[gentoo-user] FreeType unpatented auto-hinter?
Somebody on twitter told me that Ubuntu uses a special patch for freetype that improves font rendering manifolds. So I rebuilt freetype with these useflags: +auto-hinter +bindist What is the difference between this unpatented auto hinter and the TrueType BC interpreter? -- Nilesh Govindarajan http://nileshgr.com
Re: [gentoo-user] FreeType unpatented auto-hinter?
On Mon, Sep 26, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Nilesh Govindarajan cont...@nileshgr.com wrote: Somebody on twitter told me that Ubuntu uses a special patch for freetype that improves font rendering manifolds. So I rebuilt freetype with these useflags: +auto-hinter +bindist What is the difference between this unpatented auto hinter and the TrueType BC interpreter? The auto-hinter USE flag enables the old auto-hinter code that was used before the bytecode interpreter patents expired (which happened in 2010). The bytecode interpreter is now the default and is considered to be the best-performing option. Since May 2010, all patents related to bytecode hinting have expired worldwide. It it thus no longer necessary to disable the bytecode interpreter, and starting with FreeType version 2.4, it is enabled by default. (according to http://www.freetype.org/patents.html) I would check with your friend on Twitter to be sure they aren't talking about pre-freetype-2.4 behavior... With regard to Ubuntu's actual patches, here they are: https://launchpadlibrarian.net/76814921/freetype_2.4.4-2ubuntu1.diff.gz There aren't a lot of apparent changes to the actual freetype engine (mostly patching the docs, build system and demos). There are basically no comments, and I can't tell what it's trying to accomplish.
Re: [gentoo-user] FreeType unpatented auto-hinter?
On 2011-09-26 17:13, Nilesh Govindarajan wrote: What is the difference between this unpatented auto hinter and the TrueType BC interpreter? As far as I know, the truetype byte code interpreter patent expired about 2 years ago... See: http://www.osnews.com/story/18166/Interview-with-David-Turner-of-Freetype/ ...but don't take my word for it... If you really need to know for sure - contact a lawyer[1]. [1] IANAL :-) Best regards Peter K
Re: [gentoo-user] FreeType unpatented auto-hinter?
On 2011-09-26 17:13, Nilesh Govindarajan wrote: What is the difference between this unpatented auto hinter and the TrueType BC interpreter? Here's some more info: http://www.freetype.org/patents.html Best regards Peter K
Re: [gentoo-user] FreeType unpatented auto-hinter?
On 26 September 2011 16:49, pk pete...@coolmail.se wrote: ...but don't take my word for it... If you really need to know for sure - contact a lawyer[1]. [1] IANAL :-) If you were, would you give your opinion freely on the internet? `s/would/could`? Since our system is set up so that one can spend significant amounts of money just to find out whether something is or is not a restricted idea, only to end up in court anyway because others have more money to employ lawyers to come up with creative counter-arguments, I don't think that it's productive to emulate people who think that it's reasonable or useful to append a disclaimer to every claim that they make. THIS EMAIL DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY. ANY WORDS IN IT ARE ONES THAT I WROTE, AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO AMUSE OR OTHERWISE BENEFIT ANY PARTIES THAT HAPPEN TO BE CELEBRATING ANYTHING. DO NOT PRINT THIS, THINK OF THE CHILDREN. FNORD. (sorry)
Re: [gentoo-user] FreeType unpatented auto-hinter?
On 2011-09-26 18:13, James Broadhead wrote: If you were, would you give your opinion freely on the internet? `s/would/could`? Well, you never know... ;-) Since our system is set up so that one can spend significant amounts of money just to find out whether something is or is not a restricted idea, only to end up in court anyway because others have more money to employ lawyers to come up with creative counter-arguments, I don't think that it's productive to emulate people who think that it's reasonable or useful to append a disclaimer to every claim that they make. THIS EMAIL DOES NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY. ANY WORDS IN IT ARE ONES THAT I WROTE, AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO AMUSE OR OTHERWISE BENEFIT ANY PARTIES THAT HAPPEN TO BE CELEBRATING ANYTHING. DO NOT PRINT THIS, THINK OF THE CHILDREN. FNORD. (sorry) :-D Best regards Peter K
