Re: standard path for fonts

["H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@transmeta.com>]

Daniel Quinlan wrote:
> 
> H Peter Anvin <hpa@transmeta.com> writes:
> 
> > One of the things I believe is urgently needed is a standard path
> > where fonts (PostScript, Truetype, etc.) can be stored.  Right now
> > each font-using app is storing both the fonts and the indicies in
> > different places.
> 
> Which applications distribute their own fonts?  Which applications
> could share one or more font-types with other applications?  Write a
> specification proposal.

X, GhostScript, TeX, WordPerfect is a pretty good start.  Several others
need access to font metric information (AFM files, which are associated
with PostScript fonts.)

They pretty much all can use PostScript fonts (at least the four I
listed above.)  Some of these can also use TrueType, Bitstream and
bitmap fonts.

> Also, would we only address this for only LSB applications or would
> you want to address *all* software on the system (under /usr/share).

I believe this should be a universal recommendation.  I'll write up a
proposal.

> The TeX Directory Structure document may be helpful.
> 
>   ftp://ctan.tug.org/tex/tds/
> 
> At this point, I wouldn't characterize this problem as an application
> portability killer, but it's worth looking into.

I would, in many ways: if you install a font on Windows or Mac, it is
immediately accessible from all apps.  Right now, that's not true on any
Unix platform that I know of.

	-hpa