[sldev] jira for open source fonts to be bundled with SL client

[SL - Farallon Greyskin]

While this is a good idea, a FULL UTF-8 character set font is like 30 megs 
in size (Well 50% compressed but still significant) :/

Not necessarily something that can easily be distributed with the client, at 
least not with the DL every single byte of the package for every update 
having to be re-downloaded every time like we are currently doing. :( Maybe 
someday when LL actually like has a disk or has a one time complete 60 meg 
DL and then merely needs to distribute smaller pieces to update the client 
in the future...

Maybe have this as a separate one time DL or something instead of bundled 
with the client?

Don't know... I definitely don.t want to see an extra 15-20 meg added to 
every update though! :D

Farallon




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lawson English" <lenglish5 at cox.net>
To: "Second Life Developer Mailing List" <SLDev at lists.secondlife.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 25, 2007 3:31 PM
Subject: [sldev] jira for open source fonts to be bundled with SL client


> https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-2237
>
> The SL client should bundle a number of open source fonts in order to 
> normalize the international text issues
>
> Component/s:    Internationalization
>
> Right now, when the client attempts to draw characters with a non-ASCII 
> code, it is forced to grab some font that is installed on the client's 
> computer in order to supplement the existing ASCII chars found in the SL 
> default fonts. Different clients have different fonts installed, so it is 
> impossible to predict which characters will appear in chat or llSetText. 
> Additionally, when programmers attempt to debug the client's UTF-8 
> handling, they must take into account the uncertainty of which fonts are 
> available on any given system, making replication of bugs and test of of 
> new features difficult, if not impossible.
>
> The solution is easy: Linden Labs should distribute a set of open source 
> fonts to provide UTF-8 character support for internationalization and 
> specialty text graphics, such as those listed here:
>
> http://www.unifont.org/fontguide/
>
>
> This will put all SL citizens on the same footing, text-wise, make it 
> easier to use llSetText for international text and graphics, and make 
> debugging of international text issues much easier. Also, new features for 
> text-handling, either in chat/IM or some extension to llSetText, can be 
> added and tested much easier if a known set of international/graphics 
> characters is available on all systems. Adding international support to 
> the LSL editor will also become easier.
>
> http/svg on a prim or some other text-based extension to existing 
> texturing routines will be much easier to implement and test, as well.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Click here to unsubscribe or manage your list subscription:
> /index.html