A character encoding system consists of a code that pairs each character from a given repertoire with something else—such as a bit pattern, sequence of natural numbers, octets, or electrical pulses—in order to facilitate the transmission of data (generally numbers or text) through telecommunication networks or for data storage. Other terms such as character set, character map, codeset, and code page are used almost interchangeably, but these terms have related but distinct meanings described below.
Early character codes associated with the optical or electrical telegraph could only represent a subset of the characters used in written language, sometimes restricted to upper case letters, numerals and some punctuation only. The low cost of digital representation of data in modern computer systems allows more elaborate character codes (such as Unicode) which represent more of the characters used in many written languages. Character encoding using internationally-accepted standards permits worldwide interchange of text in electronic form.
Read more about Character Encoding: History, Code Unit, Unicode Encoding Model, Character Sets, Code Pages, and Character Maps, Character Encoding Translation
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“But the wise know that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting; that the State must follow, and not lead the character and progress of the citizen; the strongest usurper is quickly got rid of; and they only who build on Ideas, build for eternity; and that the form of government which prevails, is the expression of what cultivation exists in the population which permits it.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)