> So while you could try to fault X for not requiring print metrics, the
> problem is really a *font* problem - people are using and distributing
> "incomplete" fonts.
Ok, I am taking the risk of asking a obvious-stupid question now: is there
a way of checking if a font has print metrics information available? If
Yes, is that possible for Abiword to *only* use the those fonts with
metric information?
> The GNOME printing framework should have the same limitations.
Arghhh...
> So it boils down to this: Do the Abi coders want to support two
> different codebases for spelling on different architectures?
We can abstract this into a library that takes care of it...
> I *think* that's why Shaw then says this:
>
> >> Using a library interface, instead of the way we actually compile ispell
> >> into our binary, would definitely be possible, if one were to work
> >> out the interface to accurately express the kinds of things we have to
> >> know about words.
>
> *Maybe* what we could do is abstract the spell-checking subsystem into
> a separate library that uses ispell on the "no-pipes" architectures and
> uses a custom solution like you describe on the "have-pipes"
> architectures.
Yep.
> The downside, as I see it, is that there will *still* be UI differences
> between architectures, because now we have to have a way for
> "have-pipes" people to specify which third-party spell application they
> want to use.
...UI differences? Well, if an abstraction library is used, there should
not be problem...
> Oh, and we also have to guarantee that that third-party spell
> application will communicate with us over pipes the *same* way that
> ispell does. That might be a bigger problem...
There are basically two inplementations of ispell out there, and both work
the same way (it's surprisingly simple...).
I think that it's extremely important to use what the architecture offers
(see: Unix with ispell). But this is a "political" sorta thing...
Oh, by the way: the very last thing I want to do here is to just critisise
your work. Don't get me wrong: you are doing a great job, and you are free
to develop Abiword however you want to. Ok? :-)
Thanks!
Merc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony Merc Mobily, technical editor of "Dev." and "Login"
Director of Onda Training & Consulting pty ltd
Technical Writer
Personal Phone Number: ++61-8-93355105, +8 GMT, +7 from Italy!
Currently located in: Perth, AUSTRALIA
merc@cybersydney.com.au - mobily@infomedia.it