Erik

Erik van Blokland #typedesign #typography #roboFont #lettering #typeMedia #nobridge

Public Key

npub1uwk5h3hy3gsxwnlvcgcnq354d738wfjfcfuacjr52w2atvuk259slr48zu

NIP-05 Address

letterror@typo-social.mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsw8t2tcmjg5gr8flkvyvfsg62klgnhyeyuy7wufp6989w4kwt92zcpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerfw36x7tnsw43qtw3mqg

Publishing to

relay.ditto.pub

Author Public Key

npub1uwk5h3hy3gsxwnlvcgcnq354d738wfjfcfuacjr52w2atvuk259slr48zu

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Last Notes

2026-08-12 17:03:06 UTC

“Very disappointed with the eclipse. Zero stars”

2026-07-18 23:44:57 UTC

What if we say bicycles are Turing complete, perhaps tech money would support them.

2026-07-14 14:25:26 UTC

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@nprofile…nst7 @nprofile…wzqc Beziers — !?
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/918/788/170/284/306/original/8238bd51dc0ef8db.jpeg

2026-07-07 06:06:31 UTC

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So, in fashion terms, are you copying Iris van Herpen or studying 1874 work pants? One of these would be interesting research that might bring some useful new perspective, the other is a lazy and naive knockoff. And it will be obvious to all. (3/3)
@nprofile…4qsx @nprofile…qecv

2026-07-07 06:06:31 UTC

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@nprofile…4qsx @nprofile…qecv That is a layered and complex question. Amongst my favorite answers are questions such as:
• How much risk¹ and research was involved in the original² typeface?
• How much risk and research will your new interpretation³ take?
• Is the designer alive and fully involved in their practice?
1. Risk: a design can have ideas, shapes, concepts that are new and their economic value has not yet been established. Thus the designer takes a risk in making something new. At the very least it is a professional courtesy to not copy such work. (1/3)

2026-07-07 06:06:31 UTC

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2. The word “original” is forced to do a lot of work in discussions about type. But when discussing existing designs there are established paths. How much history does the typeface have? Do the work, visit archives, study primary sources, a bit more than will fit in Instagram. Your opinions will form.
3. This about motivation as much as shape. One would hope there would be more benefits to the work than “cheaper than Monotype”. There is a lot of average stuff in that library that deserves no redraw. Indeed, some licensing demands are absurd. But consider: some ideas about the time typedesign takes are also absurd. What will *you* get from the work? (2/3)
@nprofile…4qsx @nprofile…qecv

2026-07-05 13:22:29 UTC

Official TM26 website is here:

2026-07-03 06:57:54 UTC

Imagine paying for a course that shows you how to use effing AI. Not only forego acquiring understanding and useful skills, and support, what is the word, fascist companies, but then also pay for the opportunity? Hire a friend. Learn something.

2026-06-30 15:22:57 UTC

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@nprofile…xa9v @nprofile…r3m0 Do you want to try NCND?

2026-06-22 06:29:47 UTC

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@nprofile…z7ma @nprofile…tz0l Do you know if this is on purpose?

2026-06-19 15:59:46 UTC

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@nprofile…aza0 I hope it was cheap.

2026-06-17 18:26:22 UTC

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@nprofile…c55u Would love a slightly tighter pdf layout.

2026-06-12 11:38:59 UTC

“Tea Painting in an Illusionistic Style.” 1961, David Hockney. Seen at the Kunstmuseum, last February.
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/736/939/743/021/582/original/330a93f516c9ef1f.jpeg

2026-06-08 18:08:38 UTC

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@nprofile…05la @nprofile…fk9u I was wondering about this: do you think it would it be possible to cut LPs with a bigger diameters? Anything that does not hit the arm would fit on normal players.

2026-06-08 16:08:57 UTC

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@nprofile…05la @nprofile…fk9u Does anyone know what a record cutting lathe costs?

