[YG Conlang Archives] > [westasianconlangs group] > messages [Date Index] [Thread Index] >


[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]

Re: [westasianconlangs] Technical advice needed



En réponse à "Isaac A. Penzev" <isaacp@hidden.email>:

> How should I write Rumean examples?
> - to use nice fonts encoded in lower ASCII and make them available for
> download -- easy but unconvenient for users;

A possible, though limited, alternative is to use embedded fonts, so that you 
don't have to impose people to download fonts. Now, the problem is that this 
technology is not common. Only IE and Netscape support it, using two different 
formats, and of them only the format used by IE is still actively supported by 
its creator, Microsoft (and the tool to make those embedded fonts, WEFT, is 
free, which is rare enough from Microsoft to deserve a special note ;)) ). The 
technology of Bitstream, which is the one that Netscape supports, can also be 
used by IE if you get a simple plug-in, but unfortunately Bitstream doesn't 
have any free tools anymore to make embedded fonts and it doesn't actively 
support its embedded font format anymore. So the technology is interesting and 
really works, but is unfortunately reserved mostly to IE users :((( .

> - to use Unicode fonts -- there are diffculties with Unicode input;
> - to use graphics (e.g. in *.gif format) -- it's easier to die...
> 

Still, if you want to be sure that everyone will see your webpage correctly, 
it's still the best way. For an optimal use of graphics (not too much of a 
hassle for the designer, not too much to download for the reader), make graphic 
files per word rather than per character. Still a lot of work but it's better 
than nothing.

Of course, the *best* solution for the reader is that you provide various 
solutions, i.e. that you duplicate your pages, having versions using graphics, 
Unicode, embedded fonts and downloadable fonts, so that everyone can find the 
best solution for their browser. Of course, this requires *a lot* of work from 
the designer :((( .

Christophe.

http://rainbow.conlang.free.fr

Take your life as a movie: do not let anybody else play the leading role.