On 26 Nov 2001, Juliusz Chroboczek wrote: >MH> Start up xfs, and it should be fine. > >Yours is a RedHat-specific reply. Debian do things more reasonably, >and don't require a font server by default.
I don't consider that a fair statement at all. It implies that using a font server, is unreasonable, and that somehow because Red Hat Linux uses a font server by default, we are also unreasonable. Very opinionated. There are both circumstances where using a font server makes sense, and those where it probably makes more sense to use the X server itself. >MH> I see people with this common problem a lot. In Red Hat Linux, > >Your predecessors at RedHat have chosen to unconditionally rely on a >font server, a decision which I personally disagree with. While they >may have had good reasons to do so, I have had it explained to me by those who made those decisions, and have discussed it with various people in the community as well. The font server can handle multiple requests simultaneously whereas the X server can not. The X server can end up blocking for long periods of time, depending on the fonts being used, and the complexity of the glyps, leading to poor interactive performance. >you should not assume that this is the only possible setup. I don't assume this is the only setup. It is a common setup, and IMHO on modern computers, it is the setup I believe to be more suitable. Both using a font server and not using one are "reasonable". And since it is open source software, one is free to decide for themself wether they use the font server or not on their systems. The OS vendor on the other hand, requires a default. We have chosen the default to use a font server, in order to provide good interactive response to all of our users by default, including international users who use large glyph sets, which magnify the issue. Occasional or constant jerky mouse movements when using XFree86 without a font server is one of the signs of this problem occuring. The only disadvantage that I know of to using a font server, is a slight amount of wasted memory due to some duplication. >P.S. Mike, sorry for the out-of-context quoting. I know it's not > fair, but it was just too tempting. If you agree, that it was not fair, then why bring it up at all? I was legitimately trying to help a Debian user. Trying to provoke a flamewar when someone is trying to be helpful to someone else is hardly what I would consider to be in the community spirit. I spend a lot of my own non-work personal time on #xfree86 on irc.openprojects.net helping XFree86 users. The channel is mostly filled by Debian GNU/Linux and Slackware regulars, and 80-90% of the traffic is Debian GNU/Linux users. Since I don't run Debian GNU/Linux, I can only help people mostly with things that are non-distribution specific. The open source community IMHO is about working together with each other to promote open source. Not wether you drive a Ford Truck or a Chevy. When distribution idealogy issues get in the way, it causes a breakdown of the cohesion of our community. If your comments above were said in jest, then perhaps I've taken them too seriously. I only say these things however, because when I communicate with the community, I don't discriminate between a Red Hat Linux user, a Debian GNU/Linux user, a Mandrake user, Slackware, *BSD, etc.. I have my preferences, and respect theirs. We're all using open source, and that is what it is all about. Sadly, while _most_ of the help I offer out, at least on IRC, is to people _not_ using Red Hat Linux, I get the _most_ amount of negative reactions from people who are also the ones I am trying to help. It makes me wonder just how much of the community is _truely_ serious about working _together_ and who all treat it as just fancy words to use against each other for political reasons. Nonetheless... I'll still be there tomorrow for all the Deb'ers who frequent #xfree86, and anyone else, and I welcome yourself and anyone else to join me there too. Lots of people come looking for help, and there aren't a lot of people outputting answers currently. It would be nice to have a Debian GNU/Linux expert frequent the channel. Distro politics are not at all ontopic in the channel however, so remember to keep it clean in the melting pot. ;o) Take care, TTYL -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike A. Harris Shipping/mailing address: OS Systems Engineer 190 Pittsburgh Ave., Sault Ste. Marie, XFree86 maintainer Ontario, Canada, P6C 5B3 Red Hat Inc. Phone: (705)949-2136 http://www.redhat.com ftp://people.redhat.com/mharris Red Hat XFree86 mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] General open IRC discussion: #xfree86 on irc.openprojects.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Fonts mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://XFree86.Org/mailman/listinfo/fonts