2026-06-08 13:18:37 UTC

“This account was given by Anna Simons, a remarkable young Prussian woman who came to England to study because women students were not admitted in Prussian art schools of the period. She was one of the best students Johnston had ever had and certainly one of those who exercised the greatest influence afterwards, for she disseminated his teaching throughout Germany where it was perhaps more fruitful, evenm than in England.” Edward Johnston biography by Priscilla Johnston, Barrie & Jenkins 1976. This German language edition at K Small Gallery. Come on type designers: how can you not own this.
https://ksmallgallery.com/collections/online/products/schreibschrift-zierschrift-und-angewandte-schrift-1

2026-06-01 14:46:15 UTC

Do we know who is FONTSHOP
https://www.fonts.nu/fontfolio.php

2026-06-01 13:08:43 UTC

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@nprofile…mrzw @nprofile…p7tp Order from any store that sells supplies for physics classes. Many vendors, look for “biconvex”. If you feel adventurous you can also find “reduction” or “biconcave” lenses for Dwiggins re-enactments. Such lenses don’t have to touch the surface you’re inspecting, which can be an issue with desktop models.
(Of course the secret is to just observe the shapes at actual size.)

2026-05-30 15:44:28 UTC

Test

2026-05-28 16:54:10 UTC

A scrolling view of LettError, if normal pages are TL;DR.
https://letterror.com/scroller/

2026-05-22 08:15:02 UTC

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@nprofile…s3ww @nprofile…yp8l Woa. Not cheap either. For the big monotype keyboard I’m intrigued by the size. It doesn’t have to be an original artefact + electronics?

2026-05-21 20:25:02 UTC

Google can go fork itself.

2026-05-18 08:53:41 UTC

New FontsInUse post on Sidabro Merginos / Silver Girls exhibition, last year in Vilnius. A daring use of my LTR Limited Grotesque. Exhibition design by @nprofile…5ydm Much obliged to @nprofile…k2c8, @nprofile…a2j4 and @nprofile…kj3m. #exhibitiondesign #fontsinuse #photography #vilnius
https://fontsinuse.com/uses/68424/sidabro-merginos-silver-girls

2026-05-15 20:56:56 UTC

I lost mine years ago, I regularly still reach for it. Leatherman retired this model. What is your favorite pockettool? #tools
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/580/588/963/854/676/original/ddb03c071d93df9e.jpeg

2026-05-04 14:13:43 UTC

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@nprofile…7am7 And not owned by Microsoft and slopped into copilot

2026-04-30 15:06:04 UTC

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@nprofile…sc6l @nprofile…vlma I have that! Will look it up :)

2026-04-30 06:15:58 UTC

Artspeak, a programming language for shapes from 1974. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artspeak
And contemporary rebuild. https://artspeak.quogic.com/
@nprofile…vlma

2026-04-27 15:10:25 UTC

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@nprofile…hf2l I suppose it is yellow.

2026-04-22 16:33:59 UTC

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@nprofile…hvh8 Get a nice screen.

2026-04-22 16:10:24 UTC

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@nprofile…hvh8 Kerning and making groups is a great opportunity to revisit decisions about spacing, proportions, counters. It might feel slow but it is an important cycle.

2026-04-19 09:05:39 UTC

This afternoon: presentation of the book “Ziek” by Ed van Hinte, with illustrations by Fynn van der Ziel and designed by Céline Hurka and Rudi van Delden. Museum van het Boek, 13:00.
https://www.huisvanhetboek.nl/zien-doen-leren/activiteiten/boekpresentatie-ziek-van-ed-van-hinte

2026-04-08 11:07:55 UTC

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@nprofile…hvh8 Later today.

2026-04-08 10:20:36 UTC

In het boemeltje naar Berlijn (zoals @nprofile…yeqj zegt)

2026-04-06 15:56:24 UTC

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@nprofile…cm8h Once saw someone really farm them. Trays full. Not my thing, personally, but they mostly take care of themselves.

2026-04-06 14:14:43 UTC

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@nprofile…cm8h Do you keep worms?

2026-04-05 09:36:45 UTC

I missed all the “Foundry Z® is now part of the Monotype® family!” announcements last Wednesday.

