> These are all good points, but 99% of desktop users don't run multiple X
> servers,

I suspect they will run multiple X processes, just not at once. Logging
in and out of *DM requires an Xserver to be shutdown and started. You
get the same hit there.

> aren't trying to circumvent proprietary font licenses,

the point was that it is more difficult to circumvent such licensing if
there is no need to keep local copies of those fonts. But it's not
really relevant.

> but are
> using client-side font-rendering...I know a font server is of use to
> some people in fairly specialised situations, but I'm quite surprised
> that "desktopy" distros are installing it at all.

Ok. That's a separate question. I suspect it's simply because it's
easier for distributions to have a single, tested configuration that
will deal with all circumstances. It makes no difference to the user at
all -- the installer will install X, and it will know that X depends on
xfs, and xfs will be added to the appropriate runlevels when that
package is installed. It used to be the case that using an X server was
the only way to get TrueType fonts. There's probably been no good reason
to move away from that configuration.

I do however think that the arguments of speed, responsiveness and
stability are pretty important for all users. "Desktopy" or not. Keep in
mind that whether or not your users run multiple X servers, it's pretty
likely that they'll log in more than once. *DM will shut down the X
server in that case, but the font-server will keep running.

j.
-- 
James Gregory <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

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