Best font stack? - Page 2

JSWolf · 03-03-2012, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vootie

Thanks for those that have contributed to this thread. I've learned quite a bit from it and the temptation to embed fonts is significant. But for my first book I think I'll err on the side of caution. The safest thing would simply be to use "serif" for the body text and "sans-serif" for heads and subheads, if I understand correctly.

Chris

You have nothing to lose by following the code I posted earlier in this thread and everything to win as your eBook will then look much nicer then it would otherwise.

Freeshadow · 03-10-2012, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

i wanna chime in to +1 all those that said not to specify the font. I very much enjoy my reader's default font as well as the ability to change it at will.

If some people have readers with crappy default fonts, then it just sucks to be them; should'a bought a reader that invested in a decent font set.

Of course you could always create epubs specific to/tailored to individual readers if it is really an issue with specific cases.

Which is fine for all those living in ASCII-land. Don't know if there is any reader with fonts embedded which include polish special characters.

Jellby · 03-10-2012, 07:30 AM

There are readers that let you use whatever font you like. Just copy the TTF or OTF files to the right folder and you can choose them. But for this, the book file must not use embedded fonts.

Rob Lister · 03-10-2012, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Which is fine for all those living in ASCII-land. Don't know if there is any reader with fonts embedded which include polish special characters.

And I'm okay with embedding 'special' font sets; that goes without saying...so I didn't say it.

DiapDealer · 03-10-2012, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lister

And I'm okay with embedding 'special' font sets; that goes without saying...so I didn't say it.

I did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

But unless your text contains special characters that can't be displayed with normal fonts, then you should probably let the reader (the device or the user attached to it) decide the body text font that they prefer.

Toxaris · 03-10-2012, 08:58 AM

I sometimes add a small font with only the special characters I need. That results in very small font files. This especially for headers, notes and so.
Usually the problem is getting all the characters without missing one. I still must write a script someday that lists all the characters in a text document...

frostschutz · 03-10-2012, 09:49 AM

Including only the required characters would certainly help a lot with the size of the font. But adapting a font like this is beyond the ability of most people, so if it's not done by the ebook creation tools like Sigil/Calibre, it's simply not done.

But I'd expect most readers to support special characters for European character sets out of the box. Even English books have them sometimes if it's writing names the way they're supposed to be written...

Timur · 03-10-2012, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

Which is fine for all those living in ASCII-land. Don't know if there is any reader with fonts embedded which include polish special characters.

All 6 built-in fonts in Nook STR has support for both Latin Extended-A unicode range and 1250(Latin 2: East Europe). These should cover all polish special characters.

JSWolf · 03-10-2012, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

There are readers that let you use whatever font you like. Just copy the TTF or OTF files to the right folder and you can choose them. But for this, the book file must not use embedded fonts.

Not so. For example, if I have an eBook using Charis SIL as the embedded font and I want to use one of the fonts on the T1, as long as the font name is serif, I can still change the font or go back to the default of Charis SIL. I'm guessing this method also works with other readers that have the option to change the font.

JSWolf · 03-10-2012, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

I sometimes add a small font with only the special characters I need. That results in very small font files. This especially for headers, notes and so.
Usually the problem is getting all the characters without missing one. I still must write a script someday that lists all the characters in a text document...

a script to do subestting would be great.

Freeshadow · 03-11-2012, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

I sometimes add a small font with only the special characters I need. That results in very small font files. This especially for headers, notes and so.
Usually the problem is getting all the characters without missing one. I still must write a script someday that lists all the characters in a text document...

Apart from space saving this could resolve the problem of adding commercial fonts: strip all unnecessary chars from the file makes it useless for everything than the ebook it is used for and the font publisher has no reason to complain about redistribution.

Toxaris · 03-14-2012, 05:05 AM

I have created a Word macro to determine the unique characters in a document. It can be restricted to certain fonts.

Please see other thread.

roger64 · 03-16-2012, 10:27 PM

Hi

I am still using an old PRS-505, so I am not aware of the latest advances in ebook-readers.

But, considering what has been said above, it seems there is a choice to be made by EPUB producers:
- either to create a font-free EPUB (or nearly free) and let the reader choose its own font(s) according to its own tastes and material.
- or to create an EPUB with fonts included, maybe even adding carefully chosen embedded fonts (special characters, and/or smallcaps etc.) to avoid producing a bloated EPUB.

Logically this would lead to two EPUB types. I wonder which side has the majority among current MR ebooks? Naked ones. Clothed ones?

Would it not be wiser to publish EPUBs in two versions? How many people do it here? Is it the way to go?

Freeshadow · 03-16-2012, 11:07 PM

Since the majority here uses West European languages I assume no fonts embedded; they are not really needed and it 'd follow the KISS rule.

Toxaris · 03-17-2012, 01:50 PM

I only do it in special cases. If it is not necessary, I won't do it.

03-16-2012, 10:27 PM	#28
roger64 Wizard Posts: 2,625 Karma: 3120635 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Kindle PW3 (wifi)	Hi I am still using an old PRS-505, so I am not aware of the latest advances in ebook-readers. But, considering what has been said above, it seems there is a choice to be made by EPUB producers: - either to create a font-free EPUB (or nearly free) and let the reader choose its own font(s) according to its own tastes and material. - or to create an EPUB with fonts included, maybe even adding carefully chosen embedded fonts (special characters, and/or smallcaps etc.) to avoid producing a bloated EPUB. Logically this would lead to two EPUB types. I wonder which side has the majority among current MR ebooks? Naked ones. Clothed ones? Would it not be wiser to publish EPUBs in two versions? How many people do it here? Is it the way to go? Last edited by roger64; 03-16-2012 at 10:29 PM.

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03-10-2012, 07:30 AM	#18
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,554 Karma: 19500001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	There are readers that let you use whatever font you like. Just copy the TTF or OTF files to the right folder and you can choose them. But for this, the book file must not use embedded fonts.

03-10-2012, 08:58 AM	#21
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	I sometimes add a small font with only the special characters I need. That results in very small font files. This especially for headers, notes and so. Usually the problem is getting all the characters without missing one. I still must write a script someday that lists all the characters in a text document...

03-10-2012, 09:49 AM	#22
frostschutz Linux User Posts: 2,282 Karma: 6123806 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Device: none	Including only the required characters would certainly help a lot with the size of the font. But adapting a font like this is beyond the ability of most people, so if it's not done by the ebook creation tools like Sigil/Calibre, it's simply not done. But I'd expect most readers to support special characters for European character sets out of the box. Even English books have them sometimes if it's writing names the way they're supposed to be written...

03-14-2012, 05:05 AM	#27
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	I have created a Word macro to determine the unique characters in a document. It can be restricted to certain fonts. Please see other thread.

03-16-2012, 11:07 PM	#29
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,815 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	Since the majority here uses West European languages I assume no fonts embedded; they are not really needed and it 'd follow the KISS rule.

03-17-2012, 01:50 PM	#30
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	I only do it in special cases. If it is not necessary, I won't do it.

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