Debian Bug report logs - #364965
Don't load type1 backend by default

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Message #5 received at submit@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Juliusz Chroboczek <Juliusz.Chroboczek@pps.jussieu.fr>

To: bugs@debian.org

Subject: Don't load type1 backend by default

Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 00:49:16 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

Package: xserver-xorg
Version: 6.9.0.dfsg.1-6
Severity: wishlist

Hi Branden, or whoever is maintaining the X server nowadays.

On my systems at least, X.Org is loading the "type1" font backend.  I
have no idea whether this is the default behaviour, or an artefact of
my configuration -- if the latter, please disregard this report.

I would like to argue that the "type1" backend should not be loaded by
default.

The "type1" backend uses the IBM/Lexmark Type 1 rasteriser, which is
old, unmaintained and buggy.  Since XFree86 4.3.0, the "freetype"
backend is used for Type 1 fonts if it is loaded, and the "type1"
backend is only used for CIDFonts.

Nobody understands CIDFonts.  Nobody knows how to install a CIDFont in
the X server.  CIDFonts are not supported by Xft.  And fortunately
they are obsolete -- the format has been made obsolete by OpenType/CFF.

I would like to convince you that the "type1" backend should not be
loaded by default.  If your users complain, please point them at
FontForge, which is supposed to be able to convert CIDFonts to the
OpenType/CFF format (which, unlike conversion to TTF format, is lossless).

Thanks,

                                        Juliusz

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Message #10 received at 364965@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Julien Cristau <julien.cristau@ens-lyon.org>

To: Juliusz Chroboczek <Juliusz.Chroboczek@pps.jussieu.fr>, 364965@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#364965: Don't load type1 backend by default

Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2006 11:02:04 +0200

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On Thu, Apr 27, 2006 at 00:49:16 +0200, Juliusz Chroboczek wrote:

> I would like to argue that the "type1" backend should not be loaded by
> default.

To do this, it seems to be sufficient to remove "type1" from the
DEFAULT_MODULES variable in xserver-xorg.config.in, and maybe from the
Default line of the xserver-xorg/config/modules debconf template.

Cheers,
Julien

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Message #15 received at 364965@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Juliusz Chroboczek <Juliusz.Chroboczek@pps.jussieu.fr>

To: Julien Cristau <julien.cristau@ens-lyon.org>

Cc: Juliusz Chroboczek <Juliusz.Chroboczek@pps.jussieu.fr>, 364965@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#364965: Don't load type1 backend by default

Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2006 02:32:31 +0200

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Me:

>> I would like to argue that the "type1" backend should not be loaded by
>> default.

Julien:

> To do this, it seems to be sufficient to remove "type1" from the
> DEFAULT_MODULES variable in xserver-xorg.config.in, and maybe from the
> Default line of the xserver-xorg/config/modules debconf template.

And I still recommend that this should be done.  I also recommend that
existing xorg.conf files should be rewritten to remove the line which
loads the "type1" module, which I understand would not be done by
merely doing the above.

Pro memoria, I am the original author of the FreeType backend (not of
the libfreetype library that this uses).  I am also the original
author of the internationalisation code in the XFree86 font backends,
including the Type 1 backend, done in mid-1998.  This is to say that
I am vaguely familiar with the code.

The Type 1 backend in XFree86 and X.Org was contributed by Lexmark and
IBM.  It is not designed for use in a desktop system -- it is designed
for use in embedded devices, such as printers.  Because of that, it
has only one error recovery mechanism -- abort().

Implementing proper error recovery in the Type 1 backend would require
a major restructuring of the code.  Because of that, we have instead
chosen to make sure that errors cannot happen; for example, we fail
requests for large glyphs very early, before even entering the backend.
Needless to say, this set of hacks is unmaintainable and error-prone
-- there is no guarantee that the X server won't crash because the
Type 1 backend decided that it doesn't like the font you gave it.

Instead of fixing that, I have chosen to obsolete the Type 1 backend.
The FreeType backend has proper error recovery, produces better
results than the IBM/Lexmark rasteriser, and its functionality is an
almost complete superset of the latter's functionality -- with the
exception of support for CIDFonts.

CIDFonts, fortunately, have been obsoleted by OpenType/CFF fonts,
which are supported by the FreeType backend.  In case any of our users
still have CIDFonts, there are Free Software tools (notably fontforge,
which is in Debian Main) which are able to losslessly convert a 
Type 1 CIDFont into an OpenType/CFF font.

Please do not load the Type 1 backend by default: doing so might crash
your X server at any time an incorrect or merely unusual font is loaded,
and provides no functionality that our users will need.  I hereby
volunteer to ruthlessly flame anyone who complains about the change.

