Hi Luigi,

I have something to add to only one of your points:

On Sat, Dec 1, 2012 at 8:22 PM, luigi scarso <luigi.scarso@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sat, Dec 1, 2012 at 5:22 PM, Steve White <stevan.white@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>  >
> > 3) The command
> >       mtxrun --script font --reload
> >     searches a bunch of directories for fonts, but not the directory
> >       texmf-project/fonts/
> >     My work-around was just to copy the *.ttf files to
> >       texmf-fonts/
> >     and then re-do the mtxrun line.
> Hm, no, this is strange --- are you sure ?
> If I remove the files from texmf-project/fonts/
> and make
> mtxrun --script font --reload
> I have
> mtxrun --script font --list --all|grep Free
> But when I copy them again in
> texmf-project/fonts/
> and
> mtxrun --script font --reload
> then
> mtxrun --script font --list --all|grep Free
> then I see
>
> freemono                             freemono
> FreeMono.ttf
> freemonobold                         freemonobold
> FreeMonoBold.ttf
> freemonoboldoblique                  freemonoboldoblique
> FreeMonoBoldOblique.ttf
> freemononormal                       freemonooblique
> FreeMonoOblique.ttf
> freemonooblique                      freemonooblique
> FreeMonoOblique.ttf
> freesans                             freesans
> FreeSans.ttf
> freesansbold                         freesansbold
> FreeSansBold.ttf
> freesansboldoblique                  freesansboldoblique
> FreeSansBoldOblique.ttf
> freesansdemi                         freesansbold
> FreeSansBold.ttf
> freesansnormal                       freesansoblique
> FreeSansOblique.ttf
> freesansoblique                      freesansoblique
> FreeSansOblique.ttf
> freeserif                            freeserif
> FreeSerif.ttf
> freeserifbold                        freeserifbold
> FreeSerifBold.ttf
> freeserifbolditalic                  freeserifbolditalic
> FreeSerifBoldItalic.ttf
> freeserifitalic                      freeserifitalic
> FreeSerifItalic.ttf
> freeserifnormal                      freeserifitalic
> FreeSerifItalic.ttf
>
> I also see
>
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for otf files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for OTF files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for ttf files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for TTF files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for ttc files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for TTC files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for dfont files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for DFONT files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for afm files
> fonts           | names | scanning
> /opt/luatex/standalone-mkiv/tex/texmf-project for AFM files
>
> The problem with texmf-fonts/
> is that is keep in sync with the original source, and hence the files
> can be deleted.
>
>
> I can assure you, this fonts/ directory was not in the list produced by
the mtxrun command on my system.

Something is different between your system and mine.
This might be worth investigating.  (But I won't have time for it!)

Perhaps you have a file somewhere that adds this other directory.  This is
my best guess.

It is also possible something was left over on my system from the previous
distro installation.  However I removed that installation with the dpkg
--purge command, which should have removed all settings files.  I didn't
alter any configuration files myself, I only tried (unsuccessfully) to run
context on some tex files.

As I had only turned context on a few times, and never done any
configuration, it is easy to reproduce my setup:  Start with the latest
Ubuntu, and install the 'context' package.
Then remove it with --purge, and follow your instructions to install the
recent 'context' in /opt.

Cheers!