http://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11203
--- Comment #18 from Ian Goddard igoddard@nildram.co.uk 2008-01-19 03:46:37 --- (In reply to comment #17)
That version's too old. You have to install a fresh one from source (or possibly from testing or unstable?). http://wiki.winehq.org/Recommended_Packages mentions this but doesn't make it clear.
Thanks. That provides a rational explanation of my local compilation issue.
Unfortunately even the Etch release of fontforge quibbles about library versions let alone testing or unstable. As I'm working with my everyday laptop and not a crash-and-burn box I'm not inclined to go down the route of installing more and more non-distro versions of libraries (fixing what isn't otherwise broken) to try building a working Wine from scratch. So...
The original bug has been identified. Irrespective of whether the solution I proposed is the correct one I'm sure that a future Wine release will incorporate a fix. The apparent second bug appears to be an artefact. Until such a release comes along 0.9.51 works and the only negative aspect of leaving the box as it is with that version installed is being nagged about an available upgrade. I can live with that.
Thanks to all for their help.