Dynamic Arabic,Jawi,Urdu+Kurdish Fonts for M$ Office, InDesignCS5 + CorelDrawX5

[AzizMostafa]

This topic was imported from the Typophile platform

http://www.maryamsoft.com/Default.aspx?Page=TopFont
http://www.maryamsoft.com/files/download/MaryamSoft%20Quranic%20Naskh.swf
www.QalamBartar.com

Attachment	Size
Rayhan.pdf	230.99 KB
Aziz.pdf	190.65 KB
Mir3mad.pdf	256.18 KB
MirEmad.pdf	272.8 KB
Mostafa.pdf	36.57 KB
Cerdik Jawi.pdf	96.28 KB

[AzizMostafa]

Here are the Advantages of MirEmad over similar SoftWares:
1. Possibility of placing 2 or more marks on a single letter.
2. Possibility of moving dots+Marks independently or together.
3. Automatic Kerning
4. Best Full-ligatures are generated by default.
5. More t2b discovered later.

Flowers to All

[AzizMostafa]

Sorry, I have made a mistake in uploading the right pdf file.
Tomorrow, I will replace it with one like this:
http://www.maryamsoft.com/Download/MirEmad%20Sample.pdf
Apologizing with Flowers

[John Hudson]

This sort of thing seems problematic, but I presume it is something that can be fixed:

[AzizMostafa]

Thanks John with Flowers
As the Document Properties shows, this PDFile
http://www.maryamsoft.com/Download/MirEmad%20Sample.pdf
was created on 2/28/2007 by MirEmad 2.1
It will be updated soon.

In the coming-soon version that runs smoothly even on notepad+Wordpad:
1. All the problematic Display+Printing issues have been fixed.
2. All the tips + techniques recommended below have been employed:
http://typophile.com/user/12550
3. My Uncompromising Arabic Fonts+Reyhan.OTF have been added.
http://www.persiaart.net/rayhan/index.asp

We are working hard to make MirEmad work on InDesign + on both Windows+AppleMac.

Appreciatively

[ebensorkin]

Thanks for showing this Aziz!

[AzizMostafa]

New AdobeArabic.OTF makes it easy to typeset Searchable, error-free + Fully Automatic Complex Text.
https://typography.guru/forums/topic/46706-forwarding
See the newly attached file.
Yet to be Optimized with Flowers

[AzizMostafa]

MirEmad in Action

[Thomas Milo]

Great to see the classic Arabics scripts competently designed and given proper treatment. What a beautiful result!

Thomas Milo
DecoType
www.decotype.com

[Saad Abulhab]

Aziz,

Is their an Arabic or English site for MirEmad? The http://www.maryamsoft.com/ site is only in Persian. They have done great job it seems, but I wanted to know if their font are TT/OT format, and a bit about their technical specs.

-Saad

[Thomas Milo]

Saad, Aziz,

I had a quick glance at this product. In short, Aziz's claim that this is straightforward OpenType with no need for additional technology is not correct.

1. Applications
The Maryamsoft dowload contains an installer that sets up an application directory with executables and fonts. This is proprietary technology.

2. System DLLs
In the Windows System directory Maryamsoft replaces the essential 397Kb usp10.dll, the OpenType layout engine, with a 500Kb modified version. This replacement usp10.dll no longer calls the original Microsoft GDI32.dll, the Graphical Device Interface, but instead a newly installed proprietary GDX32.dll. As a result, Microsoft Windows is turned into proprietary technology.

3. Fonts
The fonts have no OpenType layout tables, but instead use non-standard tables. This could be considered proprietary technology.
The underlying artwork is impressive and authentic, but the outlines as such appear not not to be the work of professional type designers.
As for the font structure, the glyphs are a mixture of letter parts, complete letters and ligatures.

4. Unicode compliance
The concept uses assigned and reserved Unicode character code points for markup as a kind of proprietary technology. As a result these alien Unicode characters interfere with the text structure and data interchange. Moreover, font changes becomes impossible with such texts.
According to the CMAP, language coverage is limited to Arabic and Persian. And, BTW, the OS/2 table is empty.

5. Uninstalling
The package contains an unstaller utility. It restores the original usp10.dll. However, on all the paths leading to MS Office applications it leaves a trail of copies of the proprietary 500Kb usp10.dll. As a result, there is no de facto uninstallation for MS Office, since these applications will keep encountering the proprietary layout engines before reaching the real one. It requires a manual removal. The replacement graphical device manager, GDX32.dll also needs to be removed manually.

More to be discovered later. Now off for dinner. After all, there is no such a thing as a free lunch.

