[Cairo] Re: [xsvg] cairo_text_extents ?

[Keith Packard]

Around 17 o'clock on Dec 5, Bill Spitzak wrote:

> It would be nice if the programs using those toolkits be device-independent, 
> however. But unless a uniform interface for selecting fonts is provided this 
> is impossible. So all that is going to happen is that each toolkit will 
> provide it's own string->font converter and these will not match.

Having spoken to the relevant toolkit authors, it's clear that the 
requirement is that font naming use the native platform mechanisms so that 
all applications running on the platform share the same fonts.  Having a 
separate naming scheme means that cairo applications will look different 
from applications using other rendering APIs.  This is unacceptable to the 
toolkit developers (Qt and Gtk+).

> I don't understand why you are so against the "toy" interface. I think you 
> are *VASTLY* underestimating how much people want that interface!

We already took a stab at such an interface and were roundly shot down by 
our target customers (toolkit developers).

http://freedesktop.org/pipermail/cairo/2003-July/000273.html