The Chrome browser on Android, Linux and ChromeOS now does all its web font processing using a Rust-based library (Skrifa) instead of its old C++ library (FreeType).
This is part of a general trend. If you look at open jobs by programming language required, Rust is now #7 (up from #10 last time I looked). C++ and C# are declining drastically, Python, SQL, Java, and JavaScript/TypeScript are the top 5 and all growing rapidly. (Golang is #6, and also growing similarly to Rust.)
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Although the past week was not much fun, I just want to say how freakin’ amazing virtually all the staff at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital were. At least at that level, it may have been the best hospital experience we have had.
And thankfully kid is now home again, albeit with some new long-term accessories.
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Dang, gotta fix that auto-post to only do one copy!
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Also, Quora Lies
About a month and a half ago, I explained a bunch of reasons I was migrating my own content off of Quora, the knowledge-sharing site. I failed to mention one of the most egregious issues: Quora has its own AI assistant bot that provides “helpful” but often (usually?) false answers to questions, and inserts them ahead of real answers created by humans.
https://www.thomasphinney.com/2024/12/also-quora-lies/
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Bureau of Engraving & Printing has an opening for an apprentice to do banknote lettering!
https://bep.usajobs.gov/job/824332300
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About .notdef:the symbol (not emoji!) that is often an “X” inside a tall rectangle
I have fielded many versions of this question: “What does the emoji with an X in a large rectangle mean?” or “When texting, what is the meaning of the symbol with an “X” inside a tall rectangle?” The frame-with-an-x is called a “.notdef”—it is not an emoji, but you can get it instead of an emoji or other unusual character. It is an indicator for a “missing character,” which stands in for…
https://www.thomasphinney.com/2024/12/notdef-emoji-symbol-x-rectangle/
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The more I try to use variable fonts in apps, the more frustrated I am by the utterly brain-dead design decisions.
Worst common problem is putting axes on a temporary-activation pop-up. Adobe, Affinity 😞
LOOK, we need to see them on an ONGOING basis, see the axis settings of arbitrary text, AND apply them easily. Having something like the Color Picker and Swatches panels, but for variable font axis settings, that would be a good approach. (And no, Char/Para Styles ALONE are not the answer.)
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Erythritol, and fake monkfruit
So, erythritol appears to cause strokes and heart attacks. At least, it is highly correlated.
BUT also be especially wary that 90% of the products labeled as being sweetened with monkfruit... have erythritol as their #1 sweetener, with a monkfruit boost.
I have looked at... at least a couple dozen products labeled as monkfruit-sweetened on store shelves. Only ONE did not ALSO have erythritol! (It was perhaps just a tad bitter? But much less so than stevia.)
2/2
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maltitol sucks for diabetics
Maltitol is a common ingredient in supposedly sugar-free candies and sugar-free chocolates. But the glycemic index (GI) of maltitol syrup is 80% as high as sugar! (Calorie count is more like 40%.) So… not a big improvement for diabetics.
EVERY other common sugar substitute, including stevia, & other sugar alcohols (including xylitol, sorbitol) has much lower GI.
Erythritol also sucks...
(1/2)
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Reviewing the transcript of my own recent deposition, my favorite moment so far was when I TOTALLY LEGIT responded to a question with: “I don’t think that means what you think it means.”
(Of course I explained as well!)
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@andrasbacsai
I was just looking at fonts.coollabs.io
Note that “Material Icons” are the icon set that is a bunch of years out of date, while “Material Symbols” are current, variable-font based icon set that is growing every week. I suspect you support both? Probably ought to highlight the current, default one and not the old one.
(Material Symbols also has like 3500 icon glyphs vs about 2200 for Material Icons... same reason.)
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“What does a design brief for a new typeface (font) look like?”
Much edited version of what was once a Quora anwer. Special thanks to Dave Crossland for edits and input when we used this in our Crafting Type classes! Any errors or omissions entirely my fault. Also see discussion about typeface design briefs on Typedrawers. General Thoughts There is no “typical design brief” for a new typeface, really. One of the things that makes typeface design interesting is the…
https://www.thomasphinney.com/2024/12/design-brief-for-new-typeface/
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FontLab sale on now, use code “FRIFONTS24” for 40% off ANY license version for any FontLab app. https://www.fontlab.com/
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There is ~ one howling typo in my secret presenter notes, per presentation. But now I have to catch them.
My favorite is where I called the typeface “Tenorite” “Tenerife” instead. I think I will blame auto-correct for that.
Tenorite, with its sunny counters and sandy x-height....
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So, I go to great trouble to make sure I have ALL the right fonts loaded for some font forensics presentations, and start making a PDF of each, with notes included (to share with some document examiners who attended workshops earlier in the year).
Of course after I get going and have the first PDF generated, I spot a typo in my notes, previously intended only for me to read/reference. No, I was never a “produce manager.” Sigh.
Product. Product manager.
😭
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So, Monotype bought Extensis for their font/asset management (makers of Connect—used to be called Suitcase Fusion and Universal Type server) https://www.monotype.com/company/press-release/monotype-announces-acquisition-extensis
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More of my fonts/typography answers coming here!
Back around 2013–2021, I really liked Quora. I could go through questions people asked, find interesting questions that I was especially qualified to answer (mostly about fonts and typography), and write up an informative answer that people would read and upvote. Comments and further questions in the discussion to each of my Quora answers would help me refine and improve them.
https://www.thomasphinney.com/2024/11/fonts-typography-answers-coming-here-from-quora/
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More of my fonts/typography answers coming here!
Back around 2013–2021, I really liked Quora. I could go through questions people asked, find interesting questions that I was especially qualified to answer (mostly about fonts and typography), and write up an informative answer that people would read and upvote. Comments and further questions in the discussion to each of my Qu
https://www.thomasphinney.com/2024/11/fonts-typography-answers-coming-here-from-quora/
[#]AdminMeta #Typography
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Do you want Mastodon to get better? Donate! There is close to zero funding because all this stuff is free. It runs on donations.
Link:
https://joinmastodon.org/sponsors
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So, Bluesky is currently SLIGHTLY less centralized than Twitter/X/Facebook/whatever, but has the potential to become much less so. No guarantee that they will get there, or when. Until then you are at the mercy of their current owners. That’s why I am on Mastodon. I may check out Bluesky, but I am not at all about to switch from Mastodon.
Many details and thoughtful analysis: https://anderegg.ca/2024/11/15/maybe-bluesky-has-won
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