Khmer Software Initiative

Computer fonts for the Khmer language have existed now for almost 15 years. They were not developed using Unicode, as Khmer Unicode did not exist at the time. These fonts are now being widely used for word processing as well as for newspaper and magazine typesetting. Keyboards for these fonts exist and are used. The Unicode coding of Khmer has become considered finalized by the Cambodian government (except for possible bugs) in the version 4.0 of Unicode (it was already included in versions 3 and 3.1). Unicode not only establishes which code is assigned to each letter of the Khmer alphabet, but also specifies in which order they are typed, which changes from the prior systems. In handwriting and with non-standard fonts, Khmer was typed from left to right, in the same order that characters are printed. With Unicode, Khmer is typed in the order that letters are pronounced (different), which requires an "intelligent behavior" from the system or word processor. New font formats (OpenType, ATT) permit the coding of this "intelligent behavior" inside the fonts, allowing them to be used in standard systems, without having to develop much specific code for them. A standard for Khmer OpenType (developed by Microsoft) and some OpenType fonts for Khmer already exist, codifying all the necessary information. Most of these fonts are proprietary. The KhmerOS initiative has already produced licensed as Open Source a full Unicode OpenType font family, in order to allow for the development of OpenSource software that interprets Khmer fonts. The project is presently working on improving this font, hinting it, so that it can be used as a system font, visible in very small sizes. Please see the status and download pages for news on fonts produced by the KhmerOS initiative or other sources. A full set of fonts has to be bought or developed and licensed as Open Source, it has to include basic (very clear) fonts to be used in menus and other parts of the user interface, as well as other fonts in which the artistic side is more important, to be used in documents and design. The set of fonts has to be an improvement on the non-standard sets used now to do Khmer text processing in English-language based computers, so that fonts are not a barrier in the deployment and acceptance of the system (reducing the cost of change for users who already type Khmer in other systems). Fonts are a particularly important part of this project, as they can add value that other systems may not have. The richness in fonts of the Macintosh system turned Apple in the 1990s into an industry reference for publishing, owning a lot of its merit is to enormous variety of fonts. The sets of fonts developed will have to cover very different needs. Some of these fonts will be bought, some will be developed and some will be adapted to Unicode and OpenType, re-using efforts made earlier by font developers, computer manufacturers and scholars:

• Fonts for computer screens. Very clear fonts that are easy to see in a computer screen, even at a very small size. This fonts will be used to translate system and application messages. A full family of fonts is necessary (normal, bold, cursive, cursive-bold). The fonts need to be well “hinted” for their use in small text. We actively working on this font at the moment.
• Fonts for word processing. These fonts must include traditional Khmer fonts, old style fonts (ancient scripts), fonts for signs (Mul), square fonts (Chrun), handwriting fonts and newer (fancier) typefaces.
• Fonts for designers. Present fonts are not well fitted for design, aesthetically as well as technically. New designer fonts must be developed, assuring that they can be used and “bended” on the ways designers have to. Styles from western and far-eastern countries should be considered when designing these fonts.
• The full list of fonts should include:
• Representation of historical texts in their original style.
  • Brahmi script (1st to 5th centuries) (1 model).
  • Khmer ancient pre-Angkor script (6th to 9th century) (1 model).
  • Khmer ancient Angkor script (10th to 13th century) (3 models).
  • Post-Angkor Khmer Script (14th to 19th century) (many models).
• System fonts (to be used mostly in computer screens).
  • A full family: normal, bold, cursive, cursive-bold. Letters, forms, etc. (modern Khmer fonts).
  • Fonts for Signs (Mul).
  • Square fonts. (Chrun).
  • Handwritten script.
• Design
  • Fancy typefaces based in Khmer, European and Chinese/Japanese calligraphy.

The fonts for this project must conform to industry standards, and use advance typographical formats that are well prepared for Indic scripts such as Khmer. Both Microsoft and Apple have such formats (OpenType for Microsoft and ATT for Apple). The fonts must also use the Unicode standard. A number of these fonts (15) are already available in OpenType format, but they are copyrighted. Part of these project would be to try to buy them and license them as Open Source. In total the initiative should buy or produce at least 50 Open Source fonts or variants. Om Mony, Cambodias pioneer typographer, also makes Unicode fonts available through his www.camboday.com website. In 2007 we are planning to create new fonts, incresing the interest of changing to Unicode. Check our status and download pages for updates.