FONTLOG Abyssinica SIL font family ======================== This file provides detailed information on the Abyssinica SIL font. This information should be distributed along with the Abyssinica SIL font and any derivative works. Basic Font Information ---------------------- Abyssinica SIL has a single face - regular. The goal for this product was to provide a single Unicode-based font that would contain a comprehensive inventory of glyphs needed for almost any Ethiopic-based writing system. In addition, there is provision for other Latin characters and symbols. This font makes use of state-of-the-art font technologies to support the need to position arbitrary combinations of *Ethiopic* base glyphs and combining marks optimally. It also supports almost 200 kerning pairs. This version of the font also supports Stylistic Sets and Character Variants (OpenType) or Features (Graphite) which make glyph alternates available for a number of Ethiopic and punctuation characters. See the AbyssinicaSILOpenTypeFontFeatures.pdf, AbyssinicaSILGraphiteFontFeatures.pdf and AbyssinicaSILTypeTunerGuide.pdf for details on applications which support Stylistic Sets and how to access them. One font from this typeface family is included in this release: * Abyssinica SIL Regular A Note Regarding the Open Font License and TypeTuner ---------------------------------------------------- The OFL prohibits the use of Reserved Font Names "Abyssinica" and "SIL" in the name of any font that is derived from the Original Version of Abyssinica SIL. However, SIL International (the Copyright Holder) grants through this separate written agreement the right to use the Reserved Font Names in any Modified Version of this font created by using TypeTuner as long as the feature information contained in the Original Version is used, unmodified, as the source for TypeTuner feature information, and "Abyssinica" is not the resulting font family name. TypeTuner-produced fonts created in this manner are still bound by the terms of the OFL. Specifically, the use of Reserved Font Names is prohibited when making derivatives of a TypeTuner-produced font. Anyone making a derivative of a TypeTuner font will need to find a different name. For example a TypeTuner-produced font may be named "Abyssinica SIL SomeFarAwayPlace" but a derivative of that font made with other tools would not be allowed to use the "Abyssinica" and "SIL" Reserved Font Names and would have to be named something like "Nations Ethiopic". ChangeLog --------- (This should list both major and minor changes, most recent first.) 13 December 2013 (Lorna Priest Evans) Abyssinica SIL version 1.500 - Improved design of U+1396 and U+1399 (metrics changed for these characters) - Added character variants - Added variant glyphs for U+2D93..U+2D96 (for Blin) - Added variant glyphs for U+12E0..U+12E6 and U+1335 (historical usage) - Changed Graphite feature identifiers from integers to 4-character alphanumeric tags 13 December 2010 (Lorna Priest) Abyssinica SIL version 1.200 - Updated for Unicode 6.0 (U+AB00..U+AB2F) - Added Stylistic Sets and Graphite Features - Removed AAT support 1 June 2006 (Jonathan Kew) - AAT source added 25 May 2006 (SIL NRSI team) Abyssinica SIL version 1.0 - First version released under the SIL Open Font License Information for Contributors ---------------------------- The release of Abyssinica SIL version 1.0 under the OFL license provides a means for people to contribute to the project. For information on what you're allowed to change or modify, consult the OFL and OFL-FAQ. The OFL-FAQ also gives a very general rationale regarding why you would want to contribute to the project. Anyone can make their own modified version of Abyssinica SIL (using a different name), but SIL International will continue to maintain and develop the canonical version of the Abyssinica SIL font. As the package maintainer, we warmly welcome contributions. Here are some things to keep in mind: Format: We are open to contributions in various formats, but if you want to maximise the chances of us including your work, please make it available to us (via email or a URL) as either a FontLab database (preferred) or a PostScript Type 1 (or OT-CFF) font. Source files: We're including the FontLab database used in developing the font. The font, however, was not solely built from this FontLab database, so a simple "Generate Font" will not give you an identical result. The database is provided not as canonical source but as an aid to anyone who might find it useful to have access to it. For those who may find them useful, we are also providing the Graphite GDL file (ETKernComb.gdl), VOLT project files (Abyssinica_SIL.vtp, AboveMarks.vtg, Kern.vtl, Mark.vtl) and an AAT perl script (abyssinica-aat.pl - this is run with the .ttf and .xml files as input, and writes the actual table source, then runs one of Apple's font tools to compile the tables and add them to the .ttf. (So it can only be run on a Mac, with the Apple tools installed.)). Copyright attribution: If you submit something for inclusion in the main Abyssinica SIL fonts, we will ask you to affirm that it is your original work, and ask you to assign the copyright of your work to SIL International. This is to ensure that future releases can be made under improved versions of the OFL without needing to track you down for further permission. This follows the same principle used by the FSF. Keep in mind that we are a not-for-profit organization committed to free/libre and open source software, and that any contributions incorporated in the fonts will always be available under the OFL or a similar license. Quality: Because we want to be able to guarantee a high level of quality for the primary Abyssinica SIL font, we will review submissions carefully. Please don't be discouraged if we do not include a submission for this reason, or ask you to make specific revisions. Types of contributions: If you wish to make a contribution - a set of additional glyphs, scripts, code, etc. - please contact us before you do any work to see if it is a contribution we currently need. Every addition adds to the complexity of the project and needs to be carefully planned. This also avoids two people working on the same type of addition at the same time. When submissions will be included: We do not have a current timetable for when an updated font will be released. Acknowledgements ---------------- (Here is where contributors can be acknowledged. If you make modifications be sure to add your name (N), email (E), web-address (W) and description (D). This list is sorted by last name in alphabetical order.) N: Walt Agee, Victor Gaultney, Lorna Evans / Daniel Yacob, Kjell Magne Yri E: fonts@sil.org W: http://scripts.sil.org/ D: SIL designers and font engineers / non-SIL script experts The Abyssinica SIL project is maintained by SIL International. For more information please visit the Abyssinica SIL page on SIL International's Computers and Writing systems website: http://scripts.sil.org/AbyssinicaSIL Or send an email to