SE-0243: Codepoint and Character Literals

[johnno1962 (John Holdsworth)]

@xwu

Does a user have to know what a Unicode scalar is before they can use a Unicode scalar literal? Yes.

Isn’t that the problem? Unicode.Scalar is a very subtle distinction somewhere between a codepoint and a grapheme cluster. People can see what a Character is on their screens.

@xwu

No, not a problem: in fact, precisely the goal. People cannot see what an extended grapheme cluster is any more than they can see what a Unicode scalar is. A literal syntax which allows you to assert that something is one and only one Unicode scalar is the whole point.

I accept that, and Unicode.Scalar is a more useful type, but it seems unfortunate conceptually.