Re: [ft] status of lcd text on linux

[Werner LEMBERG]

> On Linux I used freetype but turns out it does not renders LCD.  If
> I want LCD I need to recompile freetype passing
> -DFT_CONFIG_OPTION_SUBPIXEL_RENDERING

This is not correct: As the documentation clearly explains, it just
disables the patented color filters.  Instead, you should apply color
filtering by your own.

> Then I remember that cairo (back when I supported the SWT/GTK port)
> had its own lcd filter.  But as of cairo 1.10 that got removed and
> now (it seems) cairo relies on freetype for LCD text.  Similar
> changed happened to Xft too.

Since I don't use Cairo, I can't comment.  Please ask the Cairo
people.  However, looking into the source code and doing

  grep -i subpixel *

in the `src' directory, I get zillions of hits.  Ditto for

  grep -i lcd *

so I assume that Cairo provides more than just access to FreeType's
LCD filtering stuff.

> What is the state of LCD text on Linux:
> a) nobody uses LCD text on Linux anymore
> b) are the distros building freetype with LCD support
> c) those who care include their own build of freetype in their products.
> d) those who care implement their own lcd filters
> ?

I think this is rather a question for GNU/Linux distributions.
However, it seems to me that virtually all distributions *do* support
LCD font rendering.  You might also have a look at the Infinality
patches (http://www.infinality.net/blog/).


    Werner