Re: wolf 3d-- bug?

[nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates)]

In article <6cfqqo$nmk@examiner.concentric.net>,
ericlob <ericlob@cris.com> wrote:
>>   That's quite probably an OS bug exposed by Wolfy. 

>Ok, this has nothing to do with Wolf3d but since you're talking about
>patching the OS now

   I've been patching the OS since 93 (FixFontMgr601 for Softdisk),
and games before then. This isn't exactly something new.

>I was looking at the code for the Font Manager (I want >255 pt fonts,
>dangit) and saw that they patch out the code for quite a few functions
>rather than implement them in a new version of the tool. Is there some
>rational explanation for this, or was it just easier to do?

   Lots of people have looked at the Font problem, quite possibly
starting with the Pointless folks, but there's no good answer at
all. Basically, when Apple designed the GS, they decided to try and
skimp on bytes, limiting fonts to 255 points. There are only 8 bits
(==256 possibilities) for font size, and extending that would require
rewriting both the Font Manager *and* every app using it. Not gonna
happen. It's a pretty shortsighted limitation, especially if the GS
was supposed to be anywhere near the DTP mac.

   And as to why the patch vs totally new version, on the GS, if you
patch out, you can still use the old functions, such as drawing fonts
to screen, resizing bitmap-only fonts, putting up dialogs to get font
input, etc. That's a better approach than trying to duplicate Apple's
work and get a whole lot more bugs, incompatabilities, and not be
guaranteed to work with the "next" OS revision from Apple.

Nathan Mates
--
<*> Nathan Mates http://www.visi.com/~nathan/      <*>
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