xterm would only do 8-bit input if LANG is set (which is *not* what I want, since other programs do not like LANG being set, for various reasons!), ignoring effectively xterm*eightBitInput: true xterm*eightBitOutput: true settings. -- Jan Hajic
without LANG being set, Xterm assumes 7 bit POSIX locale, which is correct behaviour. This is not a bug, despite you not liking the behaviour.
OK guys, but we all know that ``correct'' is not always correct. So someone should take care of this; either .Xresources should not pretend they are setting 8-bit clean behaviour, when they are not, or xterm should get a parameter (such as sort recently got, which I like very much: it's called -l) which instructs Xterm to consider LANG etc (without -l, Xterm would simply ignore any NLS settings!). Otherwise, adding environment-dependend behaviour (not only for xterm but in general for *any* programs!!) is killing backward-compatibility and driving application folks crazy!!! No one taught you that ``side effects'' should be avoided?? (Which is exactly what envirinment variables do...) Please forward to whoever is responsible for Xterm.