superior numerals

[Allin Cottrell]

On Tue, 7 Jul 1998, Thierry Bouche wrote:

> i meant: if you want ligning figures, then you should prefer
> ligning lower cases (i.e. small caps). Just to point out the
> absurdity of what you were saying. 

Hmmm.  I don't think this is so absurd.  In non-mathematical
text (and even in elementary mathematical text, without
algebraical superscripts), the only glyphs to appear in superior
position will be numerals, so no inconsistency arises, while the
little lining numerals (which are placed lower than a default
tex superscript) fit nicely between the lines, even with tight
leading.

> yes, i understood that. I guess that people on this list will
> tell you to use fonts with optical scaling... 

That would be nice, of course, but none of the (non-CMR) fonts 
that I like to use offer this.  But that's another virtue of
the superior numerals ;^) -- one is using them at their design
size, rather than ending up with spindly scaled-down OsFs in
superscript mode.

Allin Cottrell
Department of Economics
Wake Forest University, NC