With my most sincere regards,

                                        Juliusz Chroboczek

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Message #20 received at 364965@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: Julien Cristau <julien.cristau@ens-lyon.org>

To: Juliusz Chroboczek <Juliusz.Chroboczek@pps.jussieu.fr>, 364965@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#364965: Don't load type1 backend by default

Date: Tue, 24 Oct 2006 03:25:30 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On Tue, Oct 24, 2006 at 02:32:31 +0200, Juliusz Chroboczek wrote:

> Me:
> 
> >> I would like to argue that the "type1" backend should not be loaded by
> >> default.
> 
> Julien:
> 
> > To do this, it seems to be sufficient to remove "type1" from the
> > DEFAULT_MODULES variable in xserver-xorg.config.in, and maybe from the
> > Default line of the xserver-xorg/config/modules debconf template.
> 
> And I still recommend that this should be done.  I also recommend that
> existing xorg.conf files should be rewritten to remove the line which
> loads the "type1" module, which I understand would not be done by
> merely doing the above.
> 
The attached patch should do that.  David, do you agree with this? (if
so, I'll commit it to trunk)

Cheers,
Julien

[xserver-xorg-no-type1.diff (text/plain, attachment)]

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Message #25 received at 364965@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: David Nusinow <dnusinow@speakeasy.net>

To: Julien Cristau <julien.cristau@ens-lyon.org>, 364965@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Re: Bug#364965: Don't load type1 backend by default

Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:56:58 -0400

On Tue, Oct 24, 2006 at 03:25:30AM +0200, Julien Cristau wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 24, 2006 at 02:32:31 +0200, Juliusz Chroboczek wrote:
> 
> > Me:
> > 
> > >> I would like to argue that the "type1" backend should not be loaded by
> > >> default.
> > 
> > Julien:
> > 
> > > To do this, it seems to be sufficient to remove "type1" from the
> > > DEFAULT_MODULES variable in xserver-xorg.config.in, and maybe from the
> > > Default line of the xserver-xorg/config/modules debconf template.
> > 
> > And I still recommend that this should be done.  I also recommend that
> > existing xorg.conf files should be rewritten to remove the line which
> > loads the "type1" module, which I understand would not be done by
> > merely doing the above.
> > 
> The attached patch should do that.  David, do you agree with this? (if
> so, I'll commit it to trunk)

Sure, works for me. We should consider disabling it in the server as well.

 - David Nusinow

Message #32 received at 364965-close@bugs.debian.org (full text, mbox, reply):

From: David Nusinow <dnusinow@debian.org>

To: 364965-close@bugs.debian.org

Subject: Bug#364965: fixed in xorg 1:7.1.0-6

Date: Sun, 05 Nov 2006 17:32:39 -0800

Source: xorg
Source-Version: 1:7.1.0-6

We believe that the bug you reported is fixed in the latest version of
xorg, which is due to be installed in the Debian FTP archive:

libglu1-xorg-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/libglu1-xorg-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
libglu1-xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/libglu1-xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
x-window-system-core_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/x-window-system-core_7.1.0-6_all.deb
x-window-system_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/x-window-system_7.1.0-6_all.deb
x11-common_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/x11-common_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
xlibmesa-dri_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xlibmesa-dri_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xlibmesa-gl-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xlibmesa-gl-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xlibmesa-gl_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xlibmesa-gl_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xlibmesa-glu_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xlibmesa-glu_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xlibs-data_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xlibs-data_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xlibs-static-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xlibs-static-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xorg-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xorg-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xorg_7.1.0-6.dsc
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xorg_7.1.0-6.dsc
xorg_7.1.0-6.tar.gz
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xorg_7.1.0-6.tar.gz
xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xserver-xfree86_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xserver-xfree86_7.1.0-6_all.deb
xserver-xorg-input-all_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xserver-xorg-input-all_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
xserver-xorg-video-all_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xserver-xorg-video-all_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
xserver-xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
  to pool/main/x/xorg/xserver-xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb



A summary of the changes between this version and the previous one is
attached.

Thank you for reporting the bug, which will now be closed.  If you
have further comments please address them to 364965@bugs.debian.org,
and the maintainer will reopen the bug report if appropriate.

