[Lazarus] Lazarus (UTF8) and Windows: SysToUTF8, UTF8ToSys... Is there a better solution?

[Marco van de Voort]

On Sat, Dec 28, 2013 at 12:42:22AM +0100, Hans-Peter Diettrich wrote:
> >> If we continue to follow Delphi, means that we are always one step behind.
> > 
> > If we stop following delphi, we are multiple steps behind.
> 
> FPC/Lazarus always was in front of Delphi. It had Unicode support 
> (UTF-8) since long, supports multiple widgetsets, platforms and 
> machines.

It did not. It half a solution, like the wellknown TNT components.

> Even the help system and is better and more user friendly, as 
> well as are the editing helpers.

There is some potential there, but the content is still subpar to Delphi,
specially the Lazarus/LCL part. Way subpar.
 
> The compatibility problems are selfmade, IMO. Compatibility with all 
> versions of a continuously moving target is near impossible, at least 
> not feasable with the available manpower.

I don't see this at all. Yes, it is hard. Yes, it will be at a distance. But
I don't see "impossible". Also major change is fairly rare. 

But the unicode change has been a done deal for 6 versions. This is is not
about the bleeding edge, this is about planning steps that Embarcadero
brought to production nearly 5 years ago, and which affect many levels of
the code (more so than later additions, with the dotted change being
debatable)
 
> Now that Delphi introduced something really useful (encoded strings and 
> automatic conversion), the new Unicode support should be integrated into 
> FPC and Lazarus. When this works for the AnsiString version (UTF-8), 
> somewhat compatible with D7, a UnicodeString (UTF-16) version can be 
> considered, compatible with some newer Delphi version.

A utf8 ansistring version will be per definition not compatible.