[I18n-sig] string encoding attribute (Strawman Proposal: Bina ry Strings)

[Toby Dickenson]

> > If .encode('latin1') or .encode('utf8') are going to return anything
> > tagged with an encoding, then surely it should be a tagged binary
> > string?
> 
> No. The encoding attribute would then return 'latin-1' and 'utf-8'
> resp. -- that's the point of the attribute: it should store the
> encoding information in case it is available.

I think you misread. I said....

"A tagged binary string"

not

"Tagged as a binary string"


In other words, at the moment I dont see must distinction between a binary
string, and text string tagged with an encoding. Indeed the only distinction
is the presence of a tag. Is that sufficient distinction to make them
different types? Why cant I tag a binary string to say it contains a jpeg?