1 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:11,499 [Music] 2 00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:21,760 welcome back to kaya theater everyone uh 3 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:25,599 next up we have andy fitzsimon telling 4 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:28,000 us about producing an open font in 2022. 5 00:00:25,599 --> 00:00:29,840 since the dot-com boom andy fitzsimon 6 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,679 has fancied himself as an open source 7 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,920 designer one who prefers all the 8 00:00:31,679 --> 00:00:35,920 creative tools he uses to be free to 9 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:38,079 modify adapt and share 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,079 professionally andy has served as global 11 00:00:38,079 --> 00:00:42,719 brand manager at red hat and various 12 00:00:40,079 --> 00:00:44,480 developer roles before joining outfit io 13 00:00:42,719 --> 00:00:46,320 as their head of strategy 14 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:48,399 andy loves free typography and has 15 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,800 overseen the creation of the many open 16 00:00:48,399 --> 00:00:53,280 source typeface creations from the 17 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:55,840 original ubuntu font to red hat's many 18 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:59,199 font contributions to more recently the 19 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:01,039 outfit type space type face that's an 20 00:00:59,199 --> 00:01:03,359 important word to say 21 00:01:01,039 --> 00:01:04,640 properly for this talk 22 00:01:03,359 --> 00:01:07,119 um 23 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:09,200 okay so andy will be taking questions 24 00:01:07,119 --> 00:01:11,439 after this talk there should be a bit of 25 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:13,680 time for questions so please make sure 26 00:01:11,439 --> 00:01:16,240 you post questions you've got for andy 27 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:18,720 in the questions tab at the top of the 28 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,479 chat in venulis and i'll pass them on at 29 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,960 the end of the talk 30 00:01:20,479 --> 00:01:25,040 thank you andy over to you 31 00:01:22,960 --> 00:01:27,920 fantastic thank you for the lovely 32 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,759 introduction um so yeah hi everybody i'm 33 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,400 andy uh i'm a 34 00:01:29,759 --> 00:01:34,640 free software graphics guy and um look 35 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,799 this presentation is just to do justice 36 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:39,439 to the amazing uh software maturity 37 00:01:36,799 --> 00:01:41,680 that's out there in the open font land 38 00:01:39,439 --> 00:01:44,159 there was once a time where i could make 39 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,840 a really cheap and nasty font and that's 40 00:01:44,159 --> 00:01:47,680 good enough to class at an open source 41 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,920 fund but i tell you the quality 42 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:52,479 of this process and the rigor and also 43 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:54,479 just uh the potential of of what's 44 00:01:52,479 --> 00:01:56,560 happening in this space it's really 45 00:01:54,479 --> 00:01:58,560 skyrocketed and that's thanks to a few 46 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:00,719 people but in no small part my good 47 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:03,920 friends dave crossland who leads the 48 00:02:00,719 --> 00:02:06,399 google fonts team and uh look without 49 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:08,319 him the written word would be decades 50 00:02:06,399 --> 00:02:11,920 decades in the past when it comes to our 51 00:02:08,319 --> 00:02:14,319 digital interfaces uh not just in 52 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:16,800 you know competence but also in 53 00:02:14,319 --> 00:02:19,520 you know um culture like it's it's just 54 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,920 an insane privilege to know that these 55 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,599 are living legends and dave what what an 56 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,680 absolute champion so he's helped me with 57 00:02:23,599 --> 00:02:27,599 this presentation uh he's not here to 58 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,840 deliver it he's moving to denver at the 59 00:02:27,599 --> 00:02:31,680 moment so good on you dave 60 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:34,160 but let's see if i can do the poor man's 61 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:36,400 version of what his presentation 62 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,160 would be so let's crack on 63 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:41,120 so there's really kind of one main theme 64 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:43,200 for you to get across in in in fonts and 65 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:45,920 that is that fun choice matters uh you 66 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:48,400 know uh how we set the words that we 67 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:50,480 communicate is sometimes as important as 68 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:52,480 the words themselves i give you a little 69 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:54,640 cheeky example but you can think about 70 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:57,120 this open font it's called you know 71 00:02:54,640 --> 00:02:59,519 parisian i think and look that's just 72 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:01,440 lovely you think about if i say i will 73 00:02:59,519 --> 00:03:04,400 always find you who's writing that 74 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:07,280 that's this guy hell romantic really uh 75 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,640 sweeney uh definitely um you know 76 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:10,000 setting the tone of those words 77 00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:11,519 appropriately 78 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,560 you could also write the exact same 79 00:03:11,519 --> 00:03:14,560 phrase 80 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,879 like this and who's writing that 81 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:19,840 probably this guy okay it's the same 82 00:03:16,879 --> 00:03:21,840 copy it was animated in in the same way 83 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,519 but yeah you can kind of see the fonts 84 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,799 do make a difference to the content that 85 00:03:23,519 --> 00:03:26,560 they represent 86 00:03:24,799 --> 00:03:28,319 it's not just an arbitrary thing i think 87 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,760 we all kind of get that 88 00:03:28,319 --> 00:03:31,200 to save you some time if you want to 89 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,879 check out the openshift presentation 90 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,680 that's happening at the same time as 91 00:03:32,879 --> 00:03:35,200 this 92 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,280 go to google fonts knowledge they've 93 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,480 just launched this knowledge base and it 94 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,159 kind of helps you 95 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,760 think in fonts 96 00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:42,959 and actually appreciate funds choose 97 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:45,200 fonts 98 00:03:42,959 --> 00:03:47,680 understand you know 99 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,440 the visual hierarchy is the rhythm the 100 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,680 you know where you set type everything 101 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:54,319 it's an amazing resource and it's it's 102 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,000 fairly green so check that out if you're 103 00:03:54,319 --> 00:03:58,239 still with me let's do a little bit of a 104 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:01,439 history lesson so i'm going to talk 105 00:03:58,239 --> 00:04:03,760 about font files in particular so that's 106 00:04:01,439 --> 00:04:05,439 you know the files that that have fonts 107 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:08,080 in them 108 00:04:05,439 --> 00:04:09,519 it was a pretty scary uh place you know 109 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,280 not too long ago right like who 110 00:04:09,519 --> 00:04:13,760 remembers this sort of stuff we're 111 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:16,479 talking like power packs you know kind 112 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:18,720 of like the bargain bin at a at a retail 113 00:04:16,479 --> 00:04:20,959 store that kind of stuff what i love is 114 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,400 this um you know on the right hand side 115 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:24,240 they're saying make your documents 116 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,680 explode in 3d 117 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,240 i don't really want my documents to 118 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:30,960 explode but okay and on the left hand 119 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,880 side it's like d is your cd-rom drive 120 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:35,440 you know like it's just reminding me of 121 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:37,680 the the times where that was kind of a 122 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:40,080 thing um and and i'm you know ashamed to 123 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:42,320 admit it but i visited that 1001 free 124 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:44,400 font site like all the time super crazy 125 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,360 but that's um a bit of a blast from the 126 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,440 past 127 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,400 uh let's let's go on a little bit 128 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,759 further 129 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:51,520 nowadays it's a 130 00:04:49,759 --> 00:04:53,199 it's a hell of a lot different to that 131 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:54,800 there are still you know really 132 00:04:53,199 --> 00:04:57,199 commodity fonts out there of varying 133 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:59,440 levels of quality produced you know 134 00:04:57,199 --> 00:05:02,880 halfway by hobbyist and whatever else 135 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:04,720 but hey we're we're living in 2022 we 136 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,400 have a heap of great software and only 137 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,720 hipaa grade software we have a heap of 138 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:11,039 know-how about the processes you know to 139 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:13,280 build software and that is everything 140 00:05:11,039 --> 00:05:15,199 from distributed division control to you 141 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:17,280 know scripting frameworks to 142 00:05:15,199 --> 00:05:19,360 hella cool languages like rust and we 143 00:05:17,280 --> 00:05:21,120 also have you know again open source to 144 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:24,160 help us kind of catalyze and drive the 145 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,280 stuff together in particular uh this 146 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,240 thing so 147 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:30,400 2006 uh nicholas spellinger and victor 148 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,560 gauntley they they got together victor 149 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,639 is a type designer and uh nicholas 150 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:37,280 worked for a 151 00:05:34,639 --> 00:05:38,639 literacy organization called sil 152 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:41,440 and they came up with the open font 153 00:05:38,639 --> 00:05:42,800 license because it's kind of hard to 154 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,680 interpret 155 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,919 fonts like font files and font software 156 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:50,000 as software you know there is so much 157 00:05:47,919 --> 00:05:51,759 about the art