[Gnome-print] Re: Helix Code :-)

[Lauris Kaplinski <lauris kaplinski com>]

On 9 Jun 2000, Miguel de Icaza wrote:

> > We have loader - yes, but AFAIK, it cannot render hinted (i.e. small
> > resolution) glyphs. Freetype can...
> 
> Sure, but the small glyph problem can be solved by using something
> like the Hobby algorithm.
> 
> > Also average desktop user usually has more TTF than Type1 fonts (not
> > sure) - there are more TTF collections (although usually low
> > quality) available, and type1 fonts usually cost more (although are of
> > better quality also).
> 
> Good fonts need hand-tuned hinting for TTF to be better than Type1
> fonts.  That is where the Hobby method gives us the best of all
> worlds: we do not need to implement hinting (which is btw, patented)
> and the result is better than those that use hinting, and finally, we
> do not depend on fonts being hand-tuned (ie, every font will look
> good, even those that were not hinted by an expensive font foundry).

However good, no algorithm can replace hinting, unfortunately. For very
tiny text you currently have to use either bitmap or good TrueType
renderer. Classical example is the lower ellipse of small g - which can
disappear in very small sizes.
It is quite possible for autohinter, to replace ALL glyphs with predefined
bitmaps in small sizes, of course, at least for latin fonts - where
there are few glyphs - and it probably is moving to that direction.

The patent issue is serious, but I would prefer to rely on FreeType
people:
- they are imlementing autohinter
- it is very possible there will be "European" versions of FreeType, if
TTF hinting turns out to be strictly patented. So at least some places of
world get better display quality, while Gnome libraries part remains the
same.

Lauris