PCLT discouragement

[simoncozens]

This sentence

The PCLT table is strongly discouraged for OpenType™ fonts with TrueType outlines.

is underspecified and can be interpreted in multiple ways. Is it encouraged for font files with CFF outlines? But I can only find it in font files with TrueType outlines, so perhaps it should be interpreted the other way: i.e. that it's prohibited in CFF outlines and also discouraged in TT outline fonts? Should it just be blanket discouraged everywhere?

(What we mean by "discouraged" is also worth thinking about, but perhaps a separate issue.)

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• ID: d1e2f091-5f77-212d-00e6-634a2e0bbc03
• Version Independent ID: 96873917-b737-0f8e-e7ee-97e2fba125e5
• Content: PCLT - PCL 5 Table - Typography
• Content Source: typographydocs/opentype/spec/pclt.md
• Product: typography
• GitHub Login: @PeterCon
• Microsoft Alias: PeterCon

[sairuspatel]

PCLT is not a table that’s ever been required or recommended for use with OT-CFF or OT-CFF2 fonts.

[PeterCon]

Proposed revisions for next version:

The PCLT table is strongly discouraged for OpenType™ fonts with TrueType outlines.Use of the PCLT table in OpenType fonts is strongly discouraged. Extra information on many of these fields can be found in the HP PCL 5 Printer Language Technical Reference Manual available from Hewlett-Packard Boise Printer Division.

[ctrlcctrlv]

Why is it discouraged? Some of us have PCL5 printers. Will it break anything? This seems less explanatory than before…?