[PROPOSAL] virtual package for Japanese font package name

[Nobuhiro Iwamatsu <iwamatsu@nigauri.org>]

Hi all.

We, the Japanese font packages maintainers and their 
collaborators (Japanese Task Force: JTF), propose 
following action items to ease the task of the default
font selection for applications under the Debian system. 
 
 * The creation of new virtual package name: 
  - ttf-japanese-mincho 
  - ttf-japanese-gothic 
 * The creation of new alternative name: 
  - ttf-japanese-mincho.ttf 
  - ttf-japanese-gothic.ttf 
 * The adjustment of font packages which provide newly created virtual 
   package name. 
 * The adjustment of application packages which directly declare 
   dependency to the Japanese ttf font packages. 
 
[Packages which are affected]

 * Japanese font packages
 * Application packages which declare dependency to the Japanese ttf package
  - libpango1.0-common
  - xpdf-japanese
  - gs-cjk-resource
  - xdvik-ja
  - vflib2
  - mgp
  - libkiten1
  - kiten
  - kanjipad
  - kanatest
  - gjiten
  - advi-examples
  - advi

[Packages which are not affected]

 * The application packages which use defoma or fontconfig for their
   font configuration.

[Details of proposed action items]
 1. Each Japanese font packages provides one of the virtual package name in its 
    Provides stanza based on the glyph style:
  - ttf-japanese-mincho (for Mincho-style. The glyph style corresponds to sans-serif.)
  - ttf-japanese-gothic (for Gothic-style. The glyph style corresponds to gothic.)

 2. Each Japanese font packages registers to the alternative system while making
    link from ttf-japanese-mincho.ttf or ttf-japanese-gothic.ttf in
    /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ directory.  The priority level of alternative is
    specified as follows.

   above 100: Third party or user created fonts
   60:        ttf-vlgothic
   50:        ttf-sazanami-mincho, ttf-sazanami-gothic
   20:        ttf-kochi-mincho, ttf-kochi-gothic
   below 20:  fonts which are deprecated for use in Japanese environment,
              (e.g..,  fonts which use Chinese style glyph for the unified
              region characters.)

 3. The application that specifies a specific Japanese font package dependency 
    replaces its dependency to ttf-japanese-mincho | ttf-japanese-gothic (or
    ttf-japanese-mincho, ttf-japanese-gothic) as needed.  Then, the path to the
    specific font is replaced by the path to
    /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-japanese-mincho.ttf and
    /usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-japanese-gothic.ttf.

[Time line]
N-x   The discussion period ends and the formal request to add virtual package names 
      is sent to debian-policy from the JTF.
N     The proposed new virtual packages are approved.
      Uploading of the updated Japanese font packages is started by the JTF.
      The making and testing of the patch to the affected application packages 
      which depend on the Japanese ttf are started by the JTF.

N+3   Uploadings of all Japanese font packages are completed. (including NMUs)

N+13  The ttf-vlgothic and ttf-sazanami-mincho packages which are the core font 
      packages enters into testing (at least).
      The tested patches to the affected packages which depend on the Japanese
      ttf packages are sent out to the BTS by the JTF.

N+25  The JTF requests non-responsive maintainers for the permission to perform
      the NMUs of the affected packages.

N+30  The NMUs of updated packages are completed.

[Proposer]
Kenshi Muto (Debian developer)
Hideki Yamane (Debian contributor)
Junichi Uekawa (Debian developer)
Nobuhiro Iwamatsu (Debian contributor)

regards,
 Nobuhiro
-- 
Nobuhiro Iwamatsu
	hemamu@t-base.ne.jp
	iwamatsu@debian.or.jp

	GPG ID : 3170EBE9

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