From Fedora Project Wiki
 
(22 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 21: Line 21:


== Summary ==
== Summary ==
This change will update existing default Malayalam fonts and also rename to new upstream source.
This change will update existing default Malayalam fonts and also rename to new upstream source, which brings improved text shaping, better glyphs for readability, Unicode 13 support, Appstream data amongst other improvements.


== Owner ==
== Owner ==
Line 28: Line 28:
This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are.  
This should link to your home wiki page so we know who you are.  
-->
-->
* Name: [[User:Rajeeshknambiar |Rajeesh K V]]
* Name: [[User:Rajeeshknambiar |Rajeesh K V]], [[User:Pnemade| Parag Nemade]]
<!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your change, status is requested, or technical issues need to be resolved. If the change proposal is owned by a SIG, please also add a primary contact person. -->
* Email: <rajeeshknambiar@fedoraproject.org>, <pnemade@redhat.com>
* Email: <rajeeshknambiar@fedoraproject.org>
* Name: [[User:Pnemade| Parag Nemade]]
<!-- Include you email address that you can be reached should people want to contact you about helping with your change, status is requested, or technical issues need to be resolved. If the change proposal is owned by a SIG, please also add a primary contact person. -->
* Email: <pnemade@redhat.com>
<!--- UNCOMMENT only for Changes with assigned Shepherd (by FESCo)
<!--- UNCOMMENT only for Changes with assigned Shepherd (by FESCo)
* FESCo shepherd: [[User:FASAccountName| Shehperd name]] <email address>
* FESCo shepherd: [[User:FASAccountName| Shehperd name]] <email address>
Line 43: Line 39:


== Current status ==
== Current status ==
[[Category:ChangeAcceptedF36]]
[[Category:SelfContainedChange]]
* Targeted release: [[Fedora 36]]  
* Targeted release: [[Fedora 36]]  
* Last updated: <!-- this is an automatic macro — you don't need to change this line -->  {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}  
* Last updated: <!-- this is an automatic macro — you don't need to change this line -->  {{REVISIONYEAR}}-{{REVISIONMONTH}}-{{REVISIONDAY2}}  
Line 52: Line 50:
CLOSED as NEXTRELEASE -> change is completed and verified and will be delivered in next release under development
CLOSED as NEXTRELEASE -> change is completed and verified and will be delivered in next release under development
-->
-->
* FESCo issue:  
* [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/devel@lists.fedoraproject.org/thread/J2XVYYZBOHAOZK42W24GXEDI3H4TUGLB/ devel thread]
* Tracker bug:  
* FESCo issue: [https://pagure.io/fesco/issue/2736 #2736]
* Release notes tracker:  
* Tracker bug: [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2046425 #2046425]
* Release notes tracker: [https://pagure.io/fedora-docs/release-notes/issue/797 #797]


== Detailed Description ==
== Detailed Description ==


Till Fedora 35, Meera (smc-meera-fonts) and Rachana (smc-rachana-fonts) fonts were default sans-serif and serif fonts for Malayalam script/language. From Fedora 36, these are obsolete by Meera New (rit-meera-new-fonts) and RIT Rachana (rit-rachana-fonts) respectively.
Till Fedora 35, Meera (`smc-meera-fonts`) and Rachana (`smc-rachana-fonts`) fonts were default sans-serif and serif fonts for Malayalam script/language. From Fedora 36, these are obsolete by Meera New (`rit-meera-new-fonts`) and RIT Rachana (`rit-rachana-fonts`) respectively.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 68: Line 67:
| Serif || Rachana || RIT Rachana
| Serif || Rachana || RIT Rachana
|}
|}
A new collection of Malayalam fonts suited for various publishing work is also introduced.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Fontname!! Uasge
|-
| Sundar || Display/title font
|-
| TN Joy || Display/title font
|-
| Ezhuthu || Script/cursive/handwriting style font
|-
| Panmana || Body text font
|}
== Benefit to Fedora ==
== Benefit to Fedora ==


Enhance the experience of Fedora for Malayalam users by improving font rendering quality, flawless OpenType shaping and improved glyph shapes, with Unicode 13.0 support.
Enhance the experience of Fedora for Malayalam users by improving font rendering quality, flawless OpenType shaping and improved glyph shapes, with Unicode 13.0 support. All fonts also contain supporting metadata such as AppStream.
 
