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Old 09-17-2003, 03:38 AM   #31
Maceo
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ST0rmD, it's interesting that WordSmith has good sub pixel font rendering - leaves me hoping for that technique in an upcoming version of iSilo .

Given that the T2s/TTs screens are quite different: Has anyone used Wordsmith subpixel rendering on the TT?

I think that legibility also has a lot to do with usage context: I ususally read the most on trains and buses, and I think that a larger size an heavier stroke widths (e.g. medium absolute with the standard palm font, 2 pixel stroke widths) is essential there. Character outllines are blurred, as you cannot hold the device completely steady.

I also use auto-scrolling a lot, and I have the feeling that sans-serifs work better with aouto-scrolling - not that I have a scientific explanation for that, though...

Feature idea: give users the opportunity to switch from stationary (small fonts, normal GUI) to mobile mode (large fonts, large finger-GUI) using a shortcut command.
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Old 09-17-2003, 09:18 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally posted by Maceo
I think that legibility also has a lot to do with usage context: I ususally read the most on trains and buses, and I think that a larger size an heavier stroke widths (e.g. medium absolute with the standard palm font, 2 pixel stroke widths) is essential there. Character outllines are blurred, as you cannot hold the device completely steady.

I also use auto-scrolling a lot, and I have the feeling that sans-serifs work better with aouto-scrolling - not that I have a scientific explanation for that, though...
hmm, you're probably right about usage context. I do most of my reading either on my couch or in bed before I go to sleep, and I tend to page with the nav-buttons rather than use auto-scroll.

As far as your scientific explanation goes, it's a simple matter of how much there is to render on the screen, I think. I've noticed auto-scroll takes a performance hit when using any non-system font, or at small font sizes (more text on screen to render), making it rather jumpy, which is one of the reasons I don't much use it.
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Old 11-24-2004, 11:39 AM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maceo
I think sub-pixel rendering is quite different from anti-aliasing. Unfortunately, you cannot show the effects on a CRT screen, where both techniques look similar (yes, I find this kinda confusing, too
Subpixel rendering would be a big nuisance to implement on PDAs given rotatable or flippable screens. One would need to have pre-generated bitmaps of fonts for all four possible orientations, or else have a truetype renderer on the PDA.

Mobipocket has subpixel fonts but doesn't check for Clie NX flip status. This means that on a Clie NX, in one flip position you get a display that's better than grayscale antialiasing and in another you get a display that's worse than grayscale antialiasing.

Grayscale antialiasing doesn't have any of these problems, and doesn't also have the problem that subpixel rendering might infringe on Microsoft patents. It doesn't look quite as good perhaps (though if one doesn't like the slight colored fringes that ClearType puts up, one will dispute this) but it is a lot easier to implement. And it does look good--see Plucker 1.8.
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Old 11-24-2004, 11:40 AM   #34
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The free Bitstream Vera family is another option. I hand-tuned a bunch of Vera fonts (only in the ASCII range) and included them as "Alethe" in my Font Collector 1.29 (www.zlthemes.com/Programs.php). They're actually included as a FontSilo package, so you can use them straight out of the box (for free).
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Old 11-25-2004, 11:38 PM   #35
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Thank you for the tip on the Vera family, this is indeed a very legible font!

Pruss, didn't you recently write a program that allows one to convert one font type to the other? I'd love if you could tell us more about it.
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Old 11-27-2004, 01:04 PM   #36
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Yes, Font Collector (www.zlthemes.com/Programs.php) will convert from: Fonts4OS5, FontSubst, iSilo, Plucker (non-aa), PalmBible+ (non-aa), VersaMail, Fonthack123, FontHackV, fonts-built-in-apps (any apps!) and built-in OS fonts, to: Fonts4OS5, FontsSubst, iSilo, Plucker, Palmbible+, Fonthack123 (including eReader) and Mobipocket. Conversion to iSilo, Plucker and PalmBIble+ is completely free. Otherwise, shareware $5 (or you can endure the converted font having a dot over every 's' character!)

Conversion from Fonts4OS5 or FontSubst to a different format is only supported for registered Fonts4OS5 or FontSubst users (respectively).

Allows vertical size decrease. (Make the fonts tighter vertically.)

Works on OS 3.5 and up, except for conversion to Fonts4OS5, FontSubst and FontHackV which requires OS 5 just like these programs do. (Conversion FROM Fonts4OS5 should work on OS 3.5 (untested so far), as long as you install (but do not run, since you can't run it) a registered copy of Fonts4OS5 in RAM.)

Supports Hi-Res+ and the like on every extended display I know of. (Sony VG, Handera VG, Palm DIA, Tapwave, Dana Alphasmart.) (Exception: Sony OS4 units have a lo-res font adjustment display, though everything else is hi-res. Sorry--I don't know a way around that right now.)

