Only in fontconfig-2.1.working/src: .fcstr.c.swp
diff -ru fontconfig-2.1.pristine/src/fcstr.c fontconfig-2.1.working/src/fcstr.c
--- fontconfig-2.1.pristine/src/fcstr.c	2002-08-31 17:17:32.000000000 -0500
+++ fontconfig-2.1.working/src/fcstr.c	2003-01-10 23:09:53.000000000 -0600
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@
     {
 	c1 = *s1++;
 	c2 = *s2++;
-	if (!c1 || !c2)
+
+	/* allows a short-circuit of the case conversions if we match regardless */
+	if (c1 != c2 && FcToLower (c1) != FcToLower (c2)) 
 	    break;
-	c1 = FcToLower (c1);
-	c2 = FcToLower (c2);
-	if (c1 != c2)
+	else if (!c2) // || !c1, but they are already equal to within case so no need to test both
 	    break;
     }
     return (int) c1 - (int) c2;