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List:       xfree-fonts
Subject:    Re: [Fonts]Removing core support from Xft
From:       Bradley T Hughes <bhughes () trolltech ! com>
Date:       2001-12-14 8:46:58
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On Friday 14 December 2001 04:30, Keith Packard wrote:
> Over the last year, we've learned a lot about how client side fonts
> change the X environment.  The initial focus was to simplify the Render
> extension protocol and avoid future problems by eliminating font
> information.  This has been admirably achieved -- we've got lots of
> possible directions and no sign that the protocol will limit future font
> capabilities.
>
> However, we've also discovered that client side fonts have significant
> additional advantages.  The ability to draw anti-aliased text is a nice
> feature, but has become overshadowed at the application level by the
> tremendous power of full access to the font file data.
>
> Xft attempts to provide symmetrical access to server-side and
> client-side fonts; this is hampering application use of client-side
> fonts while not helping anything -- existing applications already know
> how to deal with server-side fonts and new applications want to take
> advantage of the available font information.
>
> Server-side fonts were added to Xft to support legacy X servers without
> the Render extension.  I suggest that instead of using server-side
> fonts, Xft should rasterize glyphs with FreeType and draw with the
> Render extension where available and using the core protocol for legacy
> servers without Render support.
>
> I'd implement both AA and non-AA paths, making this perform reasonably
> well over networks while also providing extended capabilities for
> servers not able to move to the Render extension.  I've done client-side
> non-AA text in the core protocol in the past and have found it
> acceptable, even over relatively low speed links (128K ISDN).
>
> Please write with concerns or comments.

I think this is an excellent suggestion.  The extensive work we did on the 
Qt 3.0 font/richtext engine already makes this separation (it uses 
XftFreetype directly, instead of the higher Xft API).  Removing core 
support from Xft would open the API for bigger and better things, 
especially things like OpenType tables, which we'll need once we start 
working on supporting Indic languages.

Keith, great idea, great work ;)

> Keith Packard        XFree86 Core Team        Compaq Cambridge Research
> Lab
>
>
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> Fonts@XFree86.Org
> http://XFree86.Org/mailman/listinfo/fonts

-- 
--
Bradley T. Hughes <bhughes@trolltech.com>
Trolltech AS - Waldemar Thranes gt. 98 N-0175 Oslo, Norway
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