Hmm. the problem persists after cutting over to freetype2. :-(

To be exact I log this:

FreeType: couldn't open face /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ttf/tahoma.ttf: 1
_XSERVTransSocketUNIXAccept: accept() failed
	:
	:
	:
	:

(until Mozilla is killed)

so its not select(), its accept(). Bummer. the Mozilla was a remote client,
running over an SSH tunnel $DISPLAY. I did this after it died on local client to
see if it was better done as pure X over the net.

Seems to depend on which websites I visit (CSS mediated font alternates maybe?
BBC.co.uk triggered it)

Oh well. more work needed. I bet I have to frob freetype2 to get over some
licencing spat about font encoding/encrypt/compression.

-George