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

[Laurence Finston]

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

Okay.  I'll try to determine which ones would be useful.

> It's also mentioned in the last line of mf --help.

I didn't think of that.

> Or TeX. It's intentional.

Okay.

> I think the best general mailing list for Metafont discussion (as
> opposed to software issues) is tex-fonts at math.utah.edu

Thanks.  Sadly, that's a very low-traffic list.

> Want to send me a draft of what you want to put on it?

Okay.  I think just a basic explanation would suffice.

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

I'll make a draft for this while I'm at it.

It may be awhile until I get around to this, though.

> Gesendet: Sonntag, 16. Januar 2022 um 22:49 Uhr
> Von: "Karl Berry" <karl at freefriends.org>
> An: Laurence.Finston at gmx.de
> Cc: tex-k at tug.org
> Betreff: Re: [tex-k] METAFONT:  Issue with generating display-size CM fonts
>
> 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
>