and also you know some 158 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:53,199 logistics that make it a little bit 159 00:05:51,759 --> 00:05:54,560 harder to 160 00:05:53,199 --> 00:05:56,479 you know consider the traditional 161 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:59,280 software licenses appropriate for a font 162 00:05:56,479 --> 00:06:00,720 project so there are a few gaps 163 00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:02,720 and nicholas you know has worked 164 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,479 tirelessly and created this license and 165 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:06,639 uh because of that we've kind of had a 166 00:06:04,479 --> 00:06:08,639 renaissance of fonts 167 00:06:06,639 --> 00:06:11,440 being open sourced you know the right 168 00:06:08,639 --> 00:06:12,880 way so massive props to them 169 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,560 let's crack on a little bit and i'm 170 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,800 going to give you 171 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,720 i don't know the real quick version of 172 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,199 the history of typography kind of a fun 173 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:22,880 one a little bit cherry-picked but hey 174 00:06:21,199 --> 00:06:24,960 that's what we're here for so 175 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,240 we'll kind of get into the first movable 176 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,479 type 177 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:30,800 it was in the song dynasties in china 178 00:06:28,479 --> 00:06:33,520 then we get into metal type right so you 179 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:36,000 know wooden templates of of stuff to be 180 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,759 printed it breaks whereas metal stays 181 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,600 around so good on you there's a really 182 00:06:37,759 --> 00:06:41,039 cool 183 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,400 learning website that kind of shows you 184 00:06:41,039 --> 00:06:44,319 the history of movable type there which 185 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,160 is awesome then we have that moment the 186 00:06:44,319 --> 00:06:48,080 gutenberg bible which is you know the 187 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,919 first proper printing press pretty 188 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,199 powerful moment for the history of 189 00:06:49,919 --> 00:06:53,599 communication 190 00:06:51,199 --> 00:06:55,280 uh and then hey we kind of cranked it up 191 00:06:53,599 --> 00:06:57,280 a notch with the industrial revolution 192 00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:59,039 that's awesome and then we started kind 193 00:06:57,280 --> 00:07:01,599 of getting into a bit more of the the 194 00:06:59,039 --> 00:07:02,319 commercial day um with one of my you 195 00:07:01,599 --> 00:07:04,400 know 196 00:07:02,319 --> 00:07:06,560 heroes of design i guess uh beatrice 197 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,440 ward she worked for monotype uh at a 198 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,599 time 199 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:13,360 she's written this which is just you 200 00:07:09,599 --> 00:07:14,720 know freaking awesome uh and inspiring 201 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:16,960 again like there's 202 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:19,680 um a heap of badass stuff that this this 203 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:22,720 lady was in but one thing she left did 204 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:24,800 was lift the profile of typography um 205 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,479 you know and the importance uh in the 206 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,520 commercial space as well as just in the 207 00:07:26,479 --> 00:07:28,720 mindshare of people that were 208 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:31,680 communicating 209 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,800 um you know she came up with this one 210 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,120 phrase which is probably one of my 211 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,080 favorite phrases discussing typography 212 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,080 which is 213 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,160 you know people take a vivid interest in 214 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,759 the clothes that words wear 215 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:42,639 which is probably the nicest way of 216 00:07:41,759 --> 00:07:44,639 putting 217 00:07:42,639 --> 00:07:45,919 what a font is you know we have our 218 00:07:44,639 --> 00:07:47,759 words and then we have the clothes that 219 00:07:45,919 --> 00:07:49,280 we dress them in which is awesome 220 00:07:47,759 --> 00:07:50,960 um and she wrote a whole bunch of really 221 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,479 cool articles underneath this uh 222 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,879 pseudonym called 223 00:07:52,479 --> 00:07:56,319 paul bujon so she got a job working for 224 00:07:54,879 --> 00:07:57,759 monotype and then they found out she was 225 00:07:56,319 --> 00:07:58,400 a woman you know after they gave her the 226 00:07:57,759 --> 00:08:00,960 job 227 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:02,560 um naturally done beatrice sweet 228 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:04,560 so that's um 229 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,840 that that's uh yeah again just to kind 230 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,840 of get you into 231 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:10,160 um a little bit of hero worship right 232 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:12,000 there let's go into the more specific 233 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:14,479 stuff though and this is the you know 234 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:17,039 relevant part to us is that digital 235 00:08:14,479 --> 00:08:20,000 typography has kind of moved um a little 236 00:08:17,039 --> 00:08:21,599 bit further technically the first font 237 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,720 you know that didn't have any digital 238 00:08:21,599 --> 00:08:24,000 font that didn't have any physical 239 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,639 presence 240 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:29,039 was this digi grotesque you know by this 241 00:08:26,639 --> 00:08:32,479 digi set machine uh it was effectively 242 00:08:29,039 --> 00:08:35,360 like a crt kind of style projector so 243 00:08:32,479 --> 00:08:36,560 technically it's a digital font and uh 244 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,120 and yeah 245 00:08:36,560 --> 00:08:42,320 that that came out of this machine here 246 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:44,560 around 1978 um this guy you know 247 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:46,959 everyone i hope i hope you know donald 248 00:08:44,560 --> 00:08:48,720 move um most software developers every 249 00:08:46,959 --> 00:08:49,839 software developer does i think he's 250 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:52,880 been called the 251 00:08:49,839 --> 00:08:54,959 yoda of silicon valley um and has done 252 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:57,920 way more than just text and metaphor but 253 00:08:54,959 --> 00:08:59,680 i'll focus on them um because 254 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,720 the modernization 255 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:05,839 of typography was happening from old 256 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:08,320 letterpress style type setting 257 00:09:05,839 --> 00:09:10,080 to you know the crt style you know 258 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:10,959 projection or whatever else 259 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,120 um 260 00:09:10,959 --> 00:09:15,519 yeah donald knuth uh and also fonts were 261 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:17,200 kind of like all bitmapified um donald 262 00:09:15,519 --> 00:09:18,959 knuth was like no no we can we can use 263 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,160 algorithms and parameters to describe 264 00:09:18,959 --> 00:09:22,080 letter forms 265 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:25,519 um and he came up with some of the you 266 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:28,480 know most eloquent um primatizations of 267 00:09:25,519 --> 00:09:30,959 typography uh written purely in software 268 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,480 um and between text for you know text 269 00:09:30,959 --> 00:09:34,160 layout and metaphone for actually 270 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:36,640 describing the letter forms 271 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:38,880 um you know it revolutionized uh 272 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:40,160 academic publishing and also you know 273 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,480 inspired a hell of a lot of stuff in 274 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,600 computer graphics so hell yeah donald 275 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,839 knuth 276 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:48,160 then there's kind of the famous um 277 00:09:45,839 --> 00:09:50,240 attribution whereby you know had steve 278 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:52,160 jobs not attended a calligraphy class 279 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:54,800 you know had he not dropped into that at 280 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:57,440 stanford he probably wouldn't have had 281 00:09:54,800 --> 00:10:00,000 such a priority to put calligraphic and 282 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:01,360 other font display types in the 1984 283 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,600 macintosh 284 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,920 but again you know more people at play 285 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,680 uh he was very inspired with um adobe 286 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:10,320 who came out with pro script and that 287 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:13,279 was put into mac os one and that gave us 288 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:14,399 helvetica times korea you know a heap of 289 00:10:13,279 --> 00:10:16,240 great stuff 290 00:10:14,399 --> 00:10:19,279 um and this was you know pretty cool 291 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:22,720 because um yeah this is we're talking 292 00:10:19,279 --> 00:10:23,920 vector title um coming around the corner 293 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:26,560 so 294 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:27,519 then we get the uh apple microsoft kind 295 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:28,800 of 296 00:10:27,519 --> 00:10:30,480 windows 3 297 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,959 os 7 298 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,880 period where um true type fonts you know 299 00:10:32,959 --> 00:10:36,560 the format kind of comes around 300 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:39,279 um and it's also around the same time as 301 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:42,560 the into the cold war coincidentally but 302 00:10:39,279 --> 00:10:45,680 yeah 1989 pretty cool time because um 303 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:48,240 that exploded uh the the ease in which 304 00:10:45,680 --> 00:10:50,320 fonts can be you know produced and also 305 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:52,959 the commoditization of computing around 306 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,560 you know just both of those platforms um 307 00:10:52,959 --> 00:10:56,399 meant that fonts became more and more 308 00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:58,240 important uh important to our collective 309 00:10:56,399 --> 00:11:00,480 consciousness which is cool 310 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:02,640 uh and then 1991 311 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:05,839 unicode hell yeah 312 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:07,360 so uh i know if you're old enough and 313 00:11:05,839 --> 00:11:11,360 you know old enough in the internet 314 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:13,120 years um isolate 59-1 315 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,760 um that's great if you're a westerner 316 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:18,079 but it sucks if you live anywhere else 317 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:19,519 unicode has been steadfastly working on 318 00:11:18,079 --> 00:11:21,680 you know a 319 00:11:19,519 --> 00:11:23,839 