2026-04-03 13:14:29 UTC

Old highspeed trains are arguably even cooler than new highspeed trains. Not only “we got this”, but also “we got this for a while now”.
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/340/953/522/830/655/original/9482e9874455b6c0.jpeg

2026-04-01 17:38:16 UTC

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@nprofile…wguy @nprofile…vxlc @nprofile…fnwc That’s how *I* would do it but I would have thought some clever Unicode thingy to jump in just for this.

2026-04-01 15:22:06 UTC

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@nprofile…vxlc This made me think of RTL Latin: Leonardo da Vinci writing. Currently on show in the Mauritshuis in The Hague. https://www.mauritshuis.nl/en/what-s-on/exhibitions/birds-curated-by-the-goldfinch-simon-schama
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/330/130/705/902/830/original/94e6766f614630e8.jpeg

2026-04-01 06:57:28 UTC

Would it be possible to do a Latin right to left with current font technology?

2026-03-31 20:17:42 UTC

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@nprofile…j074 Berlin next week?

2026-03-31 19:29:55 UTC

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@nprofile…j074 Sure!

2026-03-30 07:51:42 UTC

Everything is a hack, really.

2026-03-29 16:31:26 UTC

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@nprofile…j074 Time for steampunk linotype transformers

2026-03-28 19:12:38 UTC

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@nprofile…z7ma Thank you!

2026-03-27 14:20:35 UTC

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@nprofile…05la Nice loupe though?

2026-03-26 22:01:50 UTC

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@nprofile…e9hc Seventeen.

2026-03-26 21:02:08 UTC

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@nprofile…e9hc Clicking this here.
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/297/493/922/137/772/original/15f4f2a3a35f426a.jpeg

2026-03-26 08:31:18 UTC

I know¹. There are reasons². And yet³. Is Apple’s Music… better in Tahoe? Because the current experience is not great. It seems a lot of my music has disappeared. This dialog has been around for weeks, it does not seem temporary.
1. I don’t have vinyl. Or the hearing that would justify vinyl. Or the shelfspace that would accomodate vinyl.
2. And yet I need music. At least it is not Spotify or Google. And it keeps the kids away from Youtube ads.
3. Can we move to my question?
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/294/541/509/112/407/original/c7d4597711057333.jpeg

2026-03-19 19:27:58 UTC

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@nprofile…jaz7 ✨✨ @nprofile…vlma ✨✨

2026-03-19 17:24:21 UTC

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@nprofile…jaz7 ONLY EIGHT

2026-03-09 10:33:06 UTC

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@nprofile…cm8h @nprofile…yeqj Dan thank you for keeping track of these!

2026-03-03 08:51:40 UTC

The LettError StickerFish stickers package available for Signal users. Because your fish are nobody’s business. #signal #privacy #encryption
https://signal.art/addstickers/#pack_id=11ee3d3b177cb9bb9bac434876ceeca7&pack_key=5c4294bbd3293d9df1f8c41248baab7b258cb6fc4f092aae8328f81ffc90de8d
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/164/388/460/891/112/original/5aaf86bd1f0b76bf.jpeg

2026-02-26 19:03:02 UTC

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@nprofile…nr8a “We don’t care about our fonts and you don’t have to either”

2026-02-24 15:56:29 UTC

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@nprofile…0g4k Drawing.

2026-02-24 14:29:42 UTC

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@nprofile…0g4k It is good to keep trying though.

2026-02-23 12:42:58 UTC

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@nprofile…nst7 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ?

2026-02-23 08:35:07 UTC

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@nprofile…nst7 @nprofile…7ex9 @nprofile…60xv Oh! There is a Safari version as well, thanks!

2026-02-21 09:05:03 UTC

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@nprofile…5lem Boxes full.

2026-02-20 20:02:52 UTC

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@nprofile…cqgf Maybe a bug? Maybe macOS got a bit stricter with its permissions?

