[Scribus] Linux Font Editor?

[John Jordan]

On 4 Oct 2005, at 10:32, Tobias Hilbricht wrote:

> http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/fonts/tipa/
> 
> and mouse-click on tipa.zip (third line on that page - contains the
> fonts you want see, including a LaTeX-oriented manual, which can give
> you a first impression of the fonts) I can download it without
> password.
> 
> The package contains fonts in formats suitable only for (La)TeX as
> well as in type 1 format (the *.pfb ones) which can be used by other
> applications (for Linux, MacOS, Windows ...) as well. Take the font
> with the size closest to your intended layout size, then scaling is
> best, but you don't have to stick to this.

Thanks for that information. Previously I was trying to download the 
.pfb files, but it kept complaining that my email address was 
incorrect. It was taking the phony e-mail address I put in Firefox. I 
couldn't find any way to log in to the CTAN site. Anyway, the 
tipa.zip file does download without a problem, so now I have the 
fonts.

However, there is still something wrong. I unzipped the file and 
found the .pfb fonts (thanks also for the explanation of the different 
sizes). I double-clicked on tipa10.pfb for starters, expecting Adobe 
Type Manager to pop up a window displaying it. (I am doing this on 
my Windows 2000 computer, on which I have ATM Deluxe 
installed.) ATM said there was a problem displaying the font. So 
then I opened ATM and tried to install the fonts. I browsed to the 
folder containing the .pfb files, but ATM sees the folder as empty. 
In other words, evidently it does not see the .pfb files as real font 
files.

> Creating a new font from scratch even using a graphical font editor is
> a lot of work, the more so when it comes to good hinting. In many
> cases the free solutions already available will suffice, and in most
> other cases I would rather invest in a commercial solution.

I would agree, except that there is only one commercial solution 
woth considering - the fonts from Linguist Software. They advertise 
that these are the fonts that the IPA Association uses to typeset 
their journal. However, the fonts cannot be installed on my 
Windows 2000 computer because they require service pack 3 or 
later and I can't get any service packs past 2 to install. (Thanks, 
Mr. Gates, for making such a fine operating system!) Also, the 
fonts won't work with any software except certain specfied 
programs, none of which I want to use. Scribus is not on the list, 
and even Linux is not mentioned.

Moreover, the LS fonts are $99 and I want something that 
beginning students can use, preferably free or very inexpensive. As 
noted earlier in this thread, I have tried every one available, and all 
have deficiencies of one sort or another. 

The TIPA fonts may well be the solution, however. I looked at the 
PDF files and some of the other information contained in the .zip 
file and the TIPA fonts look very promising.

Now, all I have to do is figure out how to install them. :)