Major improvements brought by the new Malayalam fonts include:
# Redrawn glyph shapes for better readability and font metrics.<ref>KH Hussain et al., Beyond Roman fonts: Extra dimensions in Malayalam fonts, https://tug.org/TUGboat/tb41-2/tb128hussain-beyond.pdf</ref>
# Regular, Bold, Italic and BoldItalic variants for many fonts; most variants are not present in older fonts.
# Consistent, flawless OpenType text shaping: redesigned OTL rules fixes all longstanding shaping issues.<ref>KV Rajeesh, A new set of OpenType shaping rules for Malaylam, https://rajeeshknambiar.wordpress.com/2021/09/20/a-new-set-of-opentype-shaping-rules-for-malayalam-script/</ref>
# Various fonts designed for different purposes of typesetting/publishing/design work (body text, display/title, informal/cursive fonts).
# Fonts containing more than 900 glyphs for ‘comprehensive character set’ for Malayalam script; and fonts with ‘limited character set’ having lesser conjuncts suited for title text.
# Unicode 13.0 support in many fonts, with archaic characters suited for reproducing historical text/scriptures.
# AppStream metadata which provides preview of the font in software installers like GNOME Software and Discover
# Previous upstream (SMC) has stopped maintaining default fonts in Fedora. New upstream (RIT) is actively maintaining the fonts.
# Notable differences with Noto {Sans,Serif} Malayalam fonts are the ‘reformed’ script which contains very less conjunct characters, while all RIT fonts are ‘traditional’ script fonts. The ex-height and em-size of RIT fonts are more suitable for reading/composing long Malayalam text on web/print.


== Scope ==
== Scope ==
* Proposal owners:
* Proposal owners:
# Add new packages rit-meera-new-fonts and rit-rachana-fonts
# Add new packages `rit-meera-new-fonts` and `rit-rachana-fonts` [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2031370 BZ1] [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2031365 BZ2]
# update langpacks package for these font packages
# update `langpacks` package for these font packages [https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/langpacks/pull-request/14 PR]
# update fedora-comps to install these new Malayalam fonts by default
# update `fedora-comps` to install these new Malayalam fonts by default [https://pagure.io/fedora-comps/pull-request/702 PR]
# As this package is used during anaconda installation, update `lorax` [https://github.com/weldr/lorax/pull/1206 PR]


* Other developers: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
* Other developers: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
Line 92: Line 119:
* Check Malayalam web sites which uses both Malayalam Sans and Serif fonts
* Check Malayalam web sites which uses both Malayalam Sans and Serif fonts
* Use LibreOffice, use Sans and Serif fonts to see if it uses different fonts
* Use LibreOffice, use Sans and Serif fonts to see if it uses different fonts
* also check the output of following commands giving new package names
** fc-match sans-serif:lang=ml
** fc-match serif:lang=ml


== User Experience ==
== User Experience ==
Line 116: Line 146:


== Release Notes ==
== Release Notes ==
By using both Malayalam Sans and Serif fonts, the Workstation will improve Malayalam fonts rendering quality for users.
By using both Malayalam Sans and Serif fonts, the Workstation will improve Malayalam fonts rendering quality and better OpenType shaping for users.
 
[[Category:ChangePageIncomplete]]
<!-- When your change proposal page is completed and ready for review and announcement -->
<!-- remove Category:ChangePageIncomplete and change it to Category:ChangeReadyForWrangler -->
<!-- The Wrangler announces the Change to the devel-announce list and changes the category to Category:ChangeAnnounced (no action required) -->
<!-- After review, the Wrangler will move your page to Category:ChangeReadyForFesco... if it still needs more work it will move back to Category:ChangePageIncomplete-->
 
[[Category:SelfContainedChange]]

Latest revision as of 11:18, 10 March 2022


Malayalam Default Fonts Update

Summary

This change will update existing default Malayalam fonts and also rename to new upstream source, which brings improved text shaping, better glyphs for readability, Unicode 13 support, Appstream data amongst other improvements.

