[tex-k] METAFONT: Issue with generating display-size CM fonts

[Karl Berry]

Hi Laurence,

    The problem is that there's a big gap between `dpdfezzz' at
    8000 and the next lowest canonical mode `supre' at 2400. 

I don't mind adding a couple more in between. Please send suggested
mode_def(inition)s.

    % Unfortunately, the number of modes eats up a lot of memory; 

I wrote that comment a few decades ago.  Even back then, haven't seen
the number of modes be a problem in practice. Since there are ~166 modes
now, I doubt 168 is going to push anything over the edge.

    the only indication that this list is the one to obtain support for
    MF is the MF page at CTAN: https://www.ctan.org/pkg/metafont

It's also mentioned in the last line of mf --help. I'll change
ctan.org/pkg/modes to mention it too.

    However, the tex-k info page at https://tug.org/mailman/listinfo/tex-k
    makes no mention of MF. 

Or TeX. It's intentional.

    This is the heading: tex-k -- Kpathsea, Web2c, Dviljk, Dvipsk, Xdvik, etc.

My idea was that both are subsumed under "Web2c", for this list's
purposes. That is, this list (tex-k) is mostly about building/software
problems (like the one you're reporting here about modes.mf).

I think the best general mailing list for Metafont discussion (as
opposed to software issues) is tex-fonts at math.utah.edu
(https://mail.math.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/tex-fonts). I'll add that
to the Metafont page.

    https://tug.org/metafont. Millions of MF users demand action!

:). Sure, it would be nice. Want to send me a draft of what you want to
put on it? I guess something minimal like tug.org/web2c would be fine,
I don't think there's as much to put on it as the MetaPost page.

(There's no tug.org/tex either. Hmm ...)

Thanks for all,
Karl