character range you know and 320 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:25,200 um yeah it's improved every single year 321 00:11:23,839 --> 00:11:27,040 it's super exciting some of the things 322 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,640 they're coming out with but 323 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,560 that kind of helped 324 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,000 all computers communicate globally which 325 00:11:30,560 --> 00:11:33,760 is fantastic 326 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,839 um you know 327 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:38,240 that's that's pretty fantastic there 328 00:11:35,839 --> 00:11:40,399 and then in 1996 um 329 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,240 the nintendo 64 came out i didn't get 330 00:11:40,399 --> 00:11:43,279 one but you know i played golden a few 331 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:44,640 times 332 00:11:43,279 --> 00:11:46,399 open type came out which is pretty 333 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,320 awesome now open type is 334 00:11:46,399 --> 00:11:50,639 super important to the maturity of fonts 335 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:52,720 because up until open type you had a 336 00:11:50,639 --> 00:11:55,120 font and you had one character 337 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:58,399 expression per character and you also 338 00:11:55,120 --> 00:12:00,160 didn't have things like ligatures so um 339 00:11:58,399 --> 00:12:02,639 the the font that we've just finished 340 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:04,399 the outfit font uh it has two ampersands 341 00:12:02,639 --> 00:12:07,440 it has a soft ampersand it has a hard 342 00:12:04,399 --> 00:12:09,519 ampersand it has two e's one e on a 45 343 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,040 degree angle another e that's flat on 344 00:12:09,519 --> 00:12:13,680 you know you can have these stylistic 345 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:16,079 alternates within an open type font um 346 00:12:13,680 --> 00:12:17,760 to you know describe different shapes 347 00:12:16,079 --> 00:12:19,519 and kind of choose them as you're using 348 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,040 the font which is pretty awesome and the 349 00:12:19,519 --> 00:12:24,079 same goes for ligatures right you can 350 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:25,920 write a word with you know tf or ti or 351 00:12:24,079 --> 00:12:28,160 whatever else and you can join those two 352 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:30,240 glyphs into a single glyph uh if the 353 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:32,480 open type font describes it which is 354 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,079 pretty fantastic and other things like 355 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,000 you know style caps and whatever but 356 00:12:34,079 --> 00:12:39,120 yeah open type was was pretty huge 357 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:41,120 because hey it supported unicode which 358 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:43,279 is fantastic and thank you microsoft and 359 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:46,160 adobe for bringing that to the world 360 00:12:43,279 --> 00:12:50,480 um then you know there had been plenty 361 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:52,560 of ways um to to get fonts on the web 362 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:55,120 but you can remember system fonts were a 363 00:12:52,560 --> 00:12:56,959 pretty big deal uh in the early 2000s 364 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:59,760 well and there were there was you know 365 00:12:56,959 --> 00:13:02,160 microsoft had its eot but it was not an 366 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:05,040 open i mean it was you know just their 367 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:08,320 standard um web fonts came out thanks to 368 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:10,800 collaboration between mozilla opera w3c 369 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,639 um and that year google fonts was 370 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,639 proposed it was launched the following 371 00:13:12,639 --> 00:13:18,000 year but you know the second we were 372 00:13:14,639 --> 00:13:20,160 able to use um web fonts you know as a 373 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:22,079 standard through web browsers 374 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:24,079 here comes google fonts 375 00:13:22,079 --> 00:13:26,160 and then in 2016 376 00:13:24,079 --> 00:13:27,839 finally if you've been really interested 377 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:30,320 in what donald knuth was doing with 378 00:13:27,839 --> 00:13:33,519 metaphones and that's programmatically 379 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:35,200 describing you know the different 380 00:13:33,519 --> 00:13:37,440 uh that you can change you know fonts 381 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:40,399 with um variable fonts actually you know 382 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:43,040 became a thing and uh the first um two 383 00:13:40,399 --> 00:13:44,800 projects to support it was half buzz and 384 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,680 also free type so open source kind of 385 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:49,440 led the way um and this is in large part 386 00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:51,680 if you remember you know bedadd who who 387 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,680 started um or who worked extensively on 388 00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:57,120 pengo which is now half buzz 389 00:13:53,680 --> 00:14:00,000 um has been responsible for 390 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:02,480 so much um you know as far as you know 391 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,480 uh text um layout and also being able to 392 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,839 support fun features and whatever else 393 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,839 and you can see here on this slide 394 00:14:05,839 --> 00:14:10,079 there's a little example um you can see 395 00:14:07,839 --> 00:14:12,240 the dollar sign kind of loses its stem a 396 00:14:10,079 --> 00:14:14,320 little period that's you know um 397 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:16,079 primatized and you can also see that 398 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,760 kind of like the slant on the percentage 399 00:14:16,079 --> 00:14:19,120 changes and whatever else 400 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:21,519 that's all awesome 401 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:24,000 these projects half buzz in particular 402 00:14:21,519 --> 00:14:27,120 it's so successful that 403 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:29,279 professional publishing software like uh 404 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:31,360 adobe's photoshop has migrated from 405 00:14:29,279 --> 00:14:33,600 their own text layout engine to half 406 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:35,760 buzz and it's really funny because if 407 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:38,160 you think about some of the 408 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:40,639 persian and indic languages the text 409 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:42,560 layout is more accurate 410 00:14:40,639 --> 00:14:43,760 in photoshop than it is on 411 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:46,160 desktop publishing tools like 412 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,199 illustrator and indesign and that's 413 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,120 because 414 00:14:47,199 --> 00:14:50,480 um they use half bars in photoshop but 415 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,399 they still have their own proprietary 416 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:55,279 stack for illustrator and indesign so 417 00:14:52,399 --> 00:14:57,519 it's kind of funny that you get a better 418 00:14:55,279 --> 00:14:58,959 typography experience in a tool because 419 00:14:57,519 --> 00:15:01,519 it's upstream is actually the open 420 00:14:58,959 --> 00:15:03,920 source project versus what they've had 421 00:15:01,519 --> 00:15:06,000 you know decades of of polishing on and 422 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:09,120 that's largely because of you know the 423 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:11,519 the fact that hey open source rocks 424 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,199 let's crack on to the next one 425 00:15:11,519 --> 00:15:14,959 and this year 426 00:15:13,199 --> 00:15:17,760 something cool is coming out 427 00:15:14,959 --> 00:15:20,000 and that is color gradient vector fonts 428 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:22,240 and also what this kind of means is 429 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:24,720 custom images so if you think about the 430 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:27,120 entire emoji range 431 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:30,240 that's a lot of pictures uh and most of 432 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:32,720 them are bitmaps which you know is is 433 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:35,839 pretty heavy-handed so you could really 434 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:38,399 you know reasonably create a web font 435 00:15:35,839 --> 00:15:40,079 with emoji on them with emoji 436 00:15:38,399 --> 00:15:42,560 and expect that web font to be a pretty 437 00:15:40,079 --> 00:15:44,399 small http request you know you're 438 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:46,880 probably going to have a pretty heavy um 439 00:15:44,399 --> 00:15:49,759 typeface whereas the color gradient 440 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:52,800 vector fonts um they allow the you know 441 00:15:49,759 --> 00:15:54,399 potential of custom emoji through a web 442 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:56,399 font which is pretty awesome and not 443 00:15:54,399 --> 00:15:58,480 just custom emoji but 444 00:15:56,399 --> 00:16:01,360 color full color substitutions for 445 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,880 absolutely any character um including 446 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:05,519 plenty of the features that you'd expect 447 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:08,399 in in typography so these two examples 448 00:16:05,519 --> 00:16:10,399 linuxconf and google and or linux 449 00:16:08,399 --> 00:16:11,920 conveyor they're all using the color 450 00:16:10,399 --> 00:16:15,199 gradient vector font format and if 451 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:17,360 you're using chrome 98 it's supported 452 00:16:15,199 --> 00:16:19,519 and it's potentially coming down the 453 00:16:17,360 --> 00:16:21,120 pipe uh in firefox that's you know 454 00:16:19,519 --> 00:16:23,680 currently been approved for 455 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:26,720 investigation in upstream so but that's 456 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:28,480 super cool because um i mean 457 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,600 it's it's gonna be horrible for the two 458 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:30,720 years after this thing is released 459 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,759 because everyone's gonna use it for all 460 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:36,000 kinds of crazy stuff but it means um 461 00:16:33,759 --> 00:16:38,480 uh it means that we'll be able to have 462 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,480 custom interfaces custom software 463 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,800 really good sites and experiences that 464 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:44,639 leverage standard unicode instead of 465 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,000 having to hack in svg solutions and 466 00:16:44,639 --> 00:16:47,759 whatever else 467 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,880 as their texts 468 00:16:47,759 --> 00:16:51,279 but what they can still get is the 469 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:52,800 aesthetic benefit of you know very like 470 00:16:51,279 --> 00:16:55,279 changing what the glyph should look like 471 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:57,759 so super exciting there all right so now 472 00:16:55,279 --> 00:16:59,759 here we are into today 473 00:16:57,759 --> 00:17:02,320 so if you wanted to get a font 474 00:16:59,759 --> 00:17:04,559 there's a heap of solutions obviously 475 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:07,199 one of the most trusted sources of 476 00:17:04,559 --> 00:17:09,360 quality fonts is fonts.google there's 477 00:17:07,199 --> 00:17:10,880 the font library open foundry 478 00:17:09,360 --> 00:17:12,559 and