localedata changes.
• This change is affecting Unicode characters, so users will notice little effect on rendering if any.
• Glibc is used by rendering engine for determining the type of characters, so again observe rendering and report if any issue.
• Document section provide detailed report regarding change.

User Experience

Users and Developers will get support for Unicode standard 9.0 through locales.

Dependencies

• Upstream release schedule.
• If our patches does not come in upstream, we will try to patch it in Fedora. Though as per our upstream first policy we mostly avoid patching in Fedora.

Contingency Plan

• Contingency mechanism: Will move change to Fedora 26 release.
• Contingency deadline: Fedora 26 Beta release.
• Blocks release? No
• Blocks product? No

Documentation

Will provide it later.