Thomas Milo
DecoType
www.decotype.com

[Saad Abulhab]

Dear Tom,

Thank you so much for this detailed technical analysis and review of MirEmad software. This was exactly the sort of information I was looking for when I asked Aziz if there was an Arabic or English translation of the site or the product brochure.

Unicode compatibility is essential today, I hope they will work out that issue.

-Saad

[John Hudson]

Replacing a key system resource such as Uniscribe with a custom version seems to me a very bad idea. Does the MirEmad version replicate all the APIs of the original Uniscribe? If not, it will be be breaking other apps, scripts or fonts.

[Thomas Milo]

I spotted only two proprietary DLLs, but there may be more. The test wrecked one virtual machine. Frankly, after dinner I called it a day 8-)

Thomas Milo
DecoType
www.decotype.com

[AzizMostafa]

Thomas Milo,

0. Aziz’s claim that this is straightforward OpenType
with no need for additional technology is not correct.
... the Software deeply penetrates into the Windows system.
1. MirEmad sets up an application directory with exes + fonts.

What is incorrect in what I claimed?!
MirEmad is a system-correcting+integrating tool plus
OpenTypes fonts that appear Straightforward in Font-Lists
but not in Windows Fonts Folder. No additional Software is needed.

2. Windows DLLs are ineffecient/insufficient to handle Arabic fonts.
That's why we redeveloped them.

3. ... Font outlines not the work of professional type designers.
Admittedly true for the earlier versions of MirEmad.
In the coming fonts like Reyhan, no ripples are seen.

4. Unicode compliance
4a... alien Unicode characters interfere with the text structure and
data interchange.

Envitable trade-off. You gain nothing for nothing.
However, we built - for our own use - a smart searching engine
that skip those aligning characters.

4b. Moreover, font changes becomes impossible with such texts.
Changes made to such texts can be canceled in part or whole
simply by pressing Alt+F5.

4c. According to the CMAP, language coverage is limited to Arabic and Persian. And, BTW, the OS/2 table is empty.

You see it half-empty, we see it half-full?!

5. Uninstalling
Your recommendations will be thankfully worked out for the coming versions.

John Hudson,

@ Replacing a key system resource such as Uniscribe with a custom version
seems to me a very bad idea.

Good or bad is yet to be proven.

@ Does the MirEmad version replicate all the APIs of the original Uniscribe?
If not, it will be be breaking other apps, scripts or fonts.

MirEmad causes no conflict + no malfunctioning to any application.
Nothing was taken away, but essential additions were made.
So far, no body complained with its installation +/or its removal.
==================================
Flowers to All.

[dwcho3652]

Dear Aziz,

God bless your work to develp many things.
I would like to contact you, could you let me know your email address. My email is [email protected]

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks

[Thomas Milo]

"Windows DLLs are inefficient/insufficient to handle Arabic fonts. That’s why we redeveloped them"

In other words and for all clarity, this software deeply penetrates into the Windows system.

When a third party "redevelops", i.e. hacks, other companies' copyright-proteced and licensed software on systems whose owners aren't even asked to consent with the change, this is considered software piracy. The resulting illegal functionality is called a virus.

Regarding ignoring Unicode compliance:

"Inevitable trade-off. You gain nothing for nothing."

It would be honest to warn your potential customers and stop suggesting that MirEmad is regular openType for which "no additional Software is needed", because it needs not just special software, but it even "corrects" the Operating System.

Thomas Milo
DecoType
www.decotype.com

[behnam]

To put it in the context, this is how things are in Iran. No resident in Iran has ever purchased a legal software in his life! Hacking illegally obtained softwares and adjusting them to Persian use is 'le monnaie courant'. There is some protection for internal products in internal market but that's about it. Open Source environment users naturally have a more legitimacy.
In fairness, I should note that this is a systemic problem creating a large cultural deficiency in terms of respect of copyright laws. But I do know of individuals who fully understand how harmful it was for developing Persian support in applications and even tried to purchase legal products, although they are very hard to come-by and many times more expensive. But this is an exercise in futility.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_and_copyright_issues

[AzizMostafa]

@`When a third party “redevelops”, i.e. hacks, other companies’ copyright-proteced and licensed software on systems whose owners aren’t even asked to consent with the change, this is considered software piracy.

Well Thomas Milo,
1. Different countries have different Laws, so please:
a. do not force yours on us as we do not force ours on you.
b. feel free to hack MirEmad. Reciprocally?!

2. Did we make any aggression to any other language?
3. Are we forbidden to make modifications to suit our own language?
4. Will M$ consent to our Additions (not changes)? Too late?
5. Or considers it unforgivable/inapplicable tool?
6. And/Or redoes+confiscates the invaluable tool?