also if you just search for fonts on 479 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,559 github and gitlab you can get some 480 00:17:12,559 --> 00:17:16,000 really compelling fonts there's 481 00:17:14,559 --> 00:17:17,919 programmer fonts and nerdfonts and 482 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,520 everything else if you're into that 483 00:17:17,919 --> 00:17:21,439 some of these are more 484 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:23,679 based on you know variable fonts there's 485 00:17:21,439 --> 00:17:25,120 vfonts.com and whatever else but these 486 00:17:23,679 --> 00:17:26,959 are all great sources 487 00:17:25,120 --> 00:17:29,200 but we're not just going to talk about 488 00:17:26,959 --> 00:17:30,720 getting a font you know which is you 489 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,640 know awesome especially if you want a 490 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:35,200 starting point because starting with an 491 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:37,120 upstream project is the best way to go 492 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:39,200 about making a font 493 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:41,120 or you know putting a font 494 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,960 well there's the darling of the day 495 00:17:41,120 --> 00:17:44,799 which is um 496 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,720 it's a proprietary piece of software but 497 00:17:44,799 --> 00:17:48,960 it is the best like it is when i say the 498 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:51,360 best i mean it is really compelling and 499 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:53,919 easy to use so that's why most 500 00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:56,160 font designers use it including the font 501 00:17:53,919 --> 00:17:58,720 designer that designed our most recent 502 00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:00,960 typeface there is font lab which was the 503 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,720 standard for the longest time so red 504 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:04,559 hat's overpass was 505 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,320 produced in font lab initially and then 506 00:18:04,559 --> 00:18:07,679 migrated over to glyphs 507 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:10,160 so that's that's interesting and then 508 00:18:07,679 --> 00:18:11,440 there's robofont which has really really 509 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:13,600 extensive 510 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,520 python support and scripting languages 511 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,919 surrounding it and you can do lots of 512 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:20,080 hackable things but not just those three 513 00:18:17,919 --> 00:18:23,520 commercial options there is font forge 514 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:25,679 and i use that to produce 515 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:26,720 the original ubuntu font make it rest in 516 00:18:25,679 --> 00:18:29,039 peace 517 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:31,600 and then there's also uh runebender 518 00:18:29,039 --> 00:18:34,080 which um is completely written in rust 519 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:36,240 uh and extremely ambitious but in the in 520 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:39,039 the early days um which is which is kind 521 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:42,400 of awesome and then there's this uh 522 00:18:39,039 --> 00:18:44,400 mfek which is again new and ambitious 523 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:45,919 but it's kind of trying to reconcile 524 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,840 what room bender is trying to do with 525 00:18:45,919 --> 00:18:50,720 what front forge is trying to do and get 526 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:54,160 something um you know that isn't 100 527 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:56,240 rust but you know a usable good font um 528 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:58,799 editor um that you know is just as 529 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:00,480 powerful as as the three above so 530 00:18:58,799 --> 00:19:03,120 really interesting activity happening 531 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,559 there and it's all like it's all active 532 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:06,480 there's there's been you know no 533 00:19:04,559 --> 00:19:09,440 slowdown in the momentum of this this is 534 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,880 absolutely like a really charged space 535 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:12,080 one resource that i'd like to point you 536 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,400 towards 537 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:16,320 even if you're going to choose to use 538 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:18,240 a tool that isn't fun forge 539 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,919 is this designed with fontforge.com so 540 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,440 that's the user manual effectively for 541 00:19:19,919 --> 00:19:23,760 font forge and it doesn't just teach you 542 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:26,240 how to use font forge it teaches you how 543 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:30,160 to think like it teaches you how to be a 544 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:31,760 type designer um and and really um 545 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:34,080 you know it makes you better at that 546 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:36,160 craft it's it's a fantastic resource 547 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:37,200 that goes through kind of trusting your 548 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,200 eyes 549 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,400 being intuitive knowing what forces are 550 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,559 at play you know when it comes to 551 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:45,520 optical interference and whatever else 552 00:19:42,559 --> 00:19:46,640 um and absolutely just a stunning read 553 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,320 even if you're never going to make a 554 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:49,840 font i suggest you check that one out 555 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:52,559 it's pretty awesome 556 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:54,000 so now let's kind of get into um the 557 00:19:52,559 --> 00:19:55,360 more techy part 558 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,120 of this which is 559 00:19:55,360 --> 00:19:59,200 what impressed me so like i said at the 560 00:19:57,120 --> 00:20:01,039 start of this talk 561 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,720 way back when when i made a font i could 562 00:20:01,039 --> 00:20:05,120 just fling it over to a random 563 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:07,200 repository or post it on a you know a 564 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:08,640 static file share and you know it'd go 565 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,720 up on a website and i'd be like sweet i 566 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:13,200 open source the fun i released it hey 567 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:15,200 everybody that's it but 568 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,720 fonts have become so much more pervasive 569 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,880 in how they're used and web fonts in 570 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:21,440 particular you know that are being 571 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,320 hosted on central cdn's like google 572 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:24,080 fonts 573 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:26,159 they really need rigorous quality 574 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,520 control because let's just say you 575 00:20:26,159 --> 00:20:29,520 update your phone you could you could 576 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:31,600 break the internet um you know you could 577 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:34,080 actually break the internet by uh 578 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,600 changing the baseline of your typeface 579 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,919 accidentally or 580 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:39,600 missing a character or setting a decimal 581 00:20:37,919 --> 00:20:41,600 wrong on a unit width and you could you 582 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:44,720 know do do all kinds of things to all 583 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:47,440 kinds of online software um or websites 584 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:49,280 simply because you know the cdn will 585 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:51,679 faithfully update based on what's the 586 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:53,440 latest upstream um and if they didn't 587 00:20:51,679 --> 00:20:55,919 have checks to prevent against that kind 588 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:58,400 of stuff that's where we'd be um but 589 00:20:55,919 --> 00:21:00,000 fortunately uh google and the community 590 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:02,080 surrounding the modern typeface 591 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:04,240 development um have come up with some 592 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:06,720 fantastic stuff some really really 593 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:08,320 fantastic tools um and here's the four 594 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,080 kind of main ones so 595 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:12,480 uh google fonts have their own you know 596 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:14,640 gf tools uh there's font make and then 597 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,720 there's the font tools um they're pretty 598 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,240 good for different things obviously gf 599 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:21,360 tools is good for working within the 600 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:23,440 font ecosystem font make is a 601 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:25,840 source to image kind of compiler so you 602 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:27,760 don't have to have um it'll it'll do the 603 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:29,600 building for you so you can you know 604 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,919 automate your font building process 605 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,679 rather than having to do it manually 606 00:21:31,919 --> 00:21:35,520 which allows you to do a whole bunch of 607 00:21:33,679 --> 00:21:36,559 the crcd stuff 608 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,559 and then there's a really really 609 00:21:36,559 --> 00:21:41,039 powerful tool called font bakery which 610 00:21:38,559 --> 00:21:43,200 brings a lot of those tools together 611 00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:45,200 and gives you effectively a linting 612 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,400 experience of of your type design so 613 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,720 i'll kind of get into a little bit of 614 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:50,880 that but um fontbaker is definitely the 615 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:53,280 one that impressed me the most um and 616 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:55,520 there's ways that it's being used 617 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:56,480 you know even more impressive which is 618 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,320 cool 619 00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,159 so if you go um it's probably one of the 620 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:02,159 most interesting parts of places on the 621 00:22:00,159 --> 00:22:04,640 internet to check out what's happening 622 00:22:02,159 --> 00:22:06,640 in upstream fonts and that's because 623 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,640 you're seeing effectively the this is 624 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:10,799 the release management process for 625 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:13,039 google fonts it's completely public um 626 00:22:10,799 --> 00:22:14,960 they have this kanban board available to 627 00:22:13,039 --> 00:22:16,320 you know anybody to check out on github 628 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,640 um and you can see all down the 629 