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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Hello Karsten,</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> mpeg-OTspec@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:mpeg-OTspec@yahoogroups.com] <B>On Behalf Of
</B>karstenluecke<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, March 13, 2009 2:26 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
mpeg-OTspec@yahoogroups.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> [mpeg-OTspec] Re: OFF
"cv01"-"cv99", and a more general question<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff> <snip></FONT></SPAN></DIV></P>
<DIV>OpenType claims to be platform independent (this is how it was sold to
foundries and end users, and only then it makes sense to turn it into a
standard), but there is no cross-platform engine/API nor a specification which
would ensure that OT fonts, built after the spec, behave the same on a variety
of platforms.<BR>(No intentions to play out GX vs OT. GX just helps me
illustrate what I consider as important missing bit.<SPAN
class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN><BR><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT
face=Arial color=#0000ff> </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>Both OT and
ISO OFF specifications</FONT> <FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff> define the
font data encoding format. They also aim to provide necessary details to
ensure that all the features can be properly implemented by font developers
and font development tools, and by text layout and font rendering engines. Due
to the natural history of evolution of different font formats that contributed
to creation of OT / OFF technology, the specification also
incorporates information that is relevant to all major existing
and legacy platforms. So, as it exists today, the specification and the
technology is cross-platform, as evident by multiple implementations.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>I agree
with you that the number of different features and their complexity make it
difficult to ensure that all implementation's behaviors are
identical, and that all features are implemented exactly the same way. This is
however the issue of conformance, and as such does not affect the
cross-platform nature of the technology. If there is a way to improve the
specification to help implementers build conformant implementations that
behave the same way, we should definitely do it and your contributions would
be very much appreciated.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>Thank you
and best regards,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515215016-14032009><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>Vladimir</FONT></SPAN></DIV></DIV><!--End group email --></BODY></HTML>