Re: [yazicivo@ttnet.net.tr: Locale Dependent Downcasing in smtpmail]

[Werner LEMBERG <wl@gnu.org>]

> > The `Maße' vs. `Masse' issue is very special.
> 
> Is it?  Isn't it true that ß should match SS, but not ss, as a
> general rule in German?

In theory, yes, but it is complicated by a number of facts.

  . In Switzerland, people no longer use `ß'.  Everything is written
    with `ss' (both uppercase and lowercase).

  . In official documents, `ß' is used even in uppercased situations.
    Assume a passport, and the name of the person is `Dreßen'.  Then
    the uppercased version written in the passport is `DREßEN'.  This
    is the only allowed usage of `ß' with uppercase letters, AFAIK.
    However...

  . Many people think that, say, `STRAßE' is the right way to write to
    write `Straße' uppercased.  Perhaps the problem is also related to
    simplistic computer programs which aren't able to uppercase `ß'
    correctly and leave it as-is.

  . To avoid ambiguities, it was common usage to uppercase `ß' as
    `SZ': STRASZE, PREUSZEN.  However, this is oldfashioned today.

There is a quite long `article of excellency' in the German Wikipedia
which covers all aspects: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%9F.


    Werner