2026-02-16 11:20:09 UTC

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@nprofile…cm8h Apropos nothing, the wikipedia entry for Card Suits has some ni ce alternatives https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playing_card_suit

2026-02-10 14:50:44 UTC

To think that we had come this far in the meeting without having given any attention to the drawings in the book. Impossible to imagine it was not mentioned. But there it is, a juvenile ’zilla on a tricycle. And it is carrying a backpack. The name is misspelled, an unforgivable error for any artist that strays this far into the woods. Do not send me any more mail about this. And let us quietly celebrate the unbothered childhood the movie Godzillæ never had an opportunity to experience. #meeting #notes #godzilla #tricycle
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/046/891/886/304/993/original/3def76c615617698.jpeg

2026-02-06 21:04:31 UTC

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@nprofile…edye Barred

2026-02-05 15:31:32 UTC

We have a space available in our studio! P104 is a shared studio space for designers and creative people in center of The Hague. Above The Gray Space. We are mostly bookish, graphic, typographic and type designers. Recently renovated. Small kitchen. Reasonable rates. Inquiries: https://letterror.com/p104/ #studiospace #deskspace #denhaag #designspace
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/116/018/740/579/145/121/original/f09e6de6a2c110ee.mp4

2026-02-03 07:32:07 UTC

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@nprofile…aane @nprofile…lwfy Do you want to take a bet?

2026-02-02 10:54:16 UTC

Home is where the computer decides to make a 2-day backup over ethernet.

2026-02-01 14:50:47 UTC

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@nprofile…nst7 @nprofile…t3rn @nprofile…mzq0 The code is a faithful JavaScript port. At the time I thought it was funny to add some lines about fonts.

2026-01-31 18:47:10 UTC

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@nprofile…t3rn @nprofile…mzq0 Live one: https://letterror.com/ncnd/game.html

2026-01-29 15:50:17 UTC

Who has worked with jSON fonts? https://gero3.github.io/facetype.js/

2026-01-28 15:52:04 UTC

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@nprofile…j8aq “You’re just provoking the snow. It will now come back for sure.”

2026-01-28 09:34:26 UTC

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@nprofile…e0as @nprofile…edye @nprofile…fk9u I think that is also the reason why PLINC managed to build up such a varied and wild library. It wasn’t the machines, but their people.

2026-01-28 09:25:45 UTC

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@nprofile…e0as @nprofile…edye @nprofile…fk9u PLINC negatives were often just strips of film photographed of drawn letters. Some basic markings around the shape, but no system or automation. The operator had all the skill and knowledge. They’d have a pencil sketch over the photo paper, position everything, move the sketch out of the way, expose the letter, and move on. And then after developing the paper, spend hours retouching, and I imagine, reproduce it as often as needed.

2026-01-27 17:51:06 UTC

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@nprofile…fk9u PLINC would do a separate layer for the body, and then add the text on top. It was camera, film, and paint for them.

2026-01-26 10:56:39 UTC

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@nprofile…aane Me + the @nprofile…at0k students!

2026-01-24 17:03:56 UTC

I was wondering how much data would theoretically fit on an A4 sheet. Must be printable on a consumer printer. Must be retrievable through a consumer scanner. With a margin of 10pt, one bit to 1 pt, 575×822 bits, about 59 Kb? A bit disappointing. Smaller pixels, smaller margin, compression. Yes I have other things to do. #procrastinate
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/115/951/156/345/447/295/original/e152dd0d593157a4.png

2026-01-24 14:41:19 UTC

This was a useful explainer on hyphenation on the web. March 2019. https://clagnut.com/blog/2395/ Thanks @nprofile…0urp!

2026-01-23 10:33:29 UTC

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Thanks all! I.. tried installing some. Avoided brew. Failed at getting anything to run. Defeated, sat down and converted the images with Photoshop. Clearly my fu is not up to bar.

2026-01-22 13:43:57 UTC

Best way to generate webp on macOS, via commandline?

2026-01-22 09:44:44 UTC

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@nprofile…yk7r Can you design for writing systems you don’t know or see?

2026-01-19 20:51:17 UTC

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@nprofile…vg2r I was aiming for a Steinbeck thing following Rocinante but I don’t know how Riso naming works.

2026-01-19 20:41:03 UTC

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@nprofile…vg2r Charlie

2026-01-14 07:26:32 UTC

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@nprofile…nram @nprofile…qecv @nprofile…grsj @nprofile…8clk @nprofile…y4xw Did he not nuance that a bit in the preface to Nymph?

