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Hack: A typeface designed for source code

sourcefoundry.org

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Re: Hack: A typeface designed for source code

#121
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people consider that anything but cosmetic.

Well the indented parts will always line up correctly (since all they have before them are spaces or tabs), the only problem is if you use spaces for alignment after you've already typed some text.

the one true argument alignment style™ does not work (well) with variable width fonts:

    retval = select(readFDCount,
                    &readFDs,
                    NULL,
                    NULL,
                    &timeout);
or:

    d = [NSDictionary initWithObjects: objects
                              forKeys: keys
                                count: count];
added

Re: Hack: A typeface designed for source code

#123
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ditto. On linux I fancy terminus though.

I really like Terminus. I started using it last year and I'd be hard-pressed to switch to anything else.

Seconded. Terminus is really amazing. But I've been trying Hack for a change after many years of Terminus and I find it rather pleasing.

Re: Hack: A typeface designed for source code

#124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well the indented parts will always line up correctly (since all they have before them are spaces or tabs), the only problem is if you use spaces for alignment after you've already typed some text.

the one true argument alignment style™ does not work (well ) with variable width fonts: retval = select(readFDCount, &readFDs, NULL, NULL, &timeout); or: d = [NSDictionary initWithObjects: objects forKeys: keys count: count]; added

The first would be easy to simulate semantically, treating the leading whitespace as a flexible tab stop and thus replacing all the leading spaces with a space of the appropriate width (basically, the editor would replace the leading spaces with `retval = select(` with opacity 0).

The second would be more difficult to handle, but so long as you know what to look for to indicate the style is being done it could be handled perfectly intelligently. It’s not the simplest thing, but it’s perfectly feasible.

Basically, variable width fonts can become fine so long as you also have semantic understanding of what is being achieved with whitespace. The use of monospace fonts is a cop-out, pure laziness. [Yes, I am deliberately stating this more strongly than I believe. It’s an understandable laziness, as the problem is hard and the industry and tooling all backs monospace, but it is laziness.]

Re: Hack: A typeface designed for source code

#125
post #79

I've been using Proggy Tiny for literally over a decade, I wonder if there's any font that can beat it for me. Does anyone know of an easy way to compare two typefaces and see how they look when rendering source code?

As mentioned earlier in the thread: http://s9w.github.io/font_compare/

Re: Hack: A typeface designed for source code

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

+1 That's a strange feeling, huh? It's similar to how we always want more (money, vacation, etc.) in life, but when we get there we just want more again. I've had the thought about Consolas many times; "Why do I keep looking for a new one when I like Consolas?". I think the answer is that we always seek novelty, because that drives evolution.

A change in environment boosts productivity, doesn't it? I read somewhere, maybe in Peopleware, that in a lighting study, they found any change (brighter, darker) to a workplace imported productivity. The idea being that it was just the change, not really mattering what was changed. Perhaps it reflects poorly on me, but I love novelty. Different places, new software, new languages (or improved features) - it's great.…

What language would you say has elegance? I'm thinking about learning a new language.

Re: Hack: A typeface designed for source code

#128
post #13

I desperately want to find a new code font to love but I always return to Consolas.

For a complete change of style it might be worth having a look at fonts designed assisting those with dyslexia. Designed for uniqueness of glyphs and for minimising eye strain. https://gumroad.com/l/OpenDyslexic# http://dyslite.com/home/download/dyslite-mono-dyslexic/ I've used them for several years ( even though I'm not dyslexic ) and now find 'normal' terminal fonts to be extremely harsh on the eye. Probably the b…

Despite having a different proposition and use-case, FE-Schrift seems have ended up with a similar yet much more aesthetically pleasing outcome. It doesn't have lower-case, which is a deal breaker for programming at least though.

Re: Hack: A typeface designed for source code

#130
post #73

I'm slightly surprised that almost nobody here uses Menlo or Monaco, even though several screenshots in the thread are clearly made on OS X. I'm curious why that's the case. Do people generally dislike the system-provided fonts or are the alternatives considered "better"?

I've been using Monaco for Powerline for quite a long while now. The main issue is that most of the builtin proportionally-spaced fonts have some glyphs which are difficult to distinguish. Monaco gets the job done but other people prefer slightly different glyph styles or want to make their own fonts, more power to them.
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