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List:       xfree-fonts
Subject:    [Fonts]Adding reordering to the OpenType specification
From:       "Maurice Bauhahn" <bauhahnm () clara ! net>
Date:       2002-06-21 19:54:31
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Greetings from a lurker on this list.

Over on the OpenType list I've been agitating for a change to the OpenType
specification to allow font-level contributions to reordering (so that third
world scripts could eventually be added to OpenType platforms as fonts,
without having to change operating system/api C code where reordering
presently takes place...and where economic considerations typically put a
BIG RED STOP sign). So far we have not had any good suggestions as to HOW
that could be accomplished.

OpenType is finding its way into ICU, Java, Pango, and other platforms so
there is an OpenSource interest in this as well.

Unfortunately, I am not technically competent to suggest _how_ OpenType
could be changed to facilitate this:
(1) How could we avoid breaking present rasterising engines?
(2) How could we avoid requiring extensive changes to the applications/OSes
that take advantage of OpenType?
(3) What needs to be done to keep the link between the backing store and the
glyph string in synch?
(4) Two separate technologies which facilitate reordering at the font level
are AAT and Graphite (neither of which are being enthusiastically embraced
by application developers)

I would greatly appreciate it if some of you could make suggestions how an
evolutionary change to OpenType could integrate reordering within that
'standard' without destroying it or the large number of applications that
take advantage of it.

Hopefully,


Maurice Bauhahn
2 Meadow Way
Dorney Reach
MAIDENHEAD SL6 0DS
United Kingdom

Home Tel: +44(0)1628 626068
Work Tel: +44(0)1932 878 404
Web: http://www.bauhahnm.clara.net
Email: bauhahnm@clara.net


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