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,559 left-hand side there's needs you know 630 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:22,000 like some of these uh point releases for 631 00:22:20,559 --> 00:22:24,080 existing fonts some of them are 632 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:25,440 completely new fonts some of them need 633 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,720 like certain changes some of them 634 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,159 haven't passed 635 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,840 certain tests 636 00:22:28,159 --> 00:22:31,039 it's really really you know 637 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:31,840 quite rigorous 638 00:22:31,039 --> 00:22:34,400 how 639 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:36,960 all of this stuff makes it into the main 640 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:39,520 repository which is you know super cool 641 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,720 so won't go too deep into this but if 642 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,720 you just want to see this stuff in 643 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,480 action it's kind of fantastic 644 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:46,960 there's also if you're getting started 645 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:49,120 as a font project i highly highly highly 646 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,960 recommend that you use 647 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:52,640 google's unified font repository as your 648 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:55,200 base even if you have no intentions of 649 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:57,520 publishing this thing to google fonts 650 00:22:55,200 --> 00:23:00,159 this thing sets up you know the github 651 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:02,720 actions for you it sets up all of the 652 00:23:00,159 --> 00:23:04,000 you know automatic um you know font 653 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,760 analysis tools to give you great 654 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,679 feedback on your project 655 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:09,120 and it also has the build tools there so 656 00:23:07,679 --> 00:23:11,200 you can build your font without having 657 00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:12,880 to do all that stuff manually so it's a 658 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,960 pretty fantastic 659 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,919 resource for you if you're interested in 660 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,600 that 661 00:23:15,919 --> 00:23:20,159 um and yeah look this is kind of what it 662 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:22,640 looks like if if you commit a change to 663 00:23:20,159 --> 00:23:25,120 to you know your upstream repository um 664 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:27,280 it'll run an ocean of tests uh and 665 00:23:25,120 --> 00:23:29,200 produce a self-hosted github pages 666 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,880 website where you can run through and 667 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,720 get your feelings really hurt because of 668 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:34,159 the number of errors it shows you some 669 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:36,320 of those errors are just warnings and 670 00:23:34,159 --> 00:23:38,240 they're totally fine and you can go yes 671 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:40,880 i know i haven't added my copyright yet 672 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:42,799 or yes i know that you know this glyph 673 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,240 is suspiciously like this glyph or 674 00:23:42,799 --> 00:23:46,400 whatever else 675 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:48,159 but it's a fantastic tool especially 676 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,760 when you when you're you know releasing 677 00:23:48,159 --> 00:23:51,679 right because 678 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:53,760 we're working on the outfit font and you 679 00:23:51,679 --> 00:23:55,840 know the artwork was completely finished 680 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,440 and testing was done and we you know 681 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,039 tried to break it 100 different ways 682 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:01,360 within our browser within our desktop 683 00:23:59,039 --> 00:24:02,880 publishing tools within whatever 684 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:05,360 and then we actually put it through the 685 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:08,080 font bakery process and hey we had a 686 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:10,320 hell of a lot of stuff to to um you know 687 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:12,320 remediate but you know it wasn't that 688 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,600 hard because we had really specific 689 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:16,400 directions so 690 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:17,279 font bakery is fantastic for for that 691 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:19,200 um 692 00:24:17,279 --> 00:24:20,240 so yeah like this font do you want to 693 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,559 find oh 694 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:23,360 god ugliest thing ever hacked together 695 00:24:22,559 --> 00:24:26,799 in 696 00:24:23,360 --> 00:24:27,679 um fun forge it wouldn't survive today 697 00:24:26,799 --> 00:24:29,440 um 698 00:24:27,679 --> 00:24:31,840 as as they find the quality like you 699 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:34,159 know it's it's not fit for use 700 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:36,720 overpass however is a really interesting 701 00:24:34,159 --> 00:24:39,200 story in that the source artwork was the 702 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,960 u.s federal highways 703 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:44,000 typeface yeah usually called highway 704 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:45,840 gothic um that was the inspiration but 705 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,000 the digitization of overpass was a 706 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,840 completely new commission 707 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,760 and we commissioned it because that was 708 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:53,679 the aesthetic that was 709 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:55,120 you know leading the red hat brand at 710 00:24:53,679 --> 00:24:56,559 the time 711 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:59,919 and 712 00:24:56,559 --> 00:25:02,159 since red hat has moved on from overpass 713 00:24:59,919 --> 00:25:05,039 and now uses red hat display and red hat 714 00:25:02,159 --> 00:25:07,760 text and red hat mono which is you know 715 00:25:05,039 --> 00:25:10,400 their new mono space font the overpass 716 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:12,559 project with its monospace variant and 717 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:14,960 its 19 variations 718 00:25:12,559 --> 00:25:17,679 including italics obviously and you know 719 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:19,600 10 or 10 weights i think 10 weights now 720 00:25:17,679 --> 00:25:21,039 probably 9 weights 721 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,480 it 722 00:25:21,039 --> 00:25:25,039 it has been 723 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:27,279 maintained upstream and not only has it 724 00:25:25,039 --> 00:25:29,600 been maintained upstream by delve who is 725 00:25:27,279 --> 00:25:31,279 fantastic but i can you know an entire 726 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:33,679 community of people are you know not 727 00:25:31,279 --> 00:25:34,960 just suggesting improvements but 728 00:25:33,679 --> 00:25:37,279 some people have commissioned 729 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:39,520 improvements uh google has commissioned 730 00:25:37,279 --> 00:25:40,880 you know a a massive overhaul so that 731 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,960 they could get it working with their 732 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:45,200 crcd tool so 733 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:47,200 yeah it's pretty pretty incredible 734 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:49,360 i'll just go on to the next one and 735 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,960 accept cookies all so bad 736 00:25:49,360 --> 00:25:53,760 so yeah this is the most recent font 737 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:55,840 that we've just put out so 738 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:57,840 the organization i work for outfit we're 739 00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:01,120 a brand automation company and we needed 740 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:02,640 a a typeface really had a logo mark that 741 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:03,440 looked you know pretty pretty much like 742 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:06,559 this 743 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:08,720 uh and we we started to commission a um 744 00:26:06,559 --> 00:26:11,360 bespoke typeface so that it could 745 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:13,440 actually you know work um in you know so 746 00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:15,919 that when we spoke it looked like us 747 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:18,240 right so one of the you know best 748 00:26:15,919 --> 00:26:19,600 instruments of success in branding is 749 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:21,600 if you're writing something or if you 750 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:23,039 have something and you know without 751 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:25,360 seeing the logo or the name of your 752 00:26:23,039 --> 00:26:27,120 company the aesthetic tells you it tells 753 00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:28,159 the audience who's familiar what what 754 00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:30,080 brand it is it gives them that 755 00:26:28,159 --> 00:26:32,000 recognition in that recall that's kind 756 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:33,200 of cool but honestly we're also just 757 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,880 design nodes and we wanted to make 758 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,640 something super fun 759 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:39,360 so you can see here 760 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:41,039 you can see that we have a stylistic g 761 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:43,679 when we turn off the alternates it 762 00:26:41,039 --> 00:26:45,760 changes we have the stylistic m and a 763 00:26:43,679 --> 00:26:48,240 stylistic k a stylistic 764 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:49,760 e everything else uh and we also you 765 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:50,880 know one of the technical requirements 766 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:53,440 was that 767 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:55,440 when we typed uh outfit we had this one 768 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:59,279 gigantic ligature 769 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:01,279 that you know combines the ou tfit 770 00:26:59,279 --> 00:27:03,520 exactly as it's meant to be said 771 00:27:01,279 --> 00:27:05,039 uh and the great thing is you know 772 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:07,919 we can do that we can do that because 773 00:27:05,039 --> 00:27:10,080 hey it's software um we also were able 774 00:27:07,919 --> 00:27:12,159 to you know put together 775 00:27:10,080 --> 00:27:14,400 varying weights so as you noticed before 776 00:27:12,159 --> 00:27:17,120 in that earlier demo the dollar sign 777 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:19,120 crossbar cuts off um when you you know 778 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:20,559 get beyond 500 779 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:22,240 but you know it's it's there when you 780 00:27:20,559 --> 00:27:25,200 get down to the lower and everything 781 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:27,760 else um and yeah look it's it's just a 782 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,200 pretty awesome typeface um but anyway 783 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:31,600 let's get into some of the cool future 784 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,640 stuff um for for the later part of this 785 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,799 