Re: [ft-devel] State of TrueType interpreter v38 and up?

[Nikolaus Waxweiler]

> MS created too many buzzwords :-(
>
>    `Native ClearType ' means `no ClearType backwards-compatibility
>    mode'
>
>    `natural ClearType mode' is DWrite talk for subpixel positioning
>
>    `natural ClearType widths' is GDI talk for integer pixel positioning
>    with subpixel rendering.

Now I'm more confused :B

> MS Windows doesn't support that, and FreeType doesn't support it
> either.

Uh, wait. I thought one of the core ideas of ClearType is that glyphs 
are snapped to the pixel grid only on the Y-axis? By Y-only hinting I 
mean what the slight autohinter and the CFF engine do. Are you telling 
me I'm even more confused? :B And if so, why didn't you say so when I 
posted my documentation update? :O

So what exactly must the TT driver support or imitate so that it fits 
the description of “Use native vertical-grid-only-snapping if driver and 
font supports it [...]”? If I understand correctly, FT already does 
subpixel positioning and natural advance widths in light mode 
(autohinter, CFF)?

> The latter: MS uses super-sampling, which *virtually* increases the
> device resolution by a factor of 10 or so, while FreeType does
> *really* increase the resolution.

Ah. I take it those differences don't matter? Any known advantages and 
disadvantages to either approach?