Registering a media type for TrueType fonts (DR 09-0036)

[MURATA Makoto (FAMILY Given)]

1. My recommendation to WG4

I recommend Microsoft or WG4 to register a vendor-tree media type for
TrueType fonts under the top-level media type "application".  That media
type should be dedicated to true type; it should not cover TrueType
collections (.ttc) or Adobe PostScript Type 1 fonts (.oft).  

2. History

I requested WG2 to register a standard-tree media type for OpenType under
the top-level media type "application".  However, WG2 and SC29/WG11 would 
like to create a new top-level media type "font", and then create a media 
type for OpenType under "font".  It is unclear when (and if) "font" can 
be registered.  Since a standard-track RFC is needed for a new top-level 
media type, "font" is much harder than a media type under existing top-level 
media types.  After the inception of MIME, only one top-level media type 
("model") has been added.  More about this, see the attached mail.

Note: I am very afraid of the (possibly infinite) delay caused by "font".

3. Standard-tree .vs Vendor-tree

Media types in the vendor-tree are of the form */vnd.*.  Registration 
in the vendor tree is much easier than that in the standard tree. 

Standards Tree  http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4288#section-3.1
Vendor Tree     http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4288#section-3.2

4. Top-level media types .vs subtypes

Media types are of the form <top-level-media-type>/<sub-type>.  

Top-level media types registration	http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4288#section-4.2.7

5. application/vnd.ms-fontobject

The media type "application/vnd.ms-fontobject" is already registered. 
It is not for true type but rather for Embedded OpenType (.eot).  Thus, 
we cannot use this media type for TrueType font.

Regards,

SC34/WG4 Convenor
MURATA Makoto (FAMILY Given)


Forwarded by "MURATA Makoto (FAMILY Given)" <eb2m-mrt at asahi-net.or.jp>
----------------------- Original Message -----------------------
 From:    "Levantovsky, Vladimir" <Vladimir.Levantovsky at MonotypeImaging.com>
 To:      "MURATA Makoto (FAMILY Given)" <eb2m-mrt at asahi-net.or.jp>
 Cc:      <mpsuzuki at hiroshima-u.ac.jp>
 Date:    Mon, 1 Jun 2009 09:21:09 -0400
 Subject: RE: The use of a vendor-tree media type for true type font in ISO/IEC 29500
----

Dear Murata-san,

Thank you very much for contacting me regarding the use of IANA media
type for font objects in ISO/IEC 29500 OOXML standard. I very much
appreciate your thoughtfulness, and I think that the solution you
propose (using media types defined in the vendor tree to identify a font
object) is perfectly acceptable.

I think that in the long run the establishment of the top-level media
type for fonts would be needed and useful but I agree with you that the
process to register this new media type with IANA may be lengthy and it
should not hold back any current developments. When (and if) the new
media is registered, it can be introduced into existing standards.

I would like to give you a brief update on the activity related to media
type registration for fonts. As you probably know, the W3C is in the
process of discussing the new charter for Fonts WG. One of the items in
this new charter is the registration of the media type for fonts. I
believe that once we have a team of editors representing multiple
different groups such as SC34/WG2, SC29/WG11 and W3C (and maybe
SC34/WG4, if you are interested in having your WG represented in this
activity), we will have much better chances to succeed in registering
top-level media type with IANA.

Thank you very much for your email.

With kind regards,
Vladimir Levantovsky


> -----Original Message-----
> From: MURATA Makoto (FAMILY Given) [mailto:eb2m-mrt at asahi-net.or.jp]
> Sent: Friday, May 29, 2009 9:32 PM
> To: Levantovsky, Vladimir
> Cc: mpsuzuki at hiroshima-u.ac.jp; Murata
> Subject: The use of a vendor-tree media type for true type font in
> ISO/IEC 29500
> 
> Dear Vladimir,
> 
> Allow me to introduce myself.  I am the convenor of SC34/WG4 (OOXML).
> At present, OOXML uses application/x-font-ttf, which is certainly
> very inappropriate.
> 
> I am aware that SC34/WG2 and SC29/WG11 intend to persue a new
top-level
> media type "font".  However, I do not know when it will be registered.
> I can imagine that it takes a long time.
> 
> SC34/WG4 will create a set of DCORs in July.  I would like to use
> an IANA-registered media type in these DCORs rather than allowing
> further proliferation of  application/x-font-ttf.  For this reason, in
> SC34/WG4, I will propose to use a media type in the vendor tree
> (probably, application/vnd.ms-fontobject or some variation).
> 
> I hope that this is acceptable for you.  When another media type
> in the standard tree is available, SC34/WG4 can use that media type
> in addition.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> SC34/WG4 Convenor
> MURATA Makoto (FAMILY Given)

--------------------- Original Message Ends --------------------