2026-01-07 18:11:56 UTC

Webfriends: do you have recommendations for webhosting in the 🇪🇺 Private git + Jekyll, if possible. Low traffic, let’s be honest, but too big for a Raspberry. #webHostRecommendation #web #EUWeb

2025-12-22 16:48:34 UTC

If you need some distraction there are some good laughs and a fun illustrated world to explore in Thank Goodness You’re Here. https://thankgoodness.game @nprofile…fq6z #game #ad

2025-12-19 19:13:38 UTC

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@nprofile…tfnl @nprofile…kd8c @nprofile…a6w7 Could that be Lev Grossman’s Magicians trilogy?

2025-12-19 17:39:40 UTC

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@nprofile…kd8c Yikes. And the number of jet engines that keep the datacenter running.

2025-12-19 13:42:21 UTC

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@nprofile…kd8c Pretty terrible. Human thought is redesignated as “fixing mistakes in the generated output”. Which is still the same work as it ever was, but with a lower paygrade. If paid at all.
There’s the always relevant “I would have written a shorter letter but I didn’t have enough time” which might have been Twain?

2025-12-19 09:31:58 UTC

I propose the rule of reciprocity of attention. Any AI generated test deserves no more than an AI generated answer. Any AI generated research question deserves nothing better than AI generated data. Any AI generated summary, text, deck, document, mail, post, song, video, message, thought-piece or essay deserves attention up to but not exceeding the time required for prompt engineering or whatever laziness passes for thinking these days. #AI #slop #burnItAll

2025-12-16 14:23:28 UTC

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@nprofile…mw4f @nprofile…2fal @nprofile…jpdm @nprofile…4q39 @nprofile…c2vz Oh! I’d be very interested to learn how to install my fonts on Mona on iPad + iPhone.

2025-12-14 17:35:36 UTC

A map in the National Gallery, London. I suppose some of these things were around in the 17th century. But not all of them. #nationalGallery #mapOfNetherlands
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/115/719/126/127/353/969/original/297e6324f4bd0596.png

2025-12-11 06:25:58 UTC

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@nprofile…f27x I wonder which “current global standards” Monotype refers to. “Whatever the other part of the company is doing” most likely.

2025-12-10 08:01:25 UTC

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@nprofile…f27x How to get started with this?

2025-12-04 17:20:29 UTC

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@nprofile…ag55 @nprofile…7420 @nprofile…6fq7 @nprofile…zq8l If this is a Monotype initiative, who would they use this against? It is not their suffering licensees, nor would it help their compliance departments. But I can imagine they would like to go after font producers who uses coordinates and words in their fonts. “Nice 9 unit overshoot you got there. We happen to have a 9 unit overshoot as well..”
Even if it doesn’t get this far, I would be suspicious.

2025-12-02 12:21:43 UTC

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@nprofile…k4zy 🤩🍰💯An amazingly useful tool, Roel!Thank you for making this!

2025-12-01 08:17:42 UTC

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@nprofile…2fal @nprofile…ylnn @nprofile…ltjz @nprofile…mfqq @nprofile…re6k @nprofile…66gf I sketched this thing years ago.
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/115/643/322/318/893/294/original/1d5281a011f0c384.png

2025-11-19 19:43:05 UTC

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@nprofile…njzk @nprofile…wgw9 @nprofile…ztwq Go!

2025-11-18 10:36:56 UTC

RGB Color Picker Values My Privacy.

2025-11-17 18:00:13 UTC

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@nprofile…5wkp @nprofile…7rzx @nprofile…fx6j Art students gonna art, this is true. But if this one breaks I don’t know what to buy. Whatever @nprofile…fx6j chooses I suppose.

2025-11-17 15:32:56 UTC

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@nprofile…ws34 Yes, very good coffee!

2025-11-17 09:56:27 UTC

Dear coffee friends, could this be a part of a Rancilio Silvia? And if so, is it vital?
https://typo.social/system/media_attachments/files/115/564/438/306/592/290/original/ab1774a153276e98.png