[tex-live] Conflits in gsfonts packge and tex-live distro

[Norbert Preining]

On Mi, 20 Mai 2009, Pander wrote:
> Not yet, I also think about filing a bug for Ubuntu and Debian. My
> opinion is that all extra stuff added by GNU/Linux distros in term of
> extra characters should be committed upstream and only one archive of
> (Ghostscript) gsfonts should be used by both texlive and GNU/Linux distros.

It wasn't Debian (and much less Ubuntu) adding glyphs to these fonts, it
was ghostscript's part. Debian is only packaging the fonts.

> 1) Contact Ghostscript upstream maintainer and get his/her opinion
> 2) Inform all downstream parties about approach (GNU/Linux gsfonts,
> texlive, etc.)

> 3) Probably/hopefully have upstream Ghostscript merge the gsfonts
> extension (extra characters etc.) from GNU/Linux gsfonts

They *are* from upstream, Debian is only packaging. You are mixing some
things:

URW++ released the fonts under GPL.

Ghostscript added glyphs to the fonts.

Debian packaged the ghostscript version of the fonts.

TeX Live uses the original URW++ fonts.

> 4) Upgrade all downstream texlive, GNU/Linux gsfonts, etc.

That is NOT about "upgrading". If hinting was lost while adding stuff
that would mean loss of quality, so it will not happen.

> Few, I have the feeling that these fonts that have been forked are going
> to stir up a lot of dust for version and release management of some
> distributions. Well, better now than later. The end result will be

No, honestly, you are overdoing quite a lot. TeX Live has its own
version management system, Debian its own, and there is no mixture. If
you decide to make your locally installed fonts available then you have
to know what are the consequences.

> serving more people around the world when the fonts offer more glyphs.

At lower quality, no.

Best wishes

Norbert

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Norbert Preining <preining at logic.at>        Vienna University of Technology
Debian Developer <preining at debian.org>                         Debian TeX Group
gpg DSA: 0x09C5B094      fp: 14DF 2E6C 0307 BE6D AD76  A9C0 D2BF 4AA3 09C5 B094
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He stood up straight and looked the world squarely in the
fields and hills. To add weight to his words he stuck the
rabbit bone in his hair. He spread his arms out wide. `I
will go mad!' he announced.
                 --- Arthur discovering a way of coping with life on
                 --- Prehistoric Earth.
                 --- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy