We should have a fonts forum

[Big Frank]

Look at the gorgeous fonts (free) on here:

http://www.fontspace.com/category/paint

[wizard509]

So what do you propose Frank?
Links to free font downloads, or links to specific fonts free or otherwise? I suppose we could post a pic of a particular font along with it's link.

[Big Frank]

It could be a place to

a) showcase and post links to fonts, free or otherwise
b) ask questions about / identify / post equivalents for a particular font
c) discuss typographically-oriented questions
d) delve into the mystical world of kerning
e) talk about font creation

Just a thought...

Over time people have posted links to some fantastic font resources, but those posts are lost in the mists of time (and many of the links may well of course be dead). The site search engine is pretty rubbish, so people are unlikely to spend hours searching through reams of irrelevant results. I would prefer people search this forum than go to Google, but Google is your friend, the TG search engine isn't.

[iamtheblues]

[QUOTE=beretgascon;429485]...the mystical world of kerning...


Kerning and indeed tracking and leading are not really that recondite a subject.
Kerning allows the adjustment of the spacing between 2 neighbouring characters, especially those that do not have vertical lines, for example 7 W, which often have a gap between them far greater that between upright characters such as N E, which is different depending which font is used.
Those of you who use Illustrator will recognise this screenshot from the font panel.
You will notice that they use the AV example in their icons for kerning and tracking.
By the by, it wrankles somewhat that Designer uses the terms tracking and kerning, but does not maintain this accuracy by refering to line spacing rather than the correct term - leading.
By the way, Frank, I think that the subject of fonts and other matters typographical warrants a forum of its own, being at least as relevant as 3D, for example.
Bob.

[Big Frank]

By the by, it wrankles somewhat that Designer uses the terms tracking and kerning, but does not maintain this accuracy by refering to line spacing rather than the correct term - leading.

Agreed

By the way, Frank, I think that the subject of fonts and other matters typographical warrants a forum of its own, being at least as relevant as 3D, for example.

Agreed

Go Bob!

[angelize]

Just a bit of history for you about the term leading this is an old term that goes back to printing presses that used lead type. Perhaps Xara have decided that line spacing which is what it really is, gives a more modern term to the feature?

I like the idea of a font forum, but I think we will have to wait.

[wizard509]

I like the term line spacing, it's descriptive and understandable to the layman I think. Frances I agree that we have to wait but why, all we need is for admim to set it up and a moderator. Frank are you volunteering for the job?

[iamtheblues]

The red version of the letter f has been repeated and after hitting the carriage return key, it lands directly beneath the original (see attached). In this instance, have I created two lines of text? I think not. So, if you examine the blue version, have I altered the leading or the line spacing compared to that of the red version? Given that a single letter can hardly constitute a line of text, then I must have altered the leading between the two characters.

All that Xara has done is to muddy the waters by increasing the confusion about the terms leading, kerning and tracking by introducing a new term. Also because of this, a link with the etymology of the printing world has been severed and in time the terms applied to how type is manipulated by referring to how it was done since the invention of the printing press will become quite meaningless. I appreciate that we have more or less said goodbye to the physical lead slugs that were used to accomplish what Xara refers to as “line spacing” but at least Adobe and Quark Express have kept that link with printing heritage.
Bob.
ps; Also, I don't like the way that the TG forum treats new paragraphs, I typed an indent at the beginning of the two paragraphs here, but they don't show for some reason. So I have resorted to a line space

[feelgood682]

from where we can get this.....

[iamtheblues]

@feelgood682. If posting meaningless comments at random on the forum is your idea of a good time then you must be a sad little oik.
Bob.