[Gnome-print] Re: GNOME font library RFC

[Owen Taylor <otaylor redhat com>]

Lauris Kaplinski <lauris@ariman.ee> writes:

> Freetype is nice, but gnome-font-system should go a step beyound that and
> hide all TTF/TypeX specific stuff from user. Most of that is 
> overcomplicated for users too...
> All, that user would need in GNOME programs, are IMHO
> - ArtBpath outline
> - Various rendered bitmap formats
> - Glyph set
> - Ligature lists
> - Kerning lists
> - Various metrics
> - Raw font data
> Freetype uses TTF specific data formats, which were created long ago, when
> computers were slow (TTF fonts were usable on 286 too), but are of little
> interest to average programmer. For GNOME I find doubles, ArtPoints,
> ArtBpaths and GdkPoints to be more convenient, than 16.16, 2.14 and 26.6
> floats. The former can be used directly in real situations, the latter
> should be converted by hand by every program.
> Also, at least at moment, gnome-font library should deal with both type1
> and TTF fonts, giving common, higher-level API for handling these.

FreeType 2 deals with both type1 and TTF fonts, giving a common,
higher-levelAPI for handling these. :-)

The FreeType project is doing a lot of good things these days:

 - OpenType fonts
 - Multiple master fonts
 - Auto-hinting for high quality screen rendering.

We really should be working with them.

Regards,
                                        Owen