talk 786 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:36,720 so firstly 787 00:27:34,799 --> 00:27:39,520 vector technology in general hasn't 788 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:42,000 slowed down um if you remember previous 789 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:44,080 lcas i've probably demoed inkscape with 790 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,840 a spline type called spyro splines which 791 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,600 are you know 792 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:48,799 really awesome and perfect and 793 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:51,520 everything else 794 00:27:48,799 --> 00:27:54,080 but ray flavin who um 795 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:55,520 started spyro also started kill which 796 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:57,200 eventually became sodipatty which 797 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:59,840 eventually became inkscape 798 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:01,360 he's been doing a lot of research on how 799 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:03,600 to create a spline that's very intuitive 800 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:05,679 to use um you know not just creating 801 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:08,080 beautiful shapes and paths but also just 802 00:28:05,679 --> 00:28:09,760 super intuitive to use um and if you go 803 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,520 to his blog you can see some of the 804 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:13,440 experiments and you know this guy 805 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:15,440 doesn't just write a blog he he creates 806 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:16,799 live demos it's it's just such a 807 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,399 compelling read 808 00:28:16,799 --> 00:28:20,880 we've got a new kind of 809 00:28:18,399 --> 00:28:23,840 uh you know player in the open source 810 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:26,559 design toolkit and that's penpot um if 811 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:28,720 you're familiar with another tool called 812 00:28:26,559 --> 00:28:31,760 figma i think they're worth about 10 813 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:33,200 billion dollars now well penpot is a 814 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:36,000 completely open 815 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:37,840 alternative to figma so if you're into 816 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,919 application user experiences on anything 817 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:42,640 else it's there but one of the cool 818 00:28:39,919 --> 00:28:44,880 things is you know it has fantastic font 819 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:47,279 support so you can kind of load up any 820 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:49,840 of the open fonts you like and start 821 00:28:47,279 --> 00:28:51,679 designing great svg vector compositions 822 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:53,840 with it which is fantastic 823 00:28:51,679 --> 00:28:55,760 um and just coming around the corner we 824 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:57,840 have some exciting stuff 825 00:28:55,760 --> 00:29:00,080 personally i'm pretty stoked on the 826 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:02,159 goose energy coming i'm going to get a 827 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:04,320 hell of a lot of mileage out of that one 828 00:29:02,159 --> 00:29:06,960 but yeah unicode 15 is around the corner 829 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:06,960 and that's um 830 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:10,320 that's cool 831 00:29:08,559 --> 00:29:12,080 but color fonts plus you know the 832 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,919 unicode editions that's um that's going 833 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:17,600 to be really awesome because 834 00:29:13,919 --> 00:29:20,000 what you can do with color fonts uh is 835 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:22,159 before unicode has even kind of come out 836 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:24,559 and your platform has created an imagey 837 00:29:22,159 --> 00:29:28,159 i mean you know after unicode's released 838 00:29:24,559 --> 00:29:30,399 let's say there's a period of 839 00:29:28,159 --> 00:29:32,320 four months before your operating system 840 00:29:30,399 --> 00:29:34,159 creates the imagery character for the 841 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:36,799 character that you want like you know i 842 00:29:34,159 --> 00:29:38,640 want i want my image for lavender now 843 00:29:36,799 --> 00:29:40,640 right well what you can do with web 844 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:42,720 fonts and color gradient fonts is you 845 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:44,960 can actually design your lavender imagey 846 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,480 yourself and have a website that uses it 847 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,720 as a web font 848 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,960 and you know once the operating systems 849 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:52,880 release the system specific version of 850 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:55,200 the lavender yeah it can gracefully 851 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:56,880 degrade and use the system font if you 852 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:58,640 don't have web fonts but it's really 853 00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:00,000 nice for artists and type designers that 854 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:02,080 we can kind of 855 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:04,080 run ahead of the base operating system 856 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:06,640 and start creating glyphs um that you 857 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:08,559 know uh in the specification but not yet 858 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:10,720 supported by a platform so that's 859 00:30:08,559 --> 00:30:12,000 freaking awesome um so anyway that's 860 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,840 kind of it i'd like to you know thank 861 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,760 dave again for a hell of a lot of the 862 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:18,080 conversations we had to kind of bring 863 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:19,679 this talk together um and you know thank 864 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:22,480 you to work for giving me some time to 865 00:30:19,679 --> 00:30:26,080 prepare it um but yeah let's let's move 866 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:26,080 on to some questions if we have any 867 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:31,840 ah thanks andy yes we do have questions 868 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:34,480 sorry i'm just like looking really 869 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:36,960 surprised because i'm typing and talking 870 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:39,120 at the same time which is never good um 871 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:42,399 that was really lovely 872 00:30:39,120 --> 00:30:45,200 as somebody who only 873 00:30:42,399 --> 00:30:47,919 knows about fonts as i guess a user and 874 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:49,600 appreciator and frequent reader of 875 00:30:47,919 --> 00:30:51,679 things 876 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,840 i really enjoyed the kind of 877 00:30:51,679 --> 00:30:55,600 behind-the-scenes glimpse in the history 878 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:58,480 tour um 879 00:30:55,600 --> 00:31:01,840 that was really eye-opening thank you 880 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:05,360 thank you okay we have a few questions 881 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:06,320 um so 882 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,640 uh 883 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,799 our first question 884 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:12,799 is it a never-ending task of glyph 885 00:31:10,799 --> 00:31:15,279 coverage as the unicode code points 886 00:31:12,799 --> 00:31:15,279 expand 887 00:31:15,919 --> 00:31:20,159 no you get to choose where you stop 888 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,679 you know just like painting a house i 889 00:31:20,159 --> 00:31:22,480 stopped at the gutters 890 00:31:21,679 --> 00:31:24,799 um 891 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:26,480 but i i do i do get what you mean if you 892 00:31:24,799 --> 00:31:29,760 were trying to create a typeface that 893 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:31,840 had full coverage um and unicode is 894 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:33,120 continuously adding 895 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:36,320 you know 896 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:38,880 emoji characters etc uh then yes okay 897 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:40,159 yes uh you know fully complete set will 898 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:42,480 probably have to evolve with that 899 00:31:40,159 --> 00:31:43,760 project having said that you know like 900 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:45,840 our 901 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:48,480 our typeface stops at extended latin so 902 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:50,559 we don't support korea japan china you 903 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:53,679 know or any of the persian or index 904 00:31:50,559 --> 00:31:55,840 grips um you know and and many of the 905 00:31:53,679 --> 00:31:58,640 cyrillic you know characters are also 906 00:31:55,840 --> 00:32:00,799 not there um we've got a couple poor 907 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:03,440 issues asking for hungarian characters 908 00:32:00,799 --> 00:32:05,279 stuff like that in the upstream um 909 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:06,960 and yeah like like any open source 910 00:32:05,279 --> 00:32:08,799 project you can say hey 911 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:11,840 this is cool yes we want to get there 912 00:32:08,799 --> 00:32:13,760 but it's not yet um or this project it's 913 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:14,559 out of scope for us to ever attend to 914 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,399 that 915 00:32:14,559 --> 00:32:19,120 and when it comes to character glyph 916 00:32:16,399 --> 00:32:20,640 coverage for language um 917 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:22,640 just speaking for the outfit project 918 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:24,720 yeah we totally want to have 919 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:26,480 um we want to grow 920 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,880 because it's a commercially kind of 921 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:31,039 backed font we want to grow as the 922 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,960 markets we address you know are needed 923 00:32:31,039 --> 00:32:36,000 right so if we want to do business 924 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:38,960 um you know uh in the middle east we 925 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:40,799 have to have those persian fonts um you 926 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,480 know same with korea japan and china if 927 00:32:40,799 --> 00:32:44,240 we want to do business in in japan we 928 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,320 want to project that competence by 929 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:48,399 having our own custom typeface then we 930 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:51,039 need the glyph coverage um you know of 931 00:32:48,399 --> 00:32:53,120 those of these characters um the the 932 00:32:51,039 --> 00:32:56,399 cool projects to look at is probably 933 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:58,240 google's noto project which started as 934 00:32:56,399 --> 00:33:00,720 uh just you know i think 935 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:02,640 um english alphabet and grew 936 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:04,880 uh into korea japan and china and then 937 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:07,519 grew into you know 938 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:09,600 like it i think there's like a sanskrit 939 00:33:07,519 --> 00:33:12,960 version now like you know it's it's an 940 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:15,279 enormous enormous project and it's yeah 941 00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:17,200 