🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1026@mrsvr.UUCP>, hallett@pet3.uucp (Jeff Hallett x5163	)
writes:
> I would like to see an application released by someone that
> is REAL cheap (< $50) that has the ability to read in existing bitmap
> fonts and provide a method for an average user to do some simple
> autotracing and editing to generate outline fonts from their existing
> bitmap fonts.  The application should also provide an easy way for the
> user to generate "hint" files for tweaking the font at various weird
> sizes. 
> 
> This must include support for the new layout manager and making
> context-sensitive fonts as well.
> 
> Howzat for a real Santa-come-soon?
> 

Two problems: price and "average user."  Aside from that, it's a great
idea, and will most certainly happen.

Just drawing good-looking letterforms in the first place is hard, though.
Adding grid-fitting hints can take at least as long, and takes a lot of
practice. I think that the Apple format will open up the font-design software
market (giving Fontographer some well-deserved competition), but it won't make
it "easy" to produce good fonts any more than PostScript makes it "easy" to
produce good pages, or power steering makes it easy to be a good driver...

--
Amanda Walker
amanda@intercon.com