CEN-318
Multimedia
Text in multimedia
Mohammed Saleem Bhat
m.bhat@mu.edu.sa
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Text in multimedia
• Why would course designers like text?
– The most inexpensive media to develop
– Least overhead in storage/transmission
• But text creation requires skill:
– Good writing and effective use of fonts.
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Good multimedia writing
• Concise: why?
• Precise and powerful:
– “That answer is correct” vs. “Terrific!”
– “quit” vs. “close” vs “out”
• Write for your audience
– What background knowledge can you assume?
– Informal, casual or formal, business-like style?
• Why is a project’s title important?
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
The Elements of Style, William Strunk
• Say it in active voice, not passive:
– “Genetic algorithms were invented by John Holland in the
1970’s.”
– “John Holland invented genetic algorithms in the 1970's.”
• Avoid wordiness:
– “computer algorithm” vs. just “algorithm”
• Avoid high-falutin’ phrases:
– “Appropriate incorporated” vs. “using”
• Write and rewrite
– Bear in mind that users won’t read as much on a screen
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
An example:
• An introductory screen:
“Within a program that aims to educate you on all aspects of networking, it
seems most logical that we begin with the broadest definition of the subject
matter itself. What is a network? More specifically, what is a computer
network? These answers are not so difficult as you may believe.”
• I propose rewriting it as:
“What is a computer network?”
Why?
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Fonts
• A typeface is a family of graphic characters
including many type sizes and styles
– Times, Courier and Arial are typefaces, each of which
include many sizes & styles
• A font is a collection of characters of a single size
& style, belong to a typeface family
– Typical font styles are boldface, italic, bold italic, and
underlined
– Times is a typeface; Times 12-point italic is a font
• In computerese, however, people say font when
typeface would be more accurate
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Parts of graphic characters
Serif is decoration at end of letter strokes
Times Romans is serif font; Arial is sans serif
Font sizes are expressed in terms of points,
where one point is .0138 or 1/72 inch, and
size is the distance from top of ascenders to the bottom of descenders
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Spacing between characters
• Leading is the space between lines of text
– Lopuck recommends increasing the leading to improve
readability of text on a screen
• Character metrics are measurements of individual
characters
– Vector-based fonts permit changes to character metrics for
interesting effects; bit-based fonts do not
• Kerning is the spacing between character pairs
– Some fonts have variable kerning (e.g., Times), so have
fixed kerning (e.g., Courier)
– When is fixed kerning more desirable?
– What about variable kerning?
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Serif or sans serif?
• Print: serif fonts traditionally used for body text
– help guide the reader’s eyes along the line of text
• Headlines use sans serif
– No need to guide reader’s eyes
• What about on computer screens?
– Don’t provide as much resolution as print
– Sans serif is a little more legible, esp. in smaller sizes
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Macintosh standardizes pixels
• Macintosh: resolution of 72 pixels/inch,
corresponding to standard font resolution of
72 points per inch for print
– Supports WYSIWYG for desktop publishing
• Standardized pixels as square-shaped, so
measurements are even on all sides
– On PC side, VGA imitated these standards
– EGA aspect ratio was 1.33:1, taller than wide
– Mac and VGA both 640x480 square pixels
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Postscript
• Apple spearheaded desktop publishing by adopting
Adobe’s PostScript
– Page description language for printing to Apple’s
LaserWriter
– Characters were stored in a bitmap table representing every
character at every size
• PostScript is vector-based: describes characters in
terms of mathematical constructs (e.g., Bezier curves)
– Facilitates scaling, drawing characters at various sizes and
in various resolutions
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
TrueType
• But PostScript represents fonts for printer and screen
separately
– Adobe Type Manager accesses a font’s outline in the
printer font
– Scales it to display to the right size on a screen
• Apple introduces TrueType circa 1989
– Only one file per font, for printer & screen, no need for
ATM utility to do mapping
– Both PostScript and TrueType universally available
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Anti-aliasing
• Both PostScript and
TrueType fonts allow text
to be drawn on any size
without jaggies
– (jagged edges on the
outlines of a character)
• Anti-aliasing exploits
color by blending
(dithering) colors along
the edges of letter
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University
Tips for fonts
• Avoid decorative (serif) fonts for small sizes
• Be consistent: standardize on a few fonts
– Possible exception: attention-grabbing headlines
– Surround headlines with plenty of white space
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Use different colors and backgrounds
Use ample leading (space between lines)
Avoid scrolling text (contiguity principle)
Keep lines short (Lopuck recommends 3”)
– Help user transition from line to line
– End lines with end of sentence or phrase
• Convert non-standard fonts to graphics
Computer Engineering and Networks, College of Engineering , Majmaah University