[XeTeX] Loading fonts from a common server or http URL

[Philip TAYLOR (Webmaster, Ret'd)]

Keith J. Schultz wrote:

> The problem is not the OS or "filing system". It is the programs.
> 	1) If you have a remote server mounted all you need
> 	     is the mount point plus the path to the file. Standard
> 	     on all OSes I know.

I am not convinced that the CTAN backbone supports (or
would want to support) "remote mounting".

> 	2) A program can open any/retrieve any file on a server
> 	     using http. all it needs to do is speak http!
>
> Technically this is not a problem.

Agreed.

> I believe XeTex et al. should be able to handle 1) without any problems.

See above !
>
> 2) would require code to be added to retrieve the file, cache it, and access it
> add throw it any when done. A waste of bandwidth in my opinion. There are
> other cavets to consider.

In my opinion, this is the way of the future.  It is ludicrous
that we all have to create our own virtual CTAN mirrors.  Far
better to evolve a methodology that will, entirely transparently,
use a local copy as first choice; fetch (via http) a remote copy
and make it local, as second choice; and (3) offer a configuration
option to check whether the remote copy is more recent than the
local and if so, fetch it (and install it locally) automatically
when that file is next required.

A TeX Live installation should, IMVHO, start as small as possible
and grow by accretion.  Bulk installs should be seen as yesterday's
technology, install-on-first-demand as the way of the future.

Philip Taylor