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  • 21 Posts
  • 163 Comments
Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: October 20th, 2023

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  • […] You can see how this would start to struggle even with high school level maths, with bracketed terms and possibly fractional terms in exponents, integrals, etc.

    For example, it is very difficult for me to work out the difference between the following three in typst. That is specifically not what you want from a typesetting language.

    1/2(x + y)
    1/x(x + y)
    1/2^x(x + y)
    

    […]

    I think these are valid complaints. For clarity, this is the output that I found for each:

    1. [1]
    2. [2]
    3. [3]

    I was surprised by the second; I expected it to produce [6]. I didn’t know what to expect for the third.

    I tried searching through the documentation [4], but I was unable to find any information that exactly defined expressions [5], and how they are grouped within the fraction when juxtaposed like in your examples.

    References
    1. Type: Anecdote. Published: 2026-03-19T07:20Z.
      • echo "#set page(width: auto, height: auto, margin: 0pt); $ 1/2(x + y) $" | typst compile - o.png
        
    2. Type: Anecdote. Published: 2026-03-19T07:20Z.
      • echo "#set page(width: auto, height: auto, margin: 0pt); $ 1/x(x + y) $" | typst compile - o.png
        
    3. Type: Anecdote. Published: 2026-03-19T07:20Z.
      • echo "#set page(width: auto, height: auto, margin: 0pt); $ 1/2^x(x + y) $" | typst compile - o.png
        
    4. Type: Webpage. Title: “typst Documentation”. Publisher: “Typst”. Accessed: 2026-03-19T07:25Z. URI: https://typst.app/docs/.
    5. Type: Text. Publisher: [Type: Webpage. Publisher: “Typst”. Title: “frac”. URI: https://typst.app/docs/reference/math/frac/.]. Accessed: 2026-03-19T07:26Z. Location: §“Syntax”.
      • […] Use a slash to turn neighbouring expressions into a fraction. […]

        • The quote mentions that the components within the fraction are called expressions.
    6. Type: Anecdote. Published: 2026-03-19T07:39Z.
      • echo "#set page(width: auto, height: auto, margin: 0pt); $ 1/x (x + y) $" | typst compile - o.png
        

  • […] \frac{n(n+1)}{2} in latex turns into (n(n + 1)) / 2 in typst […]

    Note that one can also write that as frac(n(n+1), 2) [1][4].

    References
    1. Type: Webpage. Title: “frac”. Publisher: “Typst”. Location: “Documentation”>“Reference”>“Math”>“Fraction”. Location (URI): https://typst.app/docs/reference/math/frac/. Accessed: 2026-03-18T05:34Z.
    2. Type: Anecdote. Published: 2026-03-19T07:51Z.
      • echo "#set page(width: auto, height: auto, margin: 0pt); $ (n(n + 1)) / 2 $" | typst compile - o.png
        
    3. Type: Anecdote. Published: 2026-03-19T07:51Z.
      • echo "#set page(width: auto, height: auto, margin: 0pt); $ frac(n(n+1), 2) $" | typst compile - o.png
        
    4. Type: Meta. Published: 2026-03-19T07:53Z.
      • Both (n(n + 1)) / 2, and frac(n(n+1), 2) result in in Typst [2][3]

  • […] For example, \frac{n(n+1)}{2} in latex turns into (n(n + 1)) / 2 in typst. The typst code is incredibly unclear - the first set of brackets with the slash together actually form the fraction operator, so neither end up visible. […]

    IMO, it’s only unclear if one isn’t familiar with the syntax — I think the documentation states the behaviour clearly:

    […] Multiple atoms can be grouped into a single expression using round grouping parentheses. Such parentheses are removed from the output, but you can nest multiple to force them. [1]

    This isn’t in defense of Typist’s syntax, but I challenge you to show the uninitiated your example LaTeX expression, \frac{n(n+1)}{2}, and see if they are able to accurately parse it.

    References
    1. Type: Text. Publisher: [Type: Webpage. Title: “frac”. Publisher: “Typst”. Location: “Documentation”>“Reference”>“Math”>“Fraction”. Location (URI): https://typst.app/docs/reference/math/frac/.]. Accessed: 2026-03-18T05:34Z. Location: §“Syntax”.


