Re: Very basic question regarding encoding and `open-network-stream'

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> The NNTP RFC notes that the default character set for the protocol has
>> changed from ascii to utf-8.
>> (https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc3977#section-1)
>>
>> What I don't grasp is: if the process buffers are left multibyte, and
>> the `coding-system-for-read/write' variables are changed to 'utf-8 (or
>> 'undecided?), will this simply do the right thing?
>
> No: the stream of bytes includes NNTP protocol commands as well as other
> contents (typically actual messages) and they don't all use utf-8.
> So the stream process needs to communicate in bytes (aka "unibyte"), and
> then the Elisp code needs to decode/encode each part manually according
> to the coding system that applies to each part.

Awesome, this will save me wandering down some garden paths, thank you.
I will make the Minimum Viable Changes, and just focus on group names.