[Rule-list] About font server

[Marco Fioretti]

Chris,

about your suggestions below:

1) I agree with getting rid of the font server, Slackware (I think)
alread does that

2) I have no idea whether it can be start by startx or not. We should
check

3) Editing XF86 Config should be really easy to do in the post install
script specific for that package, together with the chkconfig setting,
and the physical installing of the fonts. However, we should also
figure out some easy procedure for people who do have the space and
want more fonts installed.

	Ciao,
		Marco Fioretti

----- Forwarded message from chris clark <clarkcd at myrealbox.com> -----

The biggest slowdowns in boot times seem to be XFS (font server), kudzu, and the depmod -a .


jamie zawinski (of netscape fame) has some info on removing the font server, and substituting
hardcoded font paths at:

http://www.dnalounge.com/backstage/src/kiosk/laptops/

He says:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Turn off ``xfs'', the X Font Server. Once we make things read-only, it won't work any more and I 
didn't bother figuring out why. It doesn't matter, we don't really need it. Turn it off like so: 

               chkconfig xfs off

          Then edit /etc/X11/XF86Config to add real font paths: 

               FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/" 
               FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc/" 
               FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID/" 
               FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/" 
               FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I've had reasonably good results with relatively few fonts, but I'm not picky.

Alternatively, I'm wondering why the font server gets started at boot, instead of as part of the 
"startx" sequence. Furthermore, might it be possible to have hard paths to some common fonts,
so X can start up fairly quickly, and then start up the font server later, perhaps with a low
priority ,and once it's running, renice it to the proper "working" priority? Can someone with 
a more detailed knowledge of fonts under X-Windows comment?

-- 
Sometimes when you fill a vacuum, it still sucks.
	  -- Bill Joy, founder of Sun Microsystems

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