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Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

servermono.com

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Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#61

Post by zerocrates »

deathanatos wrote: post #18

So, if you're going to demonstrate the box drawing characters — and in a monospaced font, I would — they should line up? E.g., under "lines", the rows are overlapping; https://i.imgur.com/KnOP2Wu.png ; I would think they're only supposed to just touch, with no gap, no overlap. The boxes, similarly, don't quite line up right. https://i.imgur.com/6pVYh9a.png (Even the 100% box isn't lining up right, although somehow wh…

To me the "art" blocks look like converted stills from a movie or TV show, or from existing artwork: two figures facing each other in the first, three figures in the second, a... galloping horse with a cloaked rider in the third? But I could be completely wrong on all of that.

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#62

Post by 7bit »

bobbylarrybobby wrote: post #53
worewood wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Number One, Pipe Character, lower case L, upper case I, zero and O, Parentheses and Brackets, are so common pain points on coding and terminal fonts. Those should be painfully distinct.

I've never understood why the lowercase l and 1 so often look the same in monospace fonts. It's not like anyone actually writes an l like that — why not just a small bottom right hook? And maybe a top left hook as well? But a whole base is insanity.

> It's not like anyone actually writes an l like that

Excuse me?!

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#63

Post by bowsamic »

GlacierFox wrote: post #44
eddyg wrote: post #34

I’ll just mention Berkeley Graphics and the excellent Berkeley Mono. https://berkeleygraphics.com/typefaces/berkeley-mono/

$75? Haha Holy s...

Fonts are gear acquisition syndrome for software developers

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#64

Post by geocar »

geo255 wrote: post #54
bobbylarrybobby wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never understood why the lowercase l and 1 so often look the same in monospace fonts. It's not like anyone actually writes an l like that — why not just a small bottom right hook? And maybe a top left hook as well? But a whole base is insanity.

My first typewriter didn't have a "1" key. You were supposed to type lowercase L when you needed a "1". Underwood 255: https://typewriterdatabase.com/img/gunderwood%20_10166_15186...

Because of the positioning you can press "l" then backspace then "." and get a serif on the bottom which makes it look a little-more one-like.

Similarly you get a "!" by doing "'" backspace "."

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#65

Post by rob74 »

DidYaWipe wrote: post #32
worewood wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Number One, Pipe Character, lower case L, upper case I, zero and O, Parentheses and Brackets, are so common pain points on coding and terminal fonts. Those should be painfully distinct.

The first thing I look at on ANY font is the capital "i." No crossbars? No dice. This one has those and a distinguishable zero vs. O, so far so good. Whoops; someone pointed out that 1 and l are indistinguishable. That's a major failing.

Maybe that's what they meant by "inspired by typewriters" (on many typewriters there was no 1, you had to use lowercase L)? But I agree that this is not a "feature" you want to have in a font that you use in terminals and/or for programming.

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#66

Post by irundebian »

fsckboy wrote: post #33
irundebian wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That are really old typewriters.

not really, in the sense that it would be a really old typewriter, there aren't any new typewriters. I'm not super old, and typewriters I used in high school did not have a one. Nobody had an IBM Selectric at home. BTW on the same subject of fonts, you want to be able to distinguish between 1, l, and I which are not always distinguishable.

I just googled for some typewriter pictures and only really old typewriters didn't have a "1".

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#68

Post by unnah »

ecjhdnc2025 wrote: post #21
lycos wrote: post #13

I can't put my finger on it but I don't find this enjoyable to read at all.. so I don't know much about readability claims here. Maybe I'm an outlier.

The line spacing is way too tight (this is line-spacing: 1). Obviously that is beneficial for ASCII-art (smaller vertical gaps), but plain text would benefit from at least 1.1 and maybe 1.2. I am not a typographer but the cap height of this font (I think it's the cap height) appears quite large, when perhaps it would be better to have a slightly smaller cap height so the ASCII-art features would work well at line-hei…

The line spacing on the site reminds me of 8-bit computers with 8x8 pixel character cells. For example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpeedScript#/media/File:Speeds...

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#69

Post by jen729w »

GlacierFox wrote: post #44
eddyg wrote: post #34

I’ll just mention Berkeley Graphics and the excellent Berkeley Mono. https://berkeleygraphics.com/typefaces/berkeley-mono/

$75? Haha Holy s...

I presume you’re indicating what an outstanding bargain this is?

For something you look at the entire day? Every day? Seventy five bucks, once?

I have the full licence as I use this typeface professionally. It’s the best money I’ve ever spent.

Re: Server Mono: A Typeface Inspired by Typewriters, Apple's SF Mono, and CLIs

#70

Post by grose »

eddyg wrote: post #48
GlacierFox wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

$75? Haha Holy s...

I also highly recommend PragmataPro⁽¹⁾ if you prefer more characters per line. It’s €199 for the complete typeface, but well worth it for something you interact with for many hours per day, every day. More than 9000 characters have been hand-optimized from 9pt to 48pt to guarantee the best possible readability. (You can start off with the “Essentials” variant for only €19, which is definitely a bargain!) ⁽¹⁾ https://…

Goes on sale every year during Black Friday. 100% worth it even without the discount. Love Berkley Mono too.

Iosevka (https://typeof.net/Iosevka/) is a good free alternative that I like to use for online IDEs/REPLs and such. (Berkley Mono's contract forbids this kind of usage, which I understand, but I wish I could use it more!)

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