Comments on: The Typography of Code http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/ design and programming hybridized Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:44:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Michael http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1941 Michael Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:47:56 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1941 So far in this article and the comments, it's all opinion. Have any scientific tests been performed? When I was developed computerized typesetting systems decades ago, I remember reading that despite the fact that most people say they prefer sans serif type, the tests show that comprehension goes up with serif fonts. The fact that proportional type is more readable has been known for a long time. That's why publishers used the very difficult method of hot lead typesetting in the days prior to computerized typesetting. My other questions: 1. What is the set of maximally distinct colors for syntax coloring? 2. Are there any compilers out there (or add-ons to compilers) that can compile proportional type and/or rich text? 3. What do others think of commenting code in complete grammatical English (or German) sentences? So far in this article and the comments, it’s all opinion.
Have any scientific tests been performed?

When I was developed computerized typesetting systems decades ago, I remember reading that despite the fact that most people say they prefer sans serif type, the tests show that comprehension goes up with serif fonts.

The fact that proportional type is more readable has been known for a long time. That’s why publishers used the very difficult method of hot lead typesetting in the days prior to computerized typesetting.

My other questions:
1. What is the set of maximally distinct colors for syntax coloring?
2. Are there any compilers out there (or add-ons to compilers) that can compile proportional type and/or rich text?
3. What do others think of commenting code in complete grammatical English (or German) sentences?

]]> By: Paul Kishimoto http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1918 Paul Kishimoto Fri, 30 May 2008 13:57:04 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1918 Hi — I wound up here via Smashing Magazine. Red Hat recently released a set of fonts called Liberation, downloadable at: https://www.redhat.com/promo/fonts/ Like Consolas, the fonts are from Ascender Corp. (Liberation Mono is based on Ascender Uni Duo and Ascender Sans), but they're completely free, and Windows versions are available. Hi — I wound up here via Smashing Magazine.

Red Hat recently released a set of fonts called Liberation, downloadable at:
https://www.redhat.com/promo/fonts/

Like Consolas, the fonts are from Ascender Corp. (Liberation Mono is based on Ascender Uni Duo and Ascender Sans), but they’re completely free, and Windows versions are available.

]]> By: Incoherent Babbling » Blog Archive » Operating System Preperation http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1791 Incoherent Babbling » Blog Archive » Operating System Preperation Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:23:04 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1791 [...] post I stumbled across, The Typography of Code by Hamish Macpherson, resulted in an additional step into prepping a new computer for readiness. [...] […] post I stumbled across, The Typography of Code by Hamish Macpherson, resulted in an additional step into prepping a new computer for readiness. […]

]]> By: Professionelle Fonts zum kostenlosen Download | Allgemeines | Dr. Web Weblog http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1781 Professionelle Fonts zum kostenlosen Download | Allgemeines | Dr. Web Weblog Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:57:49 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1781 [...] Quelle: Hamish Macpherson [...] […] Quelle: Hamish Macpherson […]

]]> By: Fuentes tipográficas para escribir código « el50 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1318 Fuentes tipográficas para escribir código « el50 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:30:32 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1318 [...] de alguna alternativa, hasta que finalmente llegue al estupendo y perfecto artículo de “The Typography of Code” por the hamstu vía i love [...] […] de alguna alternativa, hasta que finalmente llegue al estupendo y perfecto artículo de “The Typography of Code” por the hamstu vía i love […]

]]> By: inspirationbit http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1272 inspirationbit Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:29:59 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1272 who said that programming is not an art - just looks at this post ;-) I myself prefer using Monaco for my code. who said that programming is not an art - just looks at this post ;-)

I myself prefer using Monaco for my code.

]]> By: Gunnar Andreassen http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1232 Gunnar Andreassen Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:30:16 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1232 Isnt Courier the mostly used font? Isnt Courier the mostly used font?

]]> By: The Typography Of Code « memoirs on a rainy day http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1209 The Typography Of Code « memoirs on a rainy day Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:32:26 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1209 [...] The Typography Of Code Published February 10, 2008 asides , design Tags: asides, code, design, Hamstu, typography The typography of code by Hamstu. [...] […] The Typography Of Code Published February 10, 2008 asides , design Tags: asides, code, design, Hamstu, typography The typography of code by Hamstu. […]

]]> By: Бесплатные Шрифты Месяца http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1189 Бесплатные Шрифты Месяца Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:31:42 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1189 [...] The Typography of Code Очень четкий моно раздельный шрифт, который был первоначально распределен как часть Internet Explorer 4.0 [...] […] The Typography of Code Очень четкий моно раздельный шрифт, который был первоначально распределен как часть Internet Explorer 4.0 […]

]]> By: Mike Dimmick http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1188 Mike Dimmick Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:15:31 +0000 http://blog.hamstu.com/2008/02/03/the-typography-of-code/#comment-1188 I really detest Courier New. I think it's just too wide - too few characters per inch, making you scan further across the screen to reach understanding. There's a reason paperback book pages are only a few inches from left to right margins - there's an optimal line length for reading. A more dense font, horizontally, makes more efficient use of the space available. Forget lines of code which are longer than a screen width, so you have to scroll. Lines of code that are longer than six inches on-screen, from left indent to end-of-line, are uncomfortable to read. Anyway, I use Consolas, and if you have Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft have a download of Consolas for you at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=22e69ae4-7e40-4807-8a86-b3d36fab68d3&displaylang=en. If you have Windows Vista or Office 2007, you already have it. I'm using Consolas right now to type into this edit box. You can change your default fonts in IE, through Tools/Internet Options, then click Fonts on the General tab and select the fonts you want to use. I use Calibri as my default web page font (which appears whenever the page author hasn't specified a font), and Consolas as the "plain text" font. I really detest Courier New. I think it’s just too wide - too few characters per inch, making you scan further across the screen to reach understanding. There’s a reason paperback book pages are only a few inches from left to right margins - there’s an optimal line length for reading. A more dense font, horizontally, makes more efficient use of the space available.

Forget lines of code which are longer than a screen width, so you have to scroll. Lines of code that are longer than six inches on-screen, from left indent to end-of-line, are uncomfortable to read.

Anyway, I use Consolas, and if you have Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft have a download of Consolas for you at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=22e69ae4-7e40-4807-8a86-b3d36fab68d3&displaylang=en. If you have Windows Vista or Office 2007, you already have it.

I’m using Consolas right now to type into this edit box. You can change your default fonts in IE, through Tools/Internet Options, then click Fonts on the General tab and select the fonts you want to use. I use Calibri as my default web page font (which appears whenever the page author hasn’t specified a font), and Consolas as the “plain text” font.

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