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<p class="MsoNormal">Some weeks back, I mentioned that work was being done to prepare a dot-dot update to the OpenType spec. The OpenType 1.8.4 update is now publicly available for a “beta” review:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/opentype/otspec184beta/ot184beta">https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/typography/opentype/otspec184beta/ot184beta</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When work started in August, there was a backlog of 99 issues that had been reported in the prior two years. After the new work began, another 141 issues were filed—a 141% increase in the past two months. Altogether, there were 240 different
pieces of feedback on the OT spec that were taken into consideration, and changes made in response to over 200 of these issues (85%). There are 27 remaining issues still open that can be considered in a subsequent version—a cut-off for this release was needed
at some point. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>How is this relevant for the AHG? <o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most or all of the feedback given on the OT spec is also relevant for OFF. So, after considering feedback from the review period and making last changes, the result will be submitted as proposed revisions for a future edition* of OFF. Of
course, any of it would be in scope for discussion within the AHG.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">*Because there are so many edits in so many parts of the spec, it wouldn’t lend itself for the amendment process that was recently started. It might be feasible, however, to incorporate a limited selection of changes into an amendment.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The content is available at the link above for a public review period of three weeks—until November 13. Note that the beta content will get taken down after OT 1.8.4 is considered complete and becomes the current version. The beta content
includes two variants of each changed page/section: a “delta” version showing all edits with “change tracking” formatting; and a “final” version showing the results of the edits (all the deletions and “change tracking” formatting are removed). Feedback can
be submitted on any of the beta content “final” version pages using a feedback link at the bottom of the page. A best effort will be made to respond to feedback on the proposed changes. Any entirely new issues reported will likely be left for a future update.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I understand that this process isn’t everything that everyone here would like to see (e.g., people wanting the content to be treated like an OSS project), but hopefully this is seen to be a step in a good direction.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’d like to acknowledge and thank Google Fonts and Microsoft who have made this possible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Peter Constable<o:p></o:p></p>
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