Debian distribution maintenance software
pp.
David Nusinow <dnusinow@debian.org> (supplier of updated xorg package)

(This message was generated automatically at their request; if you
believe that there is a problem with it please contact the archive
administrators by mailing ftpmaster@debian.org)


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Format: 1.7
Date: Sun,  5 Nov 2006 20:09:29 -0500
Source: xorg
Binary: x-window-system xlibs-static-dev xlibmesa-dri xserver-xorg-video-all xserver-xorg xorg-dev xserver-xorg-input-all libglu1-xorg-dev xlibmesa-glu xlibmesa-gl x11-common xserver-xfree86 xlibmesa-gl-dev x-window-system-core libglu1-xorg xlibs-data xorg
Architecture: source all i386
Version: 1:7.1.0-6
Distribution: unstable
Urgency: low
Maintainer: David Nusinow <dnusinow@debian.org>
Changed-By: David Nusinow <dnusinow@debian.org>
Description: 
 libglu1-xorg - transitional package for Debian etch
 libglu1-xorg-dev - transitional package for Debian etch
 x-window-system - transitional package for Debian etch
 x-window-system-core - transitional package for Debian etch
 x11-common - X Window System (X.Org) infrastructure
 xlibmesa-dri - transitional package for Debian etch
 xlibmesa-gl - transitional package for Debian etch
 xlibmesa-gl-dev - transitional package for Debian etch
 xlibmesa-glu - transitional package for Debian etch
 xlibs-data - transitional package for X11 client data
 xlibs-static-dev - transitional metapackage
 xorg       - X.Org X Window System
 xorg-dev   - the X.Org X Window System development libraries
 xserver-xfree86 - transitional package for moving from XFree86 to X.Org
 xserver-xorg - the X.Org X server
 xserver-xorg-input-all - the X.Org X server -- input driver metapackage
 xserver-xorg-video-all - the X.Org X server -- output driver metapackage
Closes: 364965 365358 391602 396279 396484 396827
Changes: 
 xorg (1:7.1.0-6) unstable; urgency=low
 .
   [ Debconf translations added ]
   * Arabic (though still incomplete).
   * Bosnian. Closes: #396484
   * Chinese (Traditional).
   * Croatian.
   * Greek.
   * Thai. Closes: #396827
   * Turkish.
 .
   [ Debconf translations updated ]
   * Nepali
   * Russian. Closes: #391602
 .
   [ Julien Cristau ]
   * Readd /etc/X11/Xresources/x11-common which was lost in the transition from
     the monolith.  This enables the -color customization, and closes: #365358.
   * Delete stampdir in debian/rules clean.
   * Don't load the obsolete Type 1 font backend in the server, as suggested by
     Juliusz Chroboczek (closes: #364965).
   * Bump x11-common's conflict on xlbiff to "<< 4.1-4". Thanks to Bill
     Allombert and Steve Langasek (closes: #396279).
Files: 
 edb95ef1da24241cd30b1c264e1e72c0 961 x11 optional xorg_7.1.0-6.dsc
 4c1d8eb4b75c60be5c503853478b8bce 925522 x11 optional xorg_7.1.0-6.tar.gz
 15c0704324cf1f002453228a99a8bc57 354778 x11 optional xserver-xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 25391617af5fedb64135ab1462f2da55 16240 x11 optional xserver-xfree86_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 c3a19aad86932973b2e5eb8b19b48e59 16540 x11 optional xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 104cc2b4a6f7a5fba076dc9ea3db1093 16732 x11 optional xorg-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 bca7bb7420077c3b01e02fc773d22a87 16286 libs optional xlibs-data_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 234e691ce40c1540a18c4dcaa3237bed 16404 libs optional xlibs-static-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 94d91d92567f37b22829f7a1817d679f 16266 libs optional xlibmesa-dri_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 8c7140c55b36537ce9412c32aee1c43e 16268 libs optional xlibmesa-gl_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 fdd93401c2d2cf3d68c4ba6132de98b4 16276 libdevel optional xlibmesa-gl-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 c9bb75ca4afc675abc9715b9918b39d5 16270 libdevel optional xlibmesa-glu_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 bb6d268edf14c833daa6d96c8757e060 16260 libs optional libglu1-xorg_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 556ca51b6fc92f720878d81a06895508 16270 libdevel optional libglu1-xorg-dev_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 19a377770e9b054f2e95b271618616be 16316 x11 optional x-window-system_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 3caf007f982180e11875f6ea39b00ec8 16320 x11 optional x-window-system-core_7.1.0-6_all.deb
 e68180dff7250921f09637143de32814 324756 x11 optional x11-common_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
 3f52d2441bda19126c3e967765fbc781 16478 x11 optional xserver-xorg-video-all_7.1.0-6_i386.deb
 ffa322f379f209e332ee9b25ee4192bd 16346 x11 optional xserver-xorg-input-all_7.1.0-6_i386.deb

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