unicode html

[Jim]

Sybren Stuvel wrote:
> Jim enlightened us with:
> > For example, I am programming a script that makes html pages, but I
> > do not have the ability to change the "Content-Type .. charset=.."
> > line that is sent preceeding those pages.
>
> "line"? Are you talking about the HTTP header? If it is wrong, it
> should be corrected. If you are in control of the content, you should
> also be control of the Content-Type header. Otherwise, use a <meta>
> tag that describes the content.
Ah, but I cannot change it.  It is not my machine and the folks who own
the machine perceive that the charset line that they use is the right
one for them.  (Many people ship pages off this machine.)

Unfortunately, the <meta> tag idea also does not fly: see
  http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/charset.html
in section 5.2.2 where it states that in a contest the charset
parameter wins.

My only point is that things are complicated and that there are times
when HTML entities are the answer (or anyway, an answer).

Jim