[webkit-dev] EOT Support in WebKit

[Maciej Stachowiak]

On Oct 17, 2008, at 12:22 PM, Amanda Walker wrote:

> On Fri, Oct 17, 2008 at 12:41 PM, David Hyatt <hyatt at apple.com> wrote:
>> The big problem is if you support it, EOT wins.  We may as well  
>> remove
>> the TTF code path from the tree.  EOT is unwieldy to use, doesn't
>> support the full range of TTF, contains URL restrictions that make it
>> cumbersome to stage (access control could work much better).
>
> I'm not sure I follow the "we might as well remove TTF" reasoning,
> especially in light of the usability problems you mention.
>
> Putting on my Amateur Web Developer hat, TTF support is something I've
> been avidly awaited for many many years.  I mean, I'm a font geek, and
> have been trying every downloadable font technology anyone's created,
> from TrueDoc to SIFR.  @font-face with TTF is the only reasonable one
> out there--doesn't take proprietary (and pricey) tools, or a Windows
> box, or whatever.  Just host the font file and write some CSS.
>
> EOT is irrelevant to the technical and operational advantages of TTF.

The possible second-order effect is that other browsers supporting EOT  
removes pressure on Microsoft to support TTF, thus making it less  
likely that in the future Web content authors will be able to use TTF  
cross-browser.

I would be concerned about having code to support EOT but without the  
DRM required by the specification in the WebKit tree. That seems like  
it could open anyone distributing the code to legal risk. IANAL but I  
would certainly seek Apple's legal opinion on this. In addition, we  
know the technology is patented, and W3C patent grants are only for  
purposes of implementing the spec. It could be argued that using the  
patent to implement something that willfully violates the spec would  
not fall in the conditions of the royalty-free patent license.

I would also like to know more of the details of the compatibility  
issues with EOT - what is it used for, how many sites are using it,  
and is it remotely possible for them to change their content? I have  
heard vague descriptions of this but nothing specific and first-hand.

Regards,
Maciej