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Apple and the Gun Emoji

(blog.emojipedia.org)
59 points firloop | 7 comments | 06 Aug 16 23:36 UTC | HN request time: 0.216s | source | bottom
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grenoire ◴[07 Aug 16 01:46 UTC] No.12240692[source]▶
I think this is a ridiculous change by Apple, going completely against the idea of Unicode and consistent character displays across different devices. Author's suggestion is good, but I don't think that this was a necessary change by any means in the first place.
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cooper12 ◴[07 Aug 16 02:06 UTC] No.12240739[source]▶
Unicode only says that it's a gun, and only recommends how it should look. IME's are free to make the emojis look however they want at their discretion. Note Samsung's saltines instead of chocolate chip cookies for "U+1F36A Cookie". Consistency is laudable, but we live in a world with multiple cultures, meanings, and contexts, so in the end consistency might actually be more harmful and reductionist.
replies(2): >>12240828 #>>12240837 #
teddyh ◴[07 Aug 16 02:49 UTC] No.12240828[source]▶
The unicode code chart¹ actually says “PISTOL = handgun, revolver”, and the reference glyph (with a larger version on page 4) is pretty clearly a Beretta M9.²

① http://www.unicode.org/charts/PDF/U1F300.pdf#14

② http://www.beretta.com/en/m9/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_M9

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1. Mithaldu ◴[07 Aug 16 03:19 UTC] No.12240902[source]▶
Apple is not alone though. On windows i get a colorful lasergun: http://i.imgur.com/bOC6M6H.png

http://emojipedia.org/microsoft/windows-10/pistol/

Additionally, your pointing out that the example glyph looks like a beretta only has any kind of weight if you can also point to guidance that specifies to what level it should be followed.

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2. bballer ◴[07 Aug 16 03:54 UTC] No.12240980[source]▶
I would operate on the condition that the standard denotes that items representing the unicode can be flavored/styled to the producers desires, but should not misrepresent the item/object being conveyed. A water gun != a pistol and a laser gun != a pistol. Both are altogether different items/objects. If Windows/Apple want unicode for those objects they should appeal to the standards board to make it happen. It would be acceptable to hide the pistol emoticon in their UI while still allowing it to display correctly when used. Masking it as something it is not is just misleading though.
replies(1): >>12240994 #
3. Mithaldu ◴[07 Aug 16 04:02 UTC] No.12240994[source]▶
That is your preference, however the question here is what the unicode consortium thinks.
replies(1): >>12241026 #
4. bballer ◴[07 Aug 16 04:17 UTC] No.12241026{3}[source]▶
Why have a standards body at all if it's just going to be up to the 3rd parties to determine what is going to be displayed then? Like I said before, they should be free to display each unicode item/object artistically how they see fit, they should however not be free to change what item/object is to be conveyed entirely.
replies(1): >>12241035 #
5. Mithaldu ◴[07 Aug 16 04:22 UTC] No.12241035{4}[source]▶
That is your opinion and you are free to hold it but what matters here is what the Unicode Consortium thinks.
replies(1): >>12241044 #
6. bballer ◴[07 Aug 16 04:25 UTC] No.12241044{5}[source]▶
I agree, it would be nice to have the Unicode Consortium come out and address these issues.
7. teddyh ◴[07 Aug 16 05:11 UTC] No.12241152[source]▶
Your link is old, here is the current one: http://emojipedia.org/microsoft/windows-10-anniversary-updat... Apple is alone in doing this.

I.e., Windows used to show a laser/toy gun, but they changed this almost a week ago in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update: http://blog.emojipedia.org/diverse-emoji-families-come-to-wi...

A Microsoft spokesperson said “Our intent with every glyph is to align with the global Unicode standard, and the previous design did not map to industry designs or our customers' expectations of the emoji definition.” (https://www.engadget.com/2016/08/04/microsoft-new-real-gun-e...)