it's forever growing um but yeah like i 942 00:33:15,279 --> 00:33:18,880 said you get to choose where you where 943 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:20,880 you start 944 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:22,480 if i'm going to add one imagey to an 945 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:24,960 upstream font project it might just be 946 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:26,960 like the koala imagey and that'll be in 947 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:29,760 my web font and it'll be a nice small 948 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:32,240 http request payload that you know won't 949 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:35,760 point um tanker website 950 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:36,880 but that answers a good choice really 951 00:33:35,760 --> 00:33:38,640 um 952 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:40,640 the next question 953 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:42,640 i am really curious about tests you run 954 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,919 on fonts can you give us some examples 955 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,919 of the checks you think are the most 956 00:33:43,919 --> 00:33:48,240 useful 957 00:33:45,919 --> 00:33:50,000 uh yeah look a lot of the a lot of the 958 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:52,559 checks obviously when it comes to 959 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:54,880 release management and open source 960 00:33:52,559 --> 00:33:57,760 licensing is a big one licensing and 961 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:59,440 naming is pretty huge 962 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:00,640 glyph coverage was something that 963 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:02,880 blocked us 964 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:04,399 because we only wanted to have like the 965 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:08,399 qwerty set as a character range 966 00:34:04,399 --> 00:34:09,679 initially and google rightfully said 967 00:34:08,399 --> 00:34:11,760 we're not going to host you fine you 968 00:34:09,679 --> 00:34:14,000 know because we have a minimum character 969 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:15,679 set so checking for that just checking 970 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,960 that you have you know all the 971 00:34:15,679 --> 00:34:17,839 characters with diacritics that are 972 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:19,359 needed 973 00:34:17,839 --> 00:34:22,240 to be compatible with the places that 974 00:34:19,359 --> 00:34:24,240 you plan to host and use your font and 975 00:34:22,240 --> 00:34:26,560 that's kind of nice because you know we 976 00:34:24,240 --> 00:34:27,440 all we all miss stuff right like it it 977 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,960 could be 978 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:31,040 you know you could have 979 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:33,359 you can use the font and and 980 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:34,800 there could be system curly braces and 981 00:34:33,359 --> 00:34:36,960 you didn't notice that you forgot to do 982 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,079 the curly brace characters um so that's 983 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:41,040 kind of nice 984 00:34:38,079 --> 00:34:43,359 but yeah there's lots of gotchas um it's 985 00:34:41,040 --> 00:34:45,119 a really really extensive list of checks 986 00:34:43,359 --> 00:34:47,440 um if you have a look at any font bakery 987 00:34:45,119 --> 00:34:49,200 output on any open source project 988 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:51,119 and they're all super cool like it's 989 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:53,599 it's really insightful 990 00:34:51,119 --> 00:34:56,399 to see what those things are 991 00:34:53,599 --> 00:34:58,960 that's fascinating 992 00:34:56,399 --> 00:35:00,960 um can you make any comments about 993 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:03,520 application specific fonts other than 994 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:07,520 web or print for example hershey font 995 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:10,400 for plotting outline fonts for cutting 996 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:10,400 oh okay 997 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:14,800 look 998 00:35:13,119 --> 00:35:16,640 some 999 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:18,640 some people are hacking fonts to be 1000 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:20,160 interface elements because it does give 1001 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:22,720 them um 1002 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:24,720 a really highly compatible set of 1003 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:25,839 controls to do user interface stuff that 1004 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:27,680 is not 1005 00:35:25,839 --> 00:35:30,480 um you're just worried about doing that 1006 00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:34,079 sort of thing in css or another method 1007 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:37,119 a great example is if you have a 1008 00:35:34,079 --> 00:35:39,359 application that cannot have much 1009 00:35:37,119 --> 00:35:41,839 dom effect in javascript for example or 1010 00:35:39,359 --> 00:35:44,160 you know you want or little to no 1011 00:35:41,839 --> 00:35:46,320 no javascript at all like in a web app 1012 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:48,000 for example like on the client side 1013 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:50,560 uh what you can do 1014 00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:53,359 is you can have a lot of interactivity 1015 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:55,040 um purely using web fonts and css right 1016 00:35:53,359 --> 00:35:57,040 so you can actually have like you know 1017 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:59,040 you can draw whatever element you want 1018 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:01,280 embed that as a variable font and then 1019 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:04,079 have those elements interact 1020 00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:05,200 using the variable parameters via css 1021 00:36:04,079 --> 00:36:08,640 and that's kind of like a really 1022 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:11,040 interesting application because you know 1023 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:12,960 you can draw anything and you won't get 1024 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:15,760 you know um 1025 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:18,079 you know it'll it'll run uh 1026 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:20,000 in in the data center of a bank and 1027 00:36:18,079 --> 00:36:22,000 it'll pass infosec checks like i don't 1028 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:23,359 know like it's it's kind of like you can 1029 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:26,960 you can hack web font tech into all 1030 00:36:23,359 --> 00:36:28,400 kinds of interesting interfaces now 1031 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:30,480 that sounds like 1032 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:31,520 quite the rabbit hole to explore yeah 1033 00:36:30,480 --> 00:36:33,119 yeah 1034 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,400 i mean it's pretty cool though because 1035 00:36:33,119 --> 00:36:36,079 again 1036 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:38,000 variable fonts like you know you can 1037 00:36:36,079 --> 00:36:39,839 draw all kinds of stuff 1038 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:42,240 in the same way that ascii arts a thing 1039 00:36:39,839 --> 00:36:44,160 like now you've got ascii art plus the 1040 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:46,480 power to do so much with the typography 1041 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:47,359 within it so 1042 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:50,720 yeah 1043 00:36:47,359 --> 00:36:53,359 keen on on the terminal stuff 1044 00:36:50,720 --> 00:36:55,920 so much fun to be had 1045 00:36:53,359 --> 00:36:57,599 okay next question is 1046 00:36:55,920 --> 00:36:59,599 what are you most excited about in the 1047 00:36:57,599 --> 00:37:01,920 next one to two years in the open font 1048 00:36:59,599 --> 00:37:01,920 space 1049 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:06,640 honestly i think the proximity to 1050 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:09,359 software rigger 1051 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:11,280 has really elevated it i know lots of 1052 00:37:09,359 --> 00:37:14,480 designers that collect commercial 1053 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:16,160 typefaces like um entrepreneurs collect 1054 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:18,000 domains you know like oh i'll use that 1055 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:20,240 in a project at some point 1056 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:22,880 um and it's kind of 1057 00:37:20,240 --> 00:37:24,960 it's it's nice to see that with the 1058 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:27,119 right kind of um 1059 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:29,680 the right kind of you know practices to 1060 00:37:27,119 --> 00:37:31,040 ensure really really high quality fonts 1061 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:33,119 ends the fact that there's so much 1062 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:35,440 visibility and you know priority and 1063 00:37:33,119 --> 00:37:37,200 advocacy for them um 1064 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:39,680 you know i'm excited to see where that 1065 00:37:37,200 --> 00:37:41,599 goes for the creators uh of typefaces 1066 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:44,320 and what that means for everything from 1067 00:37:41,599 --> 00:37:46,160 funding models to projects and and all 1068 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,680 those things in between you've got to 1069 00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:50,960 remember that 1070 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:54,240 uh 20 years ago commissioning a custom 1071 00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:55,839 digital typeface you know was a you know 1072 00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:58,400 multi hundreds of thousands of dollars 1073 00:37:55,839 --> 00:38:00,400 endeavor um to produce right so that 1074 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,480 that was usually reserved for the 1075 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:04,240 largest organizations in the world that 1076 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:06,720 still had a need for a custom typeface 1077 00:38:04,240 --> 00:38:07,920 but were able to pay for those projects 1078 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:10,480 now 1079 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:12,880 it's become much easier to produce these 1080 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:14,880 things and also much easier to you know 1081 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:17,359 release those things 1082 00:38:14,880 --> 00:38:18,800 so you know i work for a medium-sized 1083 00:38:17,359 --> 00:38:20,880 business and we're able to commission 1084 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:22,960 commission a bespoke font um and you 1085 00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:24,400 know it's because the tooling was there 1086 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:26,960 the technology was there the release 1087 00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:28,560 management was there um and and there's 1088 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:30,560 also you know there's economic 1089 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:33,359 incentives to to be better at your 1090 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:35,839 branding and thai faces are a 1091 00:38:33,359 --> 00:38:38,240 like one of the quintessential pieces of 1092 00:38:35,839 --> 00:38:39,680 of a branding aesthetic so i'm really 1093 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:42,480 excited about that 1094 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:44,160 um and i love the fact that 1095 00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:45,520 i didn't even have to fight for our font 1096 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:47,119 to be open source 1097 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:48,800 if we wanted it released on google fonts 1098 00:38:47,119 --> 00:38:50,000 it had to be open source so that's one 1099 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:52,240 of the biggest 1100 