WordPress & fonts, bundling vs. linking

[Manuel Schmalstieg]

Over at http://make.wordpress.org/core/2013/11/11/open-sans-bundling-vs-linking/
the WordPress crowd is pondering the pros and cons of bundling a
webfont (OpenSans) with the next version of WP.

The main question is: how to keep the filesize small enough, while
meeting the multiple user needs regarding character sets.

I'm sure they would be happy about some advice from the experts here :)

Manuel

[Dave Crossland]

Thanks! I'll pitch in

[Vernon Adams]

I’m not sure i understand the reason for bundling in a font like that? Is it to be used for the wordpress UI etc? If so then i can’t see the big deal in fussing over the extra kb’s. Isn’t a default Wordpress install big enough that the extra footprint of a single font family a non-issue?
-v

Post by Manuel Schmalstieg
Over at http://make.wordpress.org/core/2013/11/11/open-sans-bundling-vs-linking/
the WordPress crowd is pondering the pros and cons of bundling a
webfont (OpenSans) with the next version of WP.
The main question is: how to keep the filesize small enough, while
meeting the multiple user needs regarding character sets.
I'm sure they would be happy about some advice from the experts here :)
Manuel

[Manuel Schmalstieg]

Thanks Dave for pitching in.

Vernon, indeed that font is for the WordPress UI that is being "modernized".

Regarding filesize: a default WordPress install is pretty small, about
6.5 mb (compressed). If you include a font with a wide character set,
x 4 weights, x 4 formats (WOFF, SVG, TTF, EOT), suddenly the font
takes a significant % of the whole package...

There's some worrying that the non-subsetted version "can actually
crash some mobile browsers".

As Dave wrote, it's not trivial: "Since WordPress doesn’t have a
dynamic font subsetter, you’ll need a set of language subsets and a
set of hint subsets."

Matt Mullenweg has noted that "if we can solve this in a standalone
way (the script not loading any of the rest of WP) we avoid licensing
issues [between GPLv2, the license of WordPress, and Apache, the
license of Open Sans] and also solve a general problem many people
across the web have."

[vernon adams]

If it’s totally essential and function well, then i would say the extra % is just a fact-of-life. But i would think that bundling a full pan-international font into what is essentially a web-based framework, plus adding and configuring all the extra to make that font function well across devices and browsers, is not really *that* essential or functional. Ironically, a remote web-based font, is a fairly discreet solution for wordpress. Or, they could just lobby the OS vendors to bundle OpenSans into all their OS’s? :o)

-v

Post by Manuel Schmalstieg
Vernon, indeed that font is for the WordPress UI that is being "modernized".
Regarding filesize: a default WordPress install is pretty small, about
6.5 mb (compressed). If you include a font with a wide character set,
x 4 weights, x 4 formats (WOFF, SVG, TTF, EOT), suddenly the font
takes a significant % of the whole package...

[n***@public.gmane.org]

Soundz like converting text to picturez iz still the best way to go.


If you are concerned about it not being searchable, you can put plain text in anyway below the main paje or hidden or az an alternate pop up.



-----Original Message-----
From: Manuel Schmalstieg <webdev-***@public.gmane.org>
To: Open Font Library <openfontlibrary-***@public.gmane.org>
Sent: Sat, Nov 16, 2013 7:17 pm
Subject: Re: [OpenFontLibrary] WordPress & fonts, bundling vs. linking


Thanks Dave for pitching in.

Vernon, indeed that font is for the WordPress UI that is being "modernized".

Regarding filesize: a default WordPress install is pretty small, about
6.5 mb (compressed). If you include a font with a wide character set,
x 4 weights, x 4 formats (WOFF, SVG, TTF, EOT), suddenly the font
takes a significant % of the whole package...

There's some worrying that the non-subsetted version "can actually
crash some mobile browsers".

As Dave wrote, it's not trivial: "Since WordPress doesn’t have a
dynamic font subsetter, you’ll need a set of language subsets and a
set of hint subsets."

Matt Mullenweg has noted that "if we can solve this in a standalone
way (the script not loading any of the rest of WP) we avoid licensing
issues [between GPLv2, the license of WordPress, and Apache, the
license of Open Sans] and also solve a general problem many people
across the web have."