Re: [Gimp-developer] something's starting, it is the text tool

["gespertino gmail com" <gespertino gmail com>]

2012/1/19 Øyvind Kolås <pippin gimp org>

Being able to edit text, with a halo, drop-shadow or other
non-destructive automatically updated effect that provides contrast
against most backgrounds can be both tacky, and useful. It is possible
to achieve such things with GIMP today but it is laborsome and when
you for some reason need to change the text/copy, you've got even more
work in front out for you.

+1
But I woudn't put those "styles" as options of Type Tool, since the same effects could be used on other elements (such as shapes, cut-out photos, etc.)
I hate to mention Photoshop as a reference (I know GIMP isn't supposed to do what photoshop does), but they added those non-destructive styles as layer effects, and IMO it makes more sense than adding them as text styles.
In such case that feature doesn't belong to text tool, but I agree that using effects such as shadows or halos with text is a common practice and now it's quite tedious because there isn't a way to keep them editable along the text.