Re: [Silgraphite-devel] Re: Pango and SILGraphite

[Peter_Constable sil org]

On 01/27/2003 01:43:02 PM ytang0648 wrote:

>From the OpenType arch point of view, I think anything is possible one day
to
>include support for any languges.
>However, if we are talking about a particular version of OpenType library
>(Uniscribe) that Microsoft shipped,

My comments were about OpenType itself, not Uniscribe or any other software
implementation intended to provide the script-awareness that needs to
complement OpenType.



>None of the current shipped OpenType
>library can deal with Burmese yet. Not even the simplest feature in the
Burmese
>script. (Is that true?)

That's true, and that illustrates the general issue I was referring to in
my response to Edward: our main concern in developing Graphite was that
users not have to rely on software engineers to update their code in order
to get the users' script supported. Who knows, MS might ship a version of
Uniscribe that supports Burmese tomorrow, but there will still be other
scripts or minority languages that use some variation of a script that will
not be supported by Uniscribe. (Actually, it's more likely that a few years
or more will pass before a version of Uniscribe with Burmese support sees
the light of day.)


>I think it is possible if Micorsoft deicde to add the support, they can
ship a
>newer vesion of OpenType library to add it, but it mean the OpenType
library
>(Uniscribe) need to be changed to do so.

Precisely.



>The "Open" in OpenType is really an open architechture for Microsoft. That
is
>NOT Open to 3rd party company from Microsoft.

Actually, in their way of thinking, it is. Third parties can suggest
additions to OpenType; that is, can suggest new OpenType tags (not major
architectural changes). As for Uniscribe, well, one has to understand the
OpenType philosophy: OpenType is just a font format that supports various
kinds of glyph transformations. It is not a text layout engine or a complex
script renderer. Those tasks are left to client software, such as
Uniscribe, that makes use of the information provided in OpenType tables.



>So... when we talking about OpenType, please be specific. Please make it
clear
>you are talking about the OpenType architecture that what Microsoft could
do in
>the future, or you are talking about a specific implemenation (version) of

>OpenType that Micorsoft shipped.

Well, I can't speak for others, but I was talking about OpenType proper,
i.e. just the font format, not OpenType-client libraries such as Uniscribe.



- Peter


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Constable

Non-Roman Script Initiative, SIL International
7500 W. Camp Wisdom Rd., Dallas, TX 75236, USA
Tel: +1 972 708 7485