Category Archives: typography

mathematics presents specific problems to the typographer

New Year thoughts

Posted on 02/01/2016 by Peter Cameron

It was with some relief that I saw that this year WordPress have not sent a summary of the year just past. So I was able to look at the statistics and make my own judgement. Numbers of visitors and … Continue reading →

Posted in the Web, typography | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Hermann Zapf

Posted on 11/06/2015 by Peter Cameron

I learned from today’s Guardian that the type designer Hermann Zapf died last week at the age of 96. The journalist focussed his article on Zapf’s revolutionary Dingbats font, but for me and other TeX users, his great contribution was … Continue reading →

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Generation, t-designs and other mathematical notation

Posted on 26/03/2014 by Peter Cameron

Donald Knuth, a mathematician (his adviser was Marshall Hall, his thesis on algebraic structures related to projective planes) turned computer scientist, became dissatisfied with typesetting while producing his multi-volume The Art of Computer Programming. So he took time off to … Continue reading →

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A new look

Posted on 19/11/2012 by Peter Cameron

I’ve known for a long time that it is a bit hypocritical to run a blog which (among other things) grumbles about the ubiquity of sans-serif fonts, when the default body text font is sans-serif. So finally I have got … Continue reading →

Posted in typography | Tagged | 7 Comments

Knuth on typesetting

Posted on 01/11/2012 by Peter Cameron

Social media is ephemeral; mathematics has a surprising permanence. Where does that leave mathematics blogs? Looking at the viewing statistics, it is clear that some of my posts really are ephemeral: a post on my summer holiday has had just … Continue reading →

Posted in typography | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Mathematical typesetting (yet again)

Posted on 05/01/2011 by Peter Cameron

I don’t apologise for revisiting one of my pet topics. This was partly inspired by reading Simon Garfield’s book Just my type over the holidays. About the only generally accepted principle in typography is People read most efficiently what they … Continue reading →

Posted in typography | 15 Comments

A puzzle

Posted on 29/11/2010 by Peter Cameron

Can anyone suggest an improper use for this object (or even a proper use)? By the way, look closely at the typography: it is a bit difficult to see, but the pound sign is italic, while the rest of the … Continue reading →

Posted in typography | 8 Comments

Oops

Posted on 08/10/2010 by Peter Cameron

Yesterday’s papers reported on a letter to Nature showing a negative correlation between global temperatures and the Sun’s emission in certain wavelength bands. This is of obvious importance since it appears to cut the ground from under the feet of … Continue reading →

Posted in typography | 4 Comments

Gerard Unger’s book

Posted on 12/04/2010 by Peter Cameron

Here, as I promised in the debate on serifs, are some comments on Gerard Unger’s book While You’re Reading. First impressions: as you would expect from a type designer, it is beautifully designed. It is set using two of Unger’s … Continue reading →

Posted in books, typography | Leave a comment

Mathematical typography: help wanted

Posted on 27/03/2010 by Peter Cameron

Here is a request for information. All responses gratefully received. You may comment here or email me directly. I have talked before about the issue of fonts in mathematical typography. My employer is trying to force on everyone the use … Continue reading →

Posted in typography | 19 Comments