Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

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hto
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Post by hto »

Unfortunately, the devs didn't reach a decision about a Japanese font. Here is the IRC discussion.
Ideas welcome.
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Black_Fox
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Re: Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

Post by Black_Fox »

1) include the smallest possible (in kB) font in trunk for Japanese users to be at least *able* to use the system and not to increase bandwidth much
2) use sf or ftp for quality font and add it only into releases
3) argue without result

Ideas are clearly visible from log and this topic, it's just that someone will have to step back and get used to idea he doesn't like.
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Re: Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

Post by EmuandCo »

IMO its a core component to include a Japanese Font into a OS which supports multiple Languages. Even in trunk cds to let testers decide what font they will use for testing.
ReactOS is still in alpha stage, meaning it is not feature-complete and is recommended only for evaluation and testing purposes.

If my post/reply offends or insults you, be sure that you know what sarcasm is...
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Re: Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

Post by Black_Fox »

Well, the fonts could be saved to svn.reactos.org (or where was the mozilla activex always downloaded from) and from there everyone interested could download them into modules folder. :?:
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Re: Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

Post by vicmarcal »

Or added as a Link in the Downloader,since now the Downloader is included in all the revisions.
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Re: Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

Post by GoBusto »

EmuandCo wrote:IMO its a core component to include a Japanese Font into a OS which supports multiple Languages. Even in trunk cds to let testers decide what font they will use for testing.
I second this. A Japanese font is required for Japanese users just as an English font is required for English users. New functionality requires more space and it would be unfair to penalise potential users simply because they speak the "wrong" language.

In order to keep the ISO size small, perhaps trunk builds could include just one CJK font and stable releases could include several, just as stable releases have extra wallpapers, etc.
hto
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Post by hto »

In order to keep the ISO size small, perhaps trunk builds could include just one CJK font and stable releases could include several […]
That minimal unified Chinese–Japanese–Korean font should have the same metrics as these regular fonts.

Afrer adding a CJK font, people will begin to ask to include other fonts; I already was asked some time ago about a Thai font. Though these are smaller then CJK, the sum can become large…
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Re: Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

Post by GoBusto »

Another possibility would be for a third party to automatically build a modified version of the trunk ISO files using their own bandwidth and server space, perhaps once a day. Result: No changes needed on reactos.org and non-english users will have a comparatively up-to-date trunk build to play with.

As much as I'd like to do this personally, I currently lack the resources.

Also, do stable builds include extra fonts, meaning that it's only trunk builds that have this problem?
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Re: Why don't we add a Japanese font to ReactOS?

Post by Lone_Rifle »

GoBusto wrote:
EmuandCo wrote:IMO its a core component to include a Japanese Font into a OS which supports multiple Languages. Even in trunk cds to let testers decide what font they will use for testing.
I second this. A Japanese font is required for Japanese users just as an English font is required for English users. New functionality requires more space and it would be unfair to penalise potential users simply because they speak the "wrong" language.
The main problem is that our bug reports need to be filed in English anyway. Provision of native languages for testers is almost moot because they need to command a reasonable level of English in order to be understood by the developers.

The provision of such fonts would then only be needed if the testers are testing applications which use such fonts. Given that the devs are up to their necks in fixing ROS up, perhaps deliberately having the language barrier may be one way of regulating their work load, at least until bandwidth and storage become cheap enough to justify having the font.

Stable builds do include the fonts, or at least, that is the consensus amongst the devs.
hto
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Post by hto »

By the way, have somebody ever looked at a bitmap Japanese font which is now included in ReactOS? ;) Does it look nice or terrible? :)
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Re:

Post by sabiki »

hto wrote:By the way, have somebody ever looked at a bitmap Japanese font which is now included in ReactOS? ;) Does it look nice or terrible? :)
Frankly it is difficult to read.
I think we should use another font such as Misaki.
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Post by hto »

sabiki wrote:Frankly it is difficult to read.
No wonder — it's the second font which I've ever drawn, and the first Japanese one. :)
I think we should use another font such as Misaki.
Well, a file with Misaki font is uploaded here. Could you please try it (in an emulator and on real hardware, if possible)? For me, it is difficult to read, because it looks dark.
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Re:

Post by sabiki »

hto wrote:Well, a file with Misaki font is uploaded here. Could you please try it (in an emulator and on real hardware, if possible)? For me, it is difficult to read, because it looks dark.
I tried it.
Certainly, it looks dark a little. However, I think it improved than before.
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Post by hto »

Ok, first I will try to fix an encoding bug (kana is used instead of drawing characters), then will replace a font.

P.S.: Font replaced, but bug is not fixed.
hto
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Post by hto »

How about Droid Sans Fallback font? It has Japanese, Chinese, and Korean glyphs, and (IMVHO) looks better then Systema font. Some screenshots:

Japanese: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Chinese: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

Korean: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
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