Comment 75 for bug 145604

Hello Gentlemen,

With the recent release of 1.8.0, all of the lcd_filter checks back into fontconfig and Xft have been removed. For me, this is a (rather tremendous) regression in usability. I would like this bug to be reopened so that the re-addition of the code can be followed. There might need to be some debate as per Carl Worth's notes to the regression in lcd filtering ability (which might be the correct way to proceed anyway -- freetype defaults lcd filtering ability to off in case of possible violation of MS Cleartype patents). Providing redundant (and inferior*) functionality in cairo again might once again jeopardize the stack.

I would appreciate public updates on the debate around lcd_filtering ability, since this particular set of additions to cairo significantly impacts my usability of gnome and cairo on linux. I have been following this particular set of patches for many _years_, keeping patched versions of my own. I do think these additions would be of benefit to all users of cairo.

Thank you gentlemen,
If you need anything from me, or would like to see some involvement from me, just ask. I just need to find time away from the pursuit of my doctorate.

Nicolaus Hepler

* I do apologize to whomever made cairo's filter in the first place, but in my opinion it _is_ inferior to freetype's filters -- the current pixel-clipping code in cairo lcd filtering results in yellow-blue halos that are quite evident to me on any screen I've used.