Bug 58907 - AbiWord is unsuitable for inclusion in RedHat Linux
Summary: AbiWord is unsuitable for inclusion in RedHat Linux
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED RAWHIDE
Alias: None
Product: Red Hat Linux
Classification: Retired
Component: abiword
Version: 7.2
Hardware: i386
OS: Linux
medium
high
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Jeremy Katz
QA Contact: Aaron Brown
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2002-01-27 18:05 UTC by Need Real Name
Modified: 2007-04-18 16:39 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

Fixed In Version:
Doc Type: Bug Fix
Doc Text:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2002-07-08 06:00:20 UTC
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)

Description Need Real Name 2002-01-27 18:05:41 UTC
After much confusion and a little web searching I discovered that the
reason we had so many font problems was AbiWord.  rpm --erase fixed it. 

AbiWord:
	1> Installs fonts with false names on the global font path.   AbiWord adds
	an Arial, for example, that's really Nimbus Sans.
	http://bugzilla.abisource.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2598

	2> Messes with the font path while running (meaning, if Abi is running,
	other apps behave differently).  AbiWord's foundary name comes before
	"adobe" "monotype" or "urw", so when AbiWord is running you get
	AbiWord's fonts or a weird mixture of fonts:
	http://bugzilla.abisource.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1030

	3> AbiWord includes copyrighted fonts with no licence or notice:
	http://bugzilla.abisource.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2598

	4> Will not use valid system fonts:
	http://bugzilla.abisource.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2422
	http://bugzilla.abisource.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1381
	http://bugzilla.abisource.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2493

	5> The bugzilla comments from the core developers read like:
	"I do not consider this a bug.", and "Then please get someone
	@ Ximian to help us out. I'm sorry, but we've got to 
	prioritize our bugs and this is nowhere near the top of our list."

The AbiWord developers have shown no real interest in fixing the above, not even
for their 1.0 release, and they defend the current design.

Until AbiWord ceases to be in the font business, it's a danger to the rest of
the distribution.

Please move abiword to a location on the CD's where it won't be installed (even
on an "everything" install).  If just a few applications took the liberties that
AbiWord does,
absolute chaos would result.

Comment 1 Jeremy Katz 2002-07-18 04:48:13 UTC
We no longer leave the abiword font "aliases" in place which resolves most of
the problems related to that and their foundry name has changed so that it's
last in the list.


Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.