a use byte/utf8 experience

Well, with all that discussion going on I'd like to contribute an
experience with this upcoming feature.

I'm assuming that the reader is familiar with cut(1), options -b and -n.

The implementation of this requires that, given some *byte* offset
into a string containing encoded characters, you find the previous
or next *byte* offset where a character starts.

This is not difficult to code (using use byte) but requires knowing
all about the representation of characters. (Blessed the one who can
read the Perl sources ;-)

Now my question is: Am I supposed to know of these implementation
details, and may I embed them into some Perl program without running
the risk that it'll break or become non-portable? Or is there something
missing from Perl (or is there something *I* missed)?

Regards,
-Wolfgang

• a use byte/utf8 experience by Wolfgang Laun