Comment 24 for bug 727733

Soren: I certain agree with your characterisation that people are really looking forward to the Ubuntu Mono (the number of questions about its state of development reflects that too).

Regarding Ubuntu 11.04: there was a bit of a storm even from Dustin landing bug #730672 ("Improve Console Colours") after freeze and that was even 6 weeks ago now. I don't think I would want to propose to put the Ubuntu Mono in now, even if it /was/ ready (which it isn't, it needs hinting and engineering). Ubuntu Mono really needs implementing top-to-bottom, not just in the GUI terminals, but also the bootloader, virtual consoles, installer/bterm and gfxboot CD menus.

We could probably technically put in an unhinted Ubuntu Mono, but it wouldn't be representative of the final product. The bi-level bitmap rendering are going to /require/ having done careful hinting, with extra special concentration at 16 PPEM (8×16 pixels). Because of the licence difference between interium Ubuntu Font Licence and that used for Unifont we'll probably also have to develop patches to dynamically load a main and fallback from two separate font files and then send those upstream for each of the four bitmap/console text renderers listed above (help graciously accepted, it should be a fun little project!). There was also an issue (until very recently) with the .ttf not loading in KDE Konsole, which you're probably got strong opinions about too! :)

Do you fancy getting together at UDS to investigate further on how to get the maximum impact for the next cycle, or organising a session (hopefully we'll have something publicly PPAed by then). If it goes in at the start of the cycle there should be a nice comfortable six months to work out how smooth the corners off, rather than rushing something out now.