Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu!hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu
From: hmarvel@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Howard P. Marvel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Fonts and HyperCard
Keywords: font, licensing
Message-ID: <4513@nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 7 Sep 90 19:18:31 GMT
Sender: news@nisca.ircc.ohio-state.edu
Organization: The Ohio State University (IRCC)
Lines: 51


I have a series of stacks that I intend to distribute commercially.
I've used helvetica and new century schlbk for display and running
text, respectively.  Can anyone offer advice on whether I should
include the fonts in my distributed version and, if so, how one goes
about licensing fonts?  I assume I need to ship the fonts since I
cannot assume that all Apple owners have them installed.  If you have
an alternative suggestion, perhaps another font, the substitute font
must have virtually the exact character spacing since I have painted
in a number of subscripts and special characters.

Has anyone licensed screen fonts from Adobe?  Apple does NOT license
these fonts, even though it ships them.  Could a kind soul send me an
address for an appropriate Adobe contact?

Two unrelated matters.
1.  I am informed that Egghead stocks ConvertIt, and that it is
verrrry slow.  Mac Connection does not have it.
2.  My local bookstore now has three Bantam books on HyperCard 2.0.  I
did not buy the new Goodman, not wishing to be twice burned.  I have
Cooking with HyperTalk by Winkler and Knaster and I just got HyperTalk
2.0: The Book, by Winkler and Kamins.  The latter looks like it will
be the reference of choice for HyperTalk, replacing the HyperTalk
Script Language Reference Guide.  The book shows signs of its hasty
preparation, but also appears both lively and comprehensive. It shares
the Goodman tendency to bloat the discussion, witness:

p. 12: "Each message has a target - the object on the message passing
path that the message goes to first" and so on for a paragraph
p. 18: "Every message has a target - the object that gets the first
chance to respond to the message." and another paragraph.
The same thing is repeated on p. 86, but that's ok since the latter
treatment appears in a very good reference section.  The index lists
entries for target on pages 18 and 86, but not 12.

More evidence on haste appears on p. 13 - the first full paragraph
contains a sentence fragment, sentences beginning with But and So,
neither of which is appropriate, and a typo (or a long message).
These would be easier to overlook if the beast cost less than $29.95.
There are a few other disappointments.  The book is supposed to be for
"techies" as well as intermediate scripters, but important information
is still missing, as in the discussion of "palette navigator" where
the book punts.  It would be really nice if one could somehow get to
be a registered reader and obtain appropriate updates.

Despite this carping, it appears that HyperTalk 2.0 is The Book to
buy.  If you want to convince yourself of this, pick up a copy in the
bookstore, turn to the Target discussion on p. 86, and ask yourself if
you would have known the information there.  Try the same for pages
127 and 332.  Unless your name is Jeanne DeVoto, I suspect that the
answer will be no.