Owner

Current status

Detailed Description

Till Fedora 35, Meera (smc-meera-fonts) and Rachana (smc-rachana-fonts) fonts were default sans-serif and serif fonts for Malayalam script/language. From Fedora 36, these are obsolete by Meera New (rit-meera-new-fonts) and RIT Rachana (rit-rachana-fonts) respectively.

Style F35 Fontname F36 Fontname
Sans-Serif Meera Meera New
Serif Rachana RIT Rachana

A new collection of Malayalam fonts suited for various publishing work is also introduced.

Fontname Uasge
Sundar Display/title font
TN Joy Display/title font
Ezhuthu Script/cursive/handwriting style font
Panmana Body text font

Benefit to Fedora

Enhance the experience of Fedora for Malayalam users by improving font rendering quality, flawless OpenType shaping and improved glyph shapes, with Unicode 13.0 support. All fonts also contain supporting metadata such as AppStream.

Major improvements brought by the new Malayalam fonts include:

  1. Redrawn glyph shapes for better readability and font metrics.[1]
  2. Regular, Bold, Italic and BoldItalic variants for many fonts; most variants are not present in older fonts.
  3. Consistent, flawless OpenType text shaping: redesigned OTL rules fixes all longstanding shaping issues.[2]
  4. Various fonts designed for different purposes of typesetting/publishing/design work (body text, display/title, informal/cursive fonts).
  5. Fonts containing more than 900 glyphs for ‘comprehensive character set’ for Malayalam script; and fonts with ‘limited character set’ having lesser conjuncts suited for title text.
  6. Unicode 13.0 support in many fonts, with archaic characters suited for reproducing historical text/scriptures.
  7. AppStream metadata which provides preview of the font in software installers like GNOME Software and Discover
  8. Previous upstream (SMC) has stopped maintaining default fonts in Fedora. New upstream (RIT) is actively maintaining the fonts.
  9. Notable differences with Noto {Sans,Serif} Malayalam fonts are the ‘reformed’ script which contains very less conjunct characters, while all RIT fonts are ‘traditional’ script fonts. The ex-height and em-size of RIT fonts are more suitable for reading/composing long Malayalam text on web/print.

Scope

  • Proposal owners:
  1. Add new packages rit-meera-new-fonts and rit-rachana-fonts BZ1 BZ2
  2. update langpacks package for these font packages PR
  3. update fedora-comps to install these new Malayalam fonts by default PR
  4. As this package is used during anaconda installation, update lorax PR
  • Other developers: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
  • Release engineering: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
  • Policies and guidelines: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
  • Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)

Upgrade/compatibility impact

N/A (not a System Wide Change)

How To Test

  • Check Malayalam web sites which uses both Malayalam Sans and Serif fonts
  • Use LibreOffice, use Sans and Serif fonts to see if it uses different fonts
  • also check the output of following commands giving new package names
    • fc-match sans-serif:lang=ml
    • fc-match serif:lang=ml

User Experience

  • With good quality Malayalam Sans and Serif fonts, the Desktop or Web Browser

will display with both Sans and Serif fonts.

  • With different Sans and Serif fonts, the Workstation will have better

font rendering quality.

Dependencies

N/A (not a System Wide Change)

Contingency Plan

Revert to use older Malayalam fonts.

  • Contingency mechanism: (What to do? Who will do it?) N/A (not a System Wide Change)
  • Contingency deadline: N/A (not a System Wide Change)
  • Blocks release? N/A (not a System Wide Change), No
  • Blocks product? No

Documentation

Release Notes

By using both Malayalam Sans and Serif fonts, the Workstation will improve Malayalam fonts rendering quality and better OpenType shaping for users.

  1. ↑ KH Hussain et al., Beyond Roman fonts: Extra dimensions in Malayalam fonts, https://tug.org/TUGboat/tb41-2/tb128hussain-beyond.pdf
  2. ↑ KV Rajeesh, A new set of OpenType shaping rules for Malaylam, https://rajeeshknambiar.wordpress.com/2021/09/20/a-new-set-of-opentype-shaping-rules-for-malayalam-script/
Retrieved from "https://fedoraproject.org/w/index.php?title=Changes/MalayalamDefaultFontsUpdate&oldid=637822"