What's a good FREE font for integral signs?

  • Thread starter Thread starter swampwiz
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Font Integral
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the search for a free font that includes aesthetically pleasing integral signs suitable for use in mathematics documents, particularly within OpenOffice. Participants explore the limitations of existing fonts and consider alternatives, including the potential use of LaTeX for better symbol representation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses dissatisfaction with the integral signs available in their current font set and seeks a free alternative that looks nice and includes a comprehensive set of integral symbols.
  • Another participant suggests evaluating the frequency of use to determine whether investing time in downloading and installing a LaTeX editor is worthwhile, arguing that it may be more efficient than testing multiple fonts.
  • A third participant provides a resource link to LaTeX symbol tables, indicating its usefulness for finding mathematical symbols.
  • A later reply questions the sharing requirements of nonstandard fonts when distributing OpenOffice documents or PDFs, highlighting concerns about font embedding.
  • One participant recommends switching to LibreOffice, criticizing OpenOffice for being outdated and suggesting that it may not be the best choice for current needs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best approach to obtaining suitable integral signs, with some advocating for LaTeX and others preferring to stick with OpenOffice. There are differing opinions on the practicality of using existing symbols versus investing time in new software.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of clarity on specific font recommendations and the varying definitions of what constitutes a "good" integral sign. The discussion also reflects differing levels of comfort and familiarity with LaTeX versus OpenOffice.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for users of OpenOffice or LibreOffice who are looking for better mathematical symbol options, as well as those considering the transition to LaTeX for more advanced typesetting needs.

swampwiz
Messages
567
Reaction score
83
I like use OpenOffice to do mathematics documents (yes, not as good as LaTex, but it's not as much of a hassle), but I find the fonts that I currently have don't have a good set of good-looking integral signs, so I looking for a FREE font that has a good set of such signs. A small search for symbol fonts has not uncovered such a good set (although I'd like the set to have at least the set as given here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integral_symbol

And of course, I'd like it to look nice. I already have Segoe UI Symbol, which has these symbols, but they don't look very nice.
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
You have to ask yourself the standard IT question: How often will I use it? Does it make sense to put effort in, and how much?

If the answer exceeds, say five times, then to download and install a tex-editor makes sense. It's really easy and should be doable within an hour or two (editor+libraries+template document). It is much more comfortable than ordinary word processors.

If the answer is less than five, then why would you do it? The existing symbols you already have will do for these few times.

I said standard question of IT, as it means: Shall I do it by foot or shall I write a program? Shall I search for a suitable sign (and test them over and over again) or shall I download a tex-editor. Now all my experiences in similar cases say: do it right, although it looks a bit long for the one actual example. However, the next slightly different case will come and you will restart the procedure. Latest at the third time you wished you had done it right in the first place. And to be honest, I think it's even faster than testing a lot of fonts. The good ones often cost you money anyway.
 
HelpLaTeX Symbol Tables(IE) - Mathematics - WikiEducator

Above is a list of LaTex symbols you can use. I use it all the time.
 
swampwiz said:
I like use OpenOffice
[snip]
so I looking for a FREE font that has a good set of such signs.

So, if you share your OpenOffice document (or create a pdf from it),
do you have to share the nonstandard font as well (or, for a pdf, embed the font in it)?
 
As a sidenote, I suggest to switch to LibreOffice.
OpenOffice is a dinosaur of a software, that hasn't been updated since over seven years.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Nik_2213

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
5K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K