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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 23092020 3:21 pm, Peter Constable
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:MWHPR1301MB211239C7632FFC0EC79C422A86380@MWHPR1301MB2112.namprd13.prod.outlook.com">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Microsoft as owners and stewards
of the OT spec have at times provided a context in which MS and
other industry collaborators could innovate on the font format
and feed those innovations into OFF. In those situations, that
context provided just the kind of buffer you describe.
Variations is an familiar example of that.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Yes, and when that has been possible I preferred that to dealing
with the MPEG OFF process, at the same time as recognising that it
was a closed process that granted me access that wouldn't be given
to a lot of other people.<br>
</p>
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cite="mid:MWHPR1301MB211239C7632FFC0EC79C422A86380@MWHPR1301MB2112.namprd13.prod.outlook.com">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>But when MS has been inactive,
that has not prevented innovations going into OFF. On the
contrary, there are several counterexamples. SVG and CBDT tables
are well-known examples. But there have also been several OTL
features that were added to the feature registry or descriptions
of features significantly revised (some of which you
contributed) that came into OFF directly without needing any
action on MS’ part.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The colour font tables came from individual companies that had
developed them internally, implemented them internally, and then
brought them fully formed to OFF. I don't think anyone thinks this
was a good way for things to happen, and the fact that so many
years later there still isn't consistent colour font support and
recent elements of a mini font table war between COLR and SVG
really suggests that this kind of non-collaboration isn't a good
model.</p>
<p>With regard to minor things like adding or revising OTL features,
well, they hardly constitute innovation. My own involvement was a
tidying operation to bring some existing feature descriptions in
line with actual implementations. At the time, I asked whether I
should pursue this through Microsoft of MPEG—either would have
been fine with me for the limited purpose—and someone at Microsoft
(you? Greg?) suggested using the MPEG process. And it was fine for
that kind of thing, although if I were doing it today I would use
GitHub or Google Docs for draft editing purposes, i.e. exactly the
kind of thing people are saying they want to be able to do.<br>
</p>
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cite="mid:MWHPR1301MB211239C7632FFC0EC79C422A86380@MWHPR1301MB2112.namprd13.prod.outlook.com">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Wrt OFF, AFAIFK MS has never had
any more veto influence than any other company that might
comment on a proposal to say, “not sufficiently reviewed” or
“needs revision” or some such comments indicating concern with
the proposed change.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So what happened to those proposals? Were they ever sufficiently
reviewed or revised? I am totally with you on all proposals
needing careful review (and preferably demonstrable
implementation) before they are subject to the ratification
process. But that requires active and ongoing participation, which
isn't something that Microsoft was or is contributing to OFF.
Meanwhile, there are a lot of people who do want to engage in
active and ongoing participation, but they're not sure what
happens to their efforts if Microsoft comes along at a late stage
and objects to the proposal or says they can't or won't implement
it.</p>
<p>JH<br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
John Hudson
Tiro Typeworks Ltd <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.tiro.com">www.tiro.com</a>
Salish Sea, BC <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:tiro@tiro.com">tiro@tiro.com</a>
NOTE: In the interests of productivity, I am currently
dealing with email on only two days per week, usually
Monday and Thursday unless this schedule is disrupted
by travel. If you need to contact me urgently, please
use some other method of communication. Thank you.</pre>
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