I just spent the last 24 hours building... a free tool to create your very own handwriting font quickly within the browser (no logins, all local processing):
https://arcade.pirillo.com/fontcrafter.html
Having tested it extensively on my own manuscript, I can definitely say that it works. ;) Download the OTF and/or TTF when done!
I am sooo glad that our entire ecosystem is being destroyed for something absolutely impossible to avoid such as... check notes... bad handwriting fonts.
@Rockerz @ChrisPirillo Just FYI
I have a signature font I created with Fontographer. It contains three signatures: my initials, first name and full name.
More than once I have had to return "signed" copies of documents by reply and in circumstances where I could create PDFs but wasn't able to print.
Chopping down trees to print, then scan, then email, or worse, expend energy transporting documents, isn't the alternative you think it is.
Any font that avoids that necessity is useful.
You completely miss the point. Whatever use cases you can find for these fonts it doesn't address the problem of creating a software using AI. **THIS** is the point.
As you pointed out, this kind of tool exists since almost forever, I remember using some probably even before the Y2K bug stuff. There were no LLM back then. Developing software means doing your bloody job (yes, even if this job happens on your spare time and then given for free). Is it tedious? Yes. So what?
@Rockerz I see. You're against algorithms you can run locally that can create a handwriting font but presumably would have no issue with similar algorithms that run locally that do handwriting recognition. Got it.
I'm tempted to wonder what would have made your point more clearly.
@samueljohnson A lot could be discussed about the process to create a actual font (I have no clue regarding how this software works, how much ressources it uses and whether or not it could be done differently) but that is not the point.
I am, though, firmly against building anything with so-called "vibecoding" (and being proud of it), thus contributing to destroy our hability to survive as a species. The waste of ressources for that is very real. This is developer lazyness destroying the world.
@samueljohnson By the way: I made myself clear twice, regarding what my primary concern is. I re-read myself to be sure of that. So I can't help but start to wonder if you are deliberately missing the point here. I hope not.
See this?
https://mastodon.social/@ChrisPirillo/116178076740432072
I have concerns about almost everything there. Serious ones.
@Rockerz You made yourself clear twice?
Kindly forgive my not understanding you even once. I completely missed any reference to vibecoding or AI in your response.
Chris Pirillo
Rockerz
SamuelJohnson