View source for Archive:PackagingDrafts/Font package splitting rules (2008-12-21)

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{{admon/note | FPC | This proposal was reviewed and approved by FPC on [[Packaging:Minutes/20090106|2009-01-06]].}}

{{admon/note | FESCO | FPC's conclusions were ratified by FESCO on [[Extras/SteeringComittee/Meeting-20090116|2009-01-16]].}}

== Foreword ==

This change is part of the [[Fonts SIG Fedora 11 packaging changes_(2008-11-08)#Split_big_font_packages_on_font_family_lines|list]] of cleanups discussed on the fonts and devel lists since november 2008. It is intended to make rules clearer for new and existing packagers, by rewording rules in a more succinct and imperative manner. Experience shows that too much leeway just results in packagers wasting time as they find new “interesting” ways to interpret the guidelines.

The change consists of the rewording [[Packaging:FontsPolicy#Font_bundles|one section]] of our current font policy.

{{Admon/note|What is a font family?|{{:Fonts spec template notes/font-family}}}}

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== Package layout of font packages ==

# Fonts released upstream in separate archives '''MUST''' be packaged in separate source packages (''src.rpm''), unless they belong to the same font family.
# Packagers '''SHOULD''' ask upstream to release each font family in a separate versioned archive, when it bundles in a common release archive:
## fonts with other material such as application code, or
## different font families.
#* As an exception, when a project is the upstream of several font families, which are all licensed the same way, and released on the same date, with the same version, the use of a common release archive is tolerated.
# Packagers '''MUST''' package each font family in a separate (''noarch.rpm'') (sub)package, notwithstanding on how they applied the previous source package (''src.rpm'') rules. The only admitted exceptions are:
## source packages that only include one font family and no other code or content (font documentation excepted), in which case a simple package is fine,
## font families which are designed to extend other font families with larger Unicode coverage (for example ''Arial Unicode'', ''Droid Sans Fallback''), in which case grouping the font family and its extension in a single (sub)package is acceptable.
##* such cases should be notified to the fontconfig maintainer and the Fedora [[Fonts SIG mailing lists|fonts list]], so the font family split can be eventually hidden from users.
## fonts that use a format that bundles different font families in a single file.
# On the other hand, the different faces of a font family '''MUST''' be packaged together in a common (''noarch.rpm'') (sub)package, and not spread over different (sub)packages<ref>

'''Rationale:'''

As noted in the [[Packaging/Guidelines#Bundling |Packaging Guidelines]], Fedora packages should make every effort to avoid having multiple, separate, upstream projects bundled together in a single package. This applies equally to font packages.

Multi-source packages are difficult to maintain and confusing to users. In addition, fonts are comparatively bulky, and big font packages will be blacklisted from live-cds and by low-bandwidth users.

The functional font unit for users is the font family. Users don't understand partially installed fonts (font faces spread over different packages) and bundles (multi-family packages that force them to install fonts they may not care of or even like just to get the other fonts in the package). Because it is a unit, projects will extend or fork a font family as a whole, but not necessarily in step with other bundled families.

Lastly, multi-font packages unnecessarily complexify font auto-installation.</ref>.
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Notes:
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{{:Fonts_SIG_signature}}[[Category:Fonts packaging guideline change proposals|2008-12-21, Splitting]]
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