  • I don’t know what Typst’s custom font support was like in the past, but, currently [1], Typst does allow the usage of custom fonts:

    • The Typst CLI can use installed system fonts [1.2].
    • The Typst CLI can be passed directories that should be scanned for fonts through the --font-path argument or the TYPST_FONT_PATHS environment variable [1.3].
    • Fonts can also be uploaded directly to the web app [1.1].
    References
    1. Type: Text. Publisher: [Type: Webpage. Title: “text”. URI: https://typst.app/docs/reference/text/text/#parameters-font. Publisher: “Typst”. Location: “Reference”>“Text”>“Text”]. Accessed: 2026-03-19T04:32Z. Location: §“Parameters”>§“font”>¶4.
      1. In the web app, […] You can provide additional fonts by uploading .ttf or .otf files into your project. […]

      2. Locally, [in the CLI,] Typst uses your installed system fonts […]

      3. Locally, […] in the CLI, […] you can use the --font-path argument or TYPST_FONT_PATHS environment variable to add directories that should be scanned for fonts.












  • Hm, I’ve come across a number of statements that the GPL isn’t well suited to hardware [1][2][3], but I’m not well enough versed in IP law to be confident in my understanding or the soundness of their rationale. Directly from the GNU Operating System:

    Any material that can be copyrighted can be licensed under the GPL. GPLv3 can also be used to license materials covered by other copyright-like laws, such as semiconductor masks. So, as an example, you can release a drawing of a physical object or circuit under the GPL.

    In many situations, copyright does not cover making physical hardware from a drawing. In these situations, your license for the drawing simply can’t exert any control over making or selling physical hardware, regardless of the license you use. When copyright does cover making hardware, for instance with IC masks, the GPL handles that case in a useful way. [4]

    I’m not really sure.

    References
    1. Type: Comment. Author: “K900_” (“u/K900_”). Publisher: [Type: Post. Title: “Can everything be GPL”. Author: “cyfyff” (“u/cyfyff”). Publisher: [“Reddit”. “r/linux”]. Published: 2019-05-29T04:50:43.079Z. URI: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/buaffg/can_everything_be_gpl/.]. Published: 2019-05-29T04:53:55.513Z. Accessed: 2025-09-04T22:37Z. URI: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/buaffg/comment/ep97hmd/.

      […] The GPL is also a terrible license for hardware IP (see Intel/ARM), for many reasons […]

    2. Type: Comment. Author: “bobc”. Publisher: [Type: Post. Title: “Using the (L)GPL as an open-source hardware license?”. Author: “mondalaci”. Publisher: “KiCad INFO”. Published: 2015-12-23T18:41:37Z. URI: https://forum.kicad.info/t/using-the-l-gpl-as-an-open-source-hardware-license/1925/1.]. Published: 2015-12-23T10:05:03.944Z. Accessed: 2025-09-04T22:42Z. URI: https://forum.kicad.info/t/using-the-l-gpl-as-an-open-source-hardware-license/1925/2.

      […] In a nutshell, GPL (and all other software licenses) rely on software being something that can be subject to copyright. In general hardware can not be copyrighted, because copyright is only granted to creative or artistic works, but with some weird exceptions like software, IC masks, yacht designs (!). “Useful articles or utility works” are not generally subject to copyright, but some powerful industrial lobbies got some concessions, as otherwise a software “work” would not be protected under IP laws, although specific software algorithms can be patented. […] tldr; use GPL or LGPL, CC-BY-SA, MIT, etc as you like, as a statement of intent, but realise they have little legal teeth. Other OSHW oriented licenses are equally ineffective to protect or control the use of electronic or hardware designs.

    3. Type: Post. Title: “Using GPL for hardware is a bad idea”. Author: "BeagleFury ". Publisher: “RepRap”. Published: 2010-03-29T1500. Accessed: 2025-09-04T22:46Z. URI: https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?33,40874.

      […] This in my opinion is a critical flaw… If you want the hardware to be open, first and foremost, you need a license that actually covers hardware. I’m not sure why do people cling to GPL when it does not cover hardware components, (If you search for GPL hardware, one of the top items will be Richard Stahlman saying this same thing – GPL and hardware do not make sense.) […]

    4. Type: Webpage>Text. Title: “Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU Licenses”. Publisher: “GNU Operating System”. Accessed: 2025-09-04T22:51Z. URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#GPLHardware. Location: §“Can I use the GPL to license hardware?”.