Re: [PATCH] Xft patch reloaded, #3

>>>>> "ms" == Michael Sperber <[email protected]> writes:

    ms> So can we please have a reasonably-toned discussion where
    ms> we're trying to support Eric's and Matthias's work instead of
    ms> the frustrating recriminations and yelling that are going on
    ms> now?

Call it "recriminations" if you like, but I've pointed out a
fundamental management problem: the people who want the patch now
don't have the skills to fix or show how to avoid aggravating the
technical problems, the people who have the skills prefer to postpone
application of the patch until it's convenient for them to work on it.
(At least I do, and I don't see others volunteering.)

This skills mismatch _is_ frustrating, but it won't just go away.

    ms> ["Mule needs to be fixed" is] a reasonable position to take.
    ms> But it's also not an unreasonable position to put Xft support
    ms> in now, and fix the Mule stuff later.

Sure, except that you're neglecting the issue of who is going to end
up doing the work.  I'll be doing most of the c.e.x and xemacs-beta
user support; none of the "Xft Now!" supporters except Vin have done
any of that kind of work that I can recall.  If we fix Mule later,
because of the skills mismatch, I cannot believe the design and coding
will be done by Matthias and Eric (actually, it probably won't be me,
either; my money is on Ben).

Nor is it a small part of the work.  If we put Xft in now, I see all
the redisplay parts getting completely rewritten when we do the Mule/
face cache/refactoring work later.  Probably the menuing code too.  I
could be wrong, but I really don't want to pay the price if I'm right.
That's why I am asking for more work before the patch is applied.

    ms> Would you mind making available what you have?

I did, already.  I've posted a discussion patch implementing Xft in
the toolbar (which is not part of lwlib, so those objections don't
apply), the Texinfo version of the fontconfig docs, and two posts
describing in some detail the technical and management issues I see
with applying the patch now.

What else do you want?  I don't have working designs to address the
various technical issues I've brought up; if you want me to supply
them, you're going to have to wait.

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