9. Miscellany

9.1 How do I use Microsoft Windows (tm) True Type fonts ?

Information from David Mihm (davemann@ionet.net), posted in the AfterStep mailing list:

You are looking for a server for True Type fonts. A blurb about one of the few programs to provide this server to any WM:

Xfstt means "X11 Font Server for TT fonts" TT fonts are generally regarded to be the best scalable fonts for low resolution devices like screens.

This server can be obtained from sunsite: ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/X11/fonts/

You might want to check freshmeat to see if there are newer versions.

According to F. Nicolaas Benders (benders@slackworks.com), there may be difficulties with the server:

I've been running the 0.97 version and it works well with one major problem.
Whenever I start it, it automatically slams my CPU and won't let go until it's
killed.  I refuse to believe that a font server should need more than 50% of my
processor time constantly, has anyone else had any experience with this?

Naturally, if anyone has had such experiences, we would be glad to hear of it!

9.2 What is this Window Maker I keep hearing about?

WindowMaker -- now Window Maker -- is a new NeXT-like window manager that is being developed by Alfredo Kojima (kojima@inf.ufrgs.br) with the support of a lot of other people. It will support many OpenStep/GNUStep-ish features, and there is talk that it may be the "next-generation _asnl", and even the window manager of choice for GNUstep. You can download it from http://www.windowmaker.org

However, be advised that WindowMaker is still in an early stage of development. It is advancing very fast, though, so you may also want to take a good look at it.