Re: Heads up on Pango HEAD

[Keith Packard <keithp keithp com>]

Around 21 o'clock on Jun 5, Arnaud Charlet wrote:

> I see that further messages on the list clarified things a little bit:
> there is still the choice of using the core X back end if I understand
> things properly, so this gives an alternative, assuming the core X version
> stays in a reasonable shape.

Owen has already said that development of the Xft backend will become
primary with the core backend lagging behind. The core backend has too many
limitations on the information available for proper text layout.

Direct access to the font file is a seductive experience for people who
have long suffered under the primitive core X text architecture.  I'd argue
that there are plenty of reasons here to delete the core text backend and 
eliminate one large source of headaches for future development and 
deployment.

Keith Packard        XFree86 Core Team        HP Cambridge Research Lab