5 msΒ·
Show HN: I made an online Unicode Cuneiform digital clock
I got the idea to pay homage to the people who gave us base-60 time, and in the process discovered that Cuneiform is in Unicode.
- OisinMoran 1y agoIt seems that of all the numbers (needed here), the symbol for 20 (π) is the only one that doesn't render on Android. Very odd. It does seem to be the last used codepoint (U+12399) in the Cuneiform block (U+12000βU+123FF) and they seem to stop rendering from U+1236E (on Android) which leaves 43 symbols un-rendered. Anyone any idea why that might be? See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_(Unicode_block) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_(Unicode_block) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_Numbers_and_Punctuation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuneiform_Numbers_and_Punctuat... sent at ππ:ππ:ππ
- OisinMoran 1y agoOkay, in the interim I have a shipped a fix for Android (seems fine on an iPhone emulation) that uses two tens like so "ππ" (looks like <<) instead of one twenty "π" (also looks like << but a bit tighter). This is definitely one of the weirdest patches [0] I've ever doneβchanging how an ancient language is displayed based on the specific type of incomprehensibly advanced technology it's being displayed onβbut I guess that's what Sundays are for. [0] https://github.com/OisinMoran/OisinMoran.github.io/commit/1542819ecedd556e5b6b9331c1d10a0b755f4bce https://github.com/OisinMoran/OisinMoran.github.io/commit/15...
- ahazred8ta 1y agoCuneiform is still a wedge issue.
- thaumasiotes 1y agoWell, I can report that π isn't rendering on Windows 10 either. Your "sent at" renders fine. Whatever it is, it isn't specific to Android. I assume it's mostly down to fonts, but I don't know why a font would implement some of the cuneiform block without doing all of it.
- JdeBP 1y agoU+12399 was not an assigned code point until Unicode 8. The other code points were in Unicode 7.
- thangalin 1y agohttps://i.ibb.co/6RBrwZpz/firefox.png https://i.ibb.co/6RBrwZpz/firefox.png Firefox 139.0.4 on Arch Linux
- OisinMoran 1y agoI guess the Arch in Arch Linux isn't for archaeology then :(
- arp242 1y agoYou just don't have the required font.
- styanax 1y agoYou'll need to install the `noto-fonts` package to get NotoSansCuneiform-Regular.ttf (amongst others)l I'd recommend also installing `noto-fonts-cjk` to enhance your web experience.
- thangalin 1y agoCan't the web page embed the font?
- edent 1y agoBecause Google has mostly stopped updating the font stack on Android. See bug report https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/366415133 https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/366415133
- sonorous_sub 1y agoThe visual appeal is undeniable ;)
- OisinMoran 1y agoThank you! I am quite happy with how it turned out and looking at it now reminds me a bit of the clock in Lost when it turns to Egyptian Hieroglyphs.
- OisinMoran 1y agoIf you like weird clocks, I've got a collection of them here [0] which includes two others I've madeβthe QR Code Clock (probably my stupidest design of anything to date), and the vague clock (which is always correct and accurate but as it is just a single rotating "6" is only really legible at 6 and 9 o'clock) Currently working on my first physical one! [0] https://lynkmi.com/oisin/Clocks https://lynkmi.com/oisin/Clocks
- 29athrowaway 1y agoThis one is good https://github.com/BarkyTheDog/catclock https://github.com/BarkyTheDog/catclock
- voidUpdate 1y agoThe QR one is oddly pleasing to me for some reason. I kinda want to make an e-ink version that is just minutes and hours now
- OisinMoran 1y agoThank you! By all means, I'd love to see it. I actually have a programmable watch [0] that I want to put it on. And the ultimate goal is a non-screen-based hardware version of this. [0] https://watchy.sqfmi.com/ https://watchy.sqfmi.com/
- voidUpdate 1y agoThat sounds like this guy's mirrors https://www.smoothware.com/danny/ https://www.smoothware.com/danny/
- OisinMoran 1y agoOoh wow! I've seen one of these in the Microsoft HQ in Seattle and saw a video about the pom pom one but didn't know it was the same guy. And there's so many! Thank you, this is great.
- 1y ago
- hmdai 1y agoI absolutely love this, bonus: I can now read Cuneiform numbers, if I ever need that. Suggestion: You can potentially show the Cuneiform time in the url. sent at: π:ππ:ππ
- adornKey 1y agoInteresting, that it's all standard base-10. A Number system based on 12 could have been a good fit for a base-60 time. Babylonians/Sumerians invented base-60, and didn't have special characters for 10, 11 (and maybe 12)? Really?
- colejohnson66 1y agoThe Babylonian's base-60 is more a base-10x6. All math was indeed in base-60, but the writing used groupings of tens. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_cuneiform_numerals https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_cuneiform_numerals
- adornKey 1y agoGermanic languages have special words up to 12. So I'm really surprised that the Babylonians didn't have a special symbol for 12. Something like that would have been really nice for a clock.
- pulse7 1y agoJust by watching your clock for 1 minute I learned Cuneiform numbers! Thank you! :)
- furstenheim 1y agoSumertime! Great naming choice!!
- uncircle 1y agoNice! This makes me appreciate the improvement roman numerals had over cuneiform: that a symbol isnβt repeated more than three times so itβs easier to read at a glance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subitizing https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subitizing This is why VIII and IX are easier to parse than π and π (though grouping them by 5 does help)
- bobek 1y agoI always liked the esthetics of Wharton studio clocks. There is an OSS implementation at https://github.com/bobek/sdg_wharton_miniclock https://github.com/bobek/sdg_wharton_miniclock
- OisinMoran 1y agoOoh these are great! I think I just saw one of these somewhere recently and liked it, so it's great to have a name. Thank you!