Last edited by pruss; 11-27-2004 at 08:35 PM.
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Old 11-27-2004, 08:36 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Morpheus
Thank you for the tip on the Vera family, this is indeed a very legible font!
Vera serif bold in medium to small point sizes looks nice. It behaves like a "Bible" font, i.e., small ascenders and descenders, wide characters, for balancing legibility and space efficiency.
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Old 01-07-2005, 04:32 PM   #38
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I'm puzzled -- just started using iSiloX so I can read the books from Baen Free Library; figured out, I think, how to do that.

Sony Clie, OS 4.1 -- I found Fonts4OS4, have the demo, but don't see how to use it. (It shows the Normal font as the only one installed, shows pictures of the others but not how to install them) -- I think, but am not sure, that Fonts4OS5 is NOT going to work on my OS 4.1 Clie? And similarly not sure if FontCollector will do anything with the OS 4.1 Clie?
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Old 01-18-2005, 04:11 PM   #39
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FontCollector will do SOME things with the OS 4.1 Clie. What do you want to do?
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Old 01-25-2005, 04:59 PM   #40
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OK, here's the current status -- I'm trying to simplify! and end up with most readable choices including both very large (useful for reading one-handed standing on a swaying subway train) and fairly small (in a tent snow camping when even PageDown is a slow operation due to cold, but it's several hours more of darkness than I can sleep!)

I have on my Clie SJ30 a lot of readers, mostly adding one each time I find a document I can't read without it; some added to try more readable screens or more useful find/replace choices (or sometimes because I needed a small simple reader).
Shareware always registered and latest versions.

I'm just starting to figure out how to set up subdirectories on the Memory Stick so I can keep this stuff separated -- have to learn or set names that each application will accept, for those that will refer to the MS at all.

MobiPocket
Deep Reader
MissingSync Memo Pad
Palm Reader
WordSmith
SmartDoc
QuickWord
PenDoc
Plucker
BDicty
NoahPro


And these various font tools:

FontBucket
Quik Font Manager (for Blue Nomad/WordSmith)
FontCollector
Fonts4OS4
ThinFont (fixes Sony thinnest font which is unreadably thin)

Right now, looking at FontCollector, after I've moved all my optional fonts to the MemoryStick to get them out of the way, is showing me only
LatinLocaleModule Loc 1,2,3,4
LatonLocModuleD Sony 1,2,3,4

That's having checked
Hide Application Fonts
Do Not Look in Application Overlays
Hide generated fonts
Hide Fonts4OS5 Fonts
but not checked
Prefer Low Resolution Component

When I use the other options to see what's there:

Application fonts now are:
DeepReader
Palm Reader 1 and 2

No fonts available from Application Overlays
No Fonts4OS5 fonts.

When I use Filez for filetype "font" or "FONT" I have nothing showing.

So I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to simplify all this! Some of these I will move to another PDA (180x180 monochrome) that I use for keeping lists and memos when I don't want to change out of a reader on the Clie, and keep only what's most useful on the Clie (high res).
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Old 01-25-2005, 09:09 PM   #41
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Wow that is alot of text
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Old 01-31-2005, 12:09 AM   #42
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from a lot of years

Yep. Some of those files started on 8" floppies -- CP/M-86, WordStar 3.1 and dBase. Plant lists for example -- once hand typed, now on the PDA I carry in the field (steep areas where balancing with notebooks is a hassle). I note what's growing where now, two forest fires and three decades after I first visited the location.

It's a lot of text, and a lot of years. And that's why I need better fonts!
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Old 09-05-2005, 05:46 AM   #43
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Still wondering what more readable fonts I can use on the Clie SJ30.
Maybe there really is not enough resolution for serious text reading in anything but the few default fonts -- or else since I have Mac but not Windows, I just don't have access to the fonts for conversion.

If they're pre-prepared for direct install to the Clie anywhere, pointer appreciated.
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Old 09-06-2005, 09:46 AM   #44
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That's bad you cannot access Windows for converting your fonts to iSilo format (with iSiloX). Perhaps you have a friend whose Windows machine you could access for a bit? Otherwise I recomment you to switch to a VGA Pocket PC, especially if you have so much reading material. They have wonderful screens and you can use any truetype font by simply copying them to your handheld (no conversion needed).
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Old 09-06-2005, 10:27 AM   #45
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Do I have, already, some fonts I could convert, by just using Windows temporarily? Do you mean the conversion software only runs under Windows?

I understand I have to own a copy of Windows, to legally convert Windows fonts -- and I don't own a copy -- "borrowing" isn't.

No, changing platforms isn't worth the hassle.
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