@`The resulting illegal functionality is called a virus.

What annoys some pleases others looking for cheap + good alternative?!

Thanks with Flowers

[AzizMostafa]

Would like to add that MirEmad has:
1. fonts that are Unique and Dynamic (adjustable).
2. powerful filters to export texts (in MirEmad and non-MirEmad Fonts) to M$ Applications and to CorelDraw, Illusrator and Photoshop as curves (vectors).

It is a 3-in-one Software: Tool + Fonts + Filters.

[Thomas Milo]

Azizi Aziz,

Thank you for the eccentric proposal to breach each others intellectual property rights. There is however absolutely no need for this, as we are fully confident with our own original analysis, technology and designs.

The more I learn about Persia and Iraq, the more I am moved by the profundity of their civilizations. It is a privilege and a pleasure to work on Arabic script in general and Nastaliq in particular.

Let's agree that we are both advocates for respectful and honest treatment Arabic script.

With bulbs,

Thomas Milo
DecoType
www.decotype.com

[Thomas Milo]

Hi Behnam,

I just discoverd an example that it's not just Microsoft whose ideas are "improved".

A quick comparison with
http://www.axissoftmedia.com/

and this
http://www.fontworld.com/me/tasmeem.html

shows that even creative phraseology (like "uncompromising Arabic" before) can be hijacked.

Anyway, it serves to prove that in Iran, Pakistan and India there is an intense interest to preserve Nastaliq, the greatest of all styles, for use on the computing platforms.

A dream come true!

Thomas Milo
DecoType
www.decotype.com

http://www.fontworld.com/me/tasmeem.html

[behnam]

Oooooh that must hurt!
It isn't even in Iran and outside the boundaries of International laws. How could it be?
If it is any consolation, that product won't fly in Iran. Urdu nata'liq has its own specifics which is different from Persian nasta'liq. It might not be decipherable to the non native eyes though.
Now to end this consolation, you should wait for another 'improved' product of yours, this time with Persian nasta'liq!!!
But you could see it coming couldn't you?!
Anyhow the sooner you put your ACE everywhere and feed people with their basic needs, the lesser appetite for stealing sophisticated calligraphic applications.
As they say, if you can't kill them, feed them!

Speaking of basic ACE, could you explain a bit about justification mechanism and its interaction with other text engines and font formats, and particularly other scripts? And how about antialiasing in basic ACE?

I'm sure it's not only my curiosity. There are people in Iran and Pakistan waiting for answers!!!
-B

[Thomas Milo]

Hi Behnam,

It wasn't hurt, but rather surprised that this Indian company copied our wording verbatim. Apparently this is case of a different sense of creativiy and self-respect.

We developed an admiration for and deep interest in Middle Eastern script culture - and try to contribute something useful. We never saw it coming that this would put us in the position of literally or metaphorically having to "kill or feed" people who do not respect other than their own property rights. It makes me want to return to the days that I was only interested in dead languages.

As for the different regional variants of nastaliq, it is an interesting challenge to identify and parametrize the features that distinguish Persian, Ottoman and Urdu nastaliq on the level of script grammar, i.e., competence. The chunky forms, odd proportions and deranged alignment of what led to the likes of Noori Nastaliq and in turn its derivatives, I consider a less relevant dimension, something on the level of execution or performance. From feedback on our own work, I get the strong impression that Urdu users can appreciate the equivalent of a Persian level of performance as long as the competence behind it meets their conventions.

Regarding Decotype ACE, there is no need to speak of "other" font formats: for our technology the font format is irrelevant. Today it uses regular OpenType fonts, so any thing on font level, including anti-aliasing falls into that domain. The key difference is ACE as the lay-out engine. It takes the form of an API. Once this is built in, our script output can be made to interact seamlessly with any other engines or scripts. As for justification, that's again in the host engine's domain. The proof of concept is of course Tasmeem, which is capable of handling a lot more languages and scripts than the regular version of IDME. You can download and test it yourself.

I agree with you that there is a need to make our technology widely affordable. We understand the urgency and are actively working on a solution . It's unfortunate that the present situation leads to copying and hacking, but in the end of the day it is a compliment.

Thomas Milo
DecoType
www.decotype.com

[AzizMostafa]

Bypassing noise, I emphasize again the fallacies of tasmeem
https://typography.guru/forums/topic/56166-forwarding#comment-284286

Arabic is a dynamic script. So, it is:
1. incorrect to apply Spacing/Shaping parameters to line(s) of text.
2. impractical (time-consuming + tedious) to adjust word by word.

Seek the Solution in the little, powerful, cheap, undemanding, amazing and user-friendly MirEmad?!