{"id":18161,"date":"2026-06-10T21:32:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T01:32:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scruss.com\/blog\/?p=18161"},"modified":"2026-06-10T21:42:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T01:42:18","slug":"new-font-nic7pin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scruss.com\/blog\/2026\/06\/10\/new-font-nic7pin\/","title":{"rendered":"New font: nic7pin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A rendering of a 7-pin dot matrix font, as used by the Epson MX-70 reduced-cost printer from the mid-1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Fixed
note the complete lack of descenders<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
nic7pin-font.zip<\/a>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

(github mirror: scruss\/nic7pin: a 7-pin dot matrix font, as used by the Epson MX-70<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seiko Epson Corporation is named as \u201cson of EP-101<\/a>\u201d, for the world\u2019s first compact, lightweight digital printer. I\u2019m Scottish, and in Scots Gaelic \u201cson of\u201d is mac<\/em>. Unfortunately, that prefix has been co-opted by an overpriced computer vendor. In Gaelic, nic<\/em> means \u201cdaughter of\u201d, so as an oblique compliment to Epson, this font is named daughter of 7 pin<\/em>. It seemed like a good idea at the time \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coverage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ASCII.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Design Size<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 12 point design size is meant to reproduce 12 characters per inch horizontally, and six lines per inch vertically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While this font is produced entirely by one Python FontForge<\/a> script, the code is too ugly for you to look at. The included mx70.json<\/code> is likely more useful: it contains all of the pin definitions keyed by character name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Licence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u00a9 2026 – Stewart Russell, scruss.com with Reserved Font Name nic7pin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Font Software is licensed under the SIL Open Font Licence, Version 1.1. https:\/\/openfontlicense.org\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[I do not agree with SIL\u2019s missionary work in any way, and the use of this licence isn\u2019t an endorsement of SIL.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n