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:55,040 gravitational pulls to contributions to 1101 00:38:52,240 --> 00:38:57,839 the commons that you can think of 1102 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:59,680 the payoff for us is you know g suite 1103 00:38:57,839 --> 00:39:01,200 will use fonts from google fonts 1104 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:02,640 therefore if we ever wanted to use g 1105 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:04,720 suite with our corporate typeface we 1106 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:06,000 actually had to open source our typeface 1107 00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:08,240 i love that i just love that the 1108 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:10,160 economics played in the advantage of an 1109 00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:12,240 open project rather than even 1110 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:14,560 entertaining the discussion of what if 1111 00:39:12,240 --> 00:39:16,640 we keep a proprietary just wasn't it you 1112 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:18,640 couldn't even do it wasn't a question 1113 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:20,720 yeah that's huge 1114 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:22,320 that that really must make quite a huge 1115 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:24,720 influence it's great 1116 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:26,480 yep and um whether we're good at 1117 00:39:24,720 --> 00:39:27,839 business without a business there'll be 1118 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:31,839 something useful for artists and 1119 00:39:27,839 --> 00:39:33,200 creators you know so it's nice 1120 00:39:31,839 --> 00:39:36,400 that is lovely 1121 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:39,440 um on the topic of uh 1122 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:41,359 collecting fonts and discovery um 1123 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:43,200 there's a question is there an app out 1124 00:39:41,359 --> 00:39:45,440 there that makes finding and installing 1125 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:46,960 open fonts on linux super easy i think 1126 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:48,400 there used to be a few apps like this on 1127 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:50,000 windows in the day 1128 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:52,320 i think they were on the cds you 1129 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:54,720 mentioned 1130 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:56,960 god damn 1131 00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:58,240 yeah yeah i love i love that that was 1132 00:39:56,960 --> 00:40:02,160 something that i would have spent like 1133 00:39:58,240 --> 00:40:03,839 20 bucks on like you know 1 000 fonts um 1134 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,200 yeah that and i probably have a few of 1135 00:40:03,839 --> 00:40:07,440 them somewhere 1136 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:09,040 uh but as far as if you go to flat hub 1137 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:11,680 there's like a bunch of different font 1138 00:40:09,040 --> 00:40:12,560 installer applications um off the top of 1139 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:15,520 my head 1140 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:17,920 uh i don't know many but it's also 1141 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:20,160 super easy to install a file on linux 1142 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:22,160 right like if it's your home directory 1143 00:40:20,160 --> 00:40:24,560 um just create a you know private 1144 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:26,319 directory called fonts in your home and 1145 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:29,760 then whatever you throw on there will be 1146 00:40:26,319 --> 00:40:31,119 sucked up by most uh desktop um you know 1147 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:32,960 desktops so 1148 00:40:31,119 --> 00:40:34,640 that's you know as 1149 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:36,079 as plain as it can get 1150 00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:37,599 um 1151 00:40:36,079 --> 00:40:40,319 yeah i've installed 1152 00:40:37,599 --> 00:40:41,760 fonts individually on linux like that um 1153 00:40:40,319 --> 00:40:43,359 yeah and the coolest thing is then you 1154 00:40:41,760 --> 00:40:45,680 can just go and track upstream and just 1155 00:40:43,359 --> 00:40:47,839 do like a big you know like get pull 1156 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:49,760 depth dash one of whatever project you 1157 00:40:47,839 --> 00:40:51,680 like and you know you can update it 1158 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:54,160 yourself if you ever want 1159 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:55,680 that's cool i haven't tried that um i 1160 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:57,680 guess the other aspect of the question 1161 00:40:55,680 --> 00:41:00,000 is about do you have any recommendations 1162 00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:01,920 around discovery of specifically open 1163 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,440 spot fonts 1164 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:04,800 for those of us who aren't immersed in 1165 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:06,640 the world like you are 1166 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:09,440 yeah yeah so i have a list on these 1167 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:13,119 slides we'll put them put them out there 1168 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:15,520 um but look google fonts really is 1169 00:41:13,119 --> 00:41:18,000 such a good archive of these fonts 1170 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:20,880 regardless how you feel about google as 1171 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:23,119 a cdn or player in the cloud space 1172 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:24,960 they have made an enormous 1173 00:41:23,119 --> 00:41:26,800 contribution to the quality and breadth 1174 00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:28,640 and depth of fonts 1175 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:31,599 and that's undeniable and it's still a 1176 00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:34,640 great place to discover and learn 1177 00:41:31,599 --> 00:41:36,079 and you know get fonts um font library 1178 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:38,640 and open foundry are both pretty 1179 00:41:36,079 --> 00:41:40,319 fantastic as well um and then yeah look 1180 00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:42,560 there is you know the the major 1181 00:41:40,319 --> 00:41:44,880 repositories like um you know there are 1182 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:46,839 there are so many exciting font projects 1183 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:49,520 that are coming together um in 1184 00:41:46,839 --> 00:41:52,079 particular you know um programmer fonts 1185 00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:54,800 and ide fonts um if you use 1186 00:41:52,079 --> 00:41:56,560 you know the power line um character set 1187 00:41:54,800 --> 00:41:58,640 for your terminal you know like that 1188 00:41:56,560 --> 00:42:00,960 there's a heap of fonts that have been 1189 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:03,760 branched just so that they can add extra 1190 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:06,000 characters um or extra icons 1191 00:42:03,760 --> 00:42:07,760 and you'll find you you'll have to find 1192 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,599 them upstream you'll have to go to you 1193 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:10,720 know github or gitlab or wherever they 1194 00:42:09,599 --> 00:42:12,400 are 1195 00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:14,839 but but this is a pretty good set of 1196 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:18,480 places to discover 1197 00:42:14,839 --> 00:42:22,960 on just got a very specific question has 1198 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:27,280 just been added that i i have to ask um 1199 00:42:22,960 --> 00:42:28,480 whatever happened to open baskerville 1200 00:42:27,280 --> 00:42:30,480 uh 1201 00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:33,520 lee what is libra baskerville 1202 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:35,200 um but open baskerville i'm not familiar 1203 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:36,800 that might be the one that simon was 1204 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:39,280 working on maybe 1205 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:42,160 um and i'm not i'm not um i'm not 1206 00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:44,160 certain of the the history there um 1207 00:42:42,160 --> 00:42:46,000 but i will take this opportunity to say 1208 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:48,480 that my favorite ampersand in the world 1209 00:42:46,000 --> 00:42:50,480 is the baskerville italic ampersand so 1210 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:53,280 i hope that helps 1211 00:42:50,480 --> 00:42:56,240 that that's good to know coming from 1212 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:58,720 like you're you're an actual like design 1213 00:42:56,240 --> 00:43:00,640 person who knows fonts so that's a high 1214 00:42:58,720 --> 00:43:02,880 recommendation 1215 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:04,640 libra baskerville is a great is an open 1216 00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:06,960 baskerville project for what it's worth 1217 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:09,599 so um you can get that um 1218 00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:12,240 at fund library or fonts.google and 1219 00:43:09,599 --> 00:43:14,800 it's a real thing and it's great i'll 1220 00:43:12,240 --> 00:43:17,040 have to look that one up myself 1221 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:18,560 um we've got one last question in there 1222 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:22,000 and we've got a minute and a half left 1223 00:43:18,560 --> 00:43:24,560 to ask it uh is the line between fonts 1224 00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:26,800 and unicode code points blurry or is it 1225 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:28,480 just me 1226 00:43:26,800 --> 00:43:31,040 um 1227 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:33,200 no no they're they're pretty like you 1228 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:35,040 know fonts most of the fun formats uh 1229 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:37,760 using you know um 1230 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:38,839 the unicode range for their glyphs so 1231 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:40,640 they're kind of 1232 00:43:38,839 --> 00:43:42,720 very like 1233 00:43:40,640 --> 00:43:44,960 you need you need unicode to 1234 00:43:42,720 --> 00:43:47,359 you know set where the character is uh 1235 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:49,760 and you know the font is just displaying 1236 00:43:47,359 --> 00:43:51,680 that character however it wants 1237 00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:53,440 that's the clothes i loved that quote 1238 00:43:51,680 --> 00:43:55,680 you shared 1239 00:43:53,440 --> 00:43:57,599 yeah yeah super fun um that's such a 1240 00:43:55,680 --> 00:44:00,160 cool quote 1241 00:43:57,599 --> 00:44:00,960 that's great i'll remember that one 1242 00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:03,680 cool 1243 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:06,000 okay we have been under a minute left if 1244 00:44:03,680 --> 00:44:08,319 you've got any last words andy but we're 1245 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:10,319 out of questions hey i hope everybody 1246 00:44:08,319 --> 00:44:14,000 has a fantastic saturday and the rest of 1247 00:44:10,319 --> 00:44:15,920 lca thanks for putting it on and um 1248 00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:17,680 oh i can't i can't help myself if you've 1249 00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:18,560 got a marketing department send them my 1250 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:21,359 way 1251 00:44:18,560 --> 00:44:21,359 that's kind of it 1252 00:44:21,599 --> 00:44:26,720 um i i really enjoyed that as i said 1253 00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:28,880 andy thank you so much for telling us 1254 00:44:26,720 --> 00:44:30,079 all about the world of 1255 00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:32,319 um 1256 00:44:30,079 --> 00:44:34,560 open fonts and the current state of 1257 00:44:32,319 --> 00:44:39,319 things and a pleasure 1258 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:39,319 cool you later everybody bye