The blog post explores the possibility of High Dynamic Range (HDR) emoji. The author notes that while emoji are widely supported, the current specification lacks the color depth and brightness capabilities of HDR, limiting their visual richness. They propose leveraging existing color formats like HDR10 and Dolby Vision, already prevalent in video content, to enhance emoji expression and vibrancy, especially in dark mode. The post also suggests encoding HDR emoji using the relatively small HEIF image format, offering a balance between image quality and file size. While acknowledging potential implementation challenges and the need for updated rendering engines, the author believes HDR emoji could significantly improve visual communication.
The blog post explores encoding arbitrary data within seemingly innocuous emojis. By exploiting the variation selectors and zero-width joiners in Unicode, the author demonstrates how to embed invisible data into an emoji sequence. This hidden data can be later extracted by specifically looking for these normally unseen characters. While seemingly a novelty, the author highlights potential security implications, suggesting possibilities like bypassing filters or exfiltrating data subtly. This hidden channel could be used in scenarios where visible communication is restricted or monitored.
Several Hacker News commenters express skepticism about the practicality of the emoji data smuggling technique described in the article. They point out the significant overhead and inefficiency introduced by the encoding scheme, making it impractical for any substantial data transfer. Some suggest that simpler methods like steganography within image files would be far more efficient. Others question the real-world applications, arguing that such a convoluted method would likely be easily detected by any monitoring system looking for unusual patterns. A few commenters note the cleverness of the technique from a theoretical perspective, while acknowledging its limited usefulness in practice. One commenter raises a concern about the potential abuse of such techniques for bypassing content filters or censorship.
Some websites display boxes instead of flag emojis in Chrome on Windows due to a font substitution issue. Windows uses its own Segoe UI Emoji font for most emoji, but defaults to a lower-quality bitmap font called "Segoe UI Symbol" specifically for flag emojis. This bitmap font lacks the necessary glyphs for many flag combinations, resulting in the missing emoji. Websites can force Chrome to use the correct, vector-based Segoe UI Emoji font by explicitly specifying it in their CSS, ensuring flags render properly.
Commenters on Hacker News largely discuss the technical details behind the issue, focusing on the surprising interaction between Chrome, Windows, and the specific way flags are rendered using two combined code points. Several point out the complexity and unexpected behaviors that arise from combining characters, particularly when dealing with different systems and fonts. Some users express frustration with the inconsistency and lack of clear documentation around emoji rendering. A few commenters offer potential workarounds or solutions, including using a fallback font or pre-rendering the flags as images. Others delve into the history and evolution of emoji standards and the challenges of maintaining compatibility across platforms. A compelling comment thread explores the tradeoffs between using the combined code points for flags versus using dedicated single code points, highlighting the performance implications and rendering complexities. Another interesting discussion revolves around the role of fonts and the challenges of designing fonts that support a rapidly expanding set of emojis.
Teemoji is a command-line tool that enhances the output of other command-line programs by replacing matching words with emojis. It works by reading standard input and looking up words in a configurable emoji mapping file. If a match is found, the word is replaced with the corresponding emoji in the output. Teemoji aims to add a touch of visual flair to otherwise plain text output, making it more engaging and potentially easier to parse at a glance. The tool is written in Go and can be easily installed and configured using a simple YAML configuration file.
HN users generally found the Teemoji project amusing and appreciated its lighthearted nature. Some found it genuinely useful for visualizing data streams in terminals, particularly for debugging or monitoring purposes. A few commenters pointed out potential issues, such as performance concerns with larger inputs and the limitations of emoji representation for complex data. Others suggested improvements, like adding color support beyond the inherent emoji colors or allowing custom emoji mappings. Overall, the reaction was positive, with many acknowledging its niche appeal and expressing interest in trying it out.
Summary of Comments ( 11 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43717606
Hacker News users discussed the technical challenges and potential benefits of HDR emoji. Some questioned the practicality, citing the limited support for HDR across devices and platforms, and the minimal visual impact on small emoji. Others pointed out potential issues with color accuracy and the increased file sizes of HDR images. However, some expressed enthusiasm for the possibility of more vibrant and nuanced emoji, especially in messaging apps that already support HDR images. The discussion also touched on the artistic considerations of designing HDR emoji, and the need for careful implementation to avoid overly bright or distracting results. Several commenters highlighted the fact that Apple already utilizes a wide color gamut for emoji, suggesting the actual benefit of true HDR might be less significant than perceived.
The Hacker News post "HDR‑Infused Emoji" discussing the blog post about HDR emoji generated a moderate amount of discussion, with several commenters exploring various aspects of the topic.
Some users questioned the practical value and necessity of HDR emoji, particularly given the small display size and limited dynamic range of most devices where emoji are commonly viewed. One commenter pointed out the irony of using HDR in such a small format, suggesting it's akin to "HDR for ants." Another user questioned whether the perceived benefits would be noticeable at all, especially on devices not equipped with HDR displays.
Others expressed skepticism about the technical implementation and potential compatibility issues. Concerns were raised about the increased file sizes of HDR emoji and the potential impact on performance and bandwidth usage. One commenter highlighted the lack of widespread adoption of HDR across platforms, raising doubts about the practicality of the technology for emoji. Another user suggested that the extra data required for HDR might negate the benefits of small emoji file sizes.
Several commenters discussed the existing challenges with emoji rendering and consistency across different platforms. One user noted the already-existing issues with emoji variation and how HDR could potentially exacerbate these problems. Another pointed out that improving the basic rendering and consistency of emoji across platforms should be prioritized over adding features like HDR.
A few commenters explored the potential future applications of HDR emoji, suggesting that they could be useful in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) environments. One commenter speculated about potential applications in messaging apps like iMessage, though acknowledged the current technical limitations. Another suggested the potential for animated stickers with HDR, potentially opening up new avenues for creative expression.
There was also a brief discussion about the technical details of HDR, with one user explaining the limitations of the Rec. 2020 color space. Another comment offered insights into the RGB nature of emoji and the potential complexities of applying HDR to them.
Finally, some users expressed general disinterest or amusement at the concept, with one commenter sarcastically suggesting "HDR toast notifications" as the next logical step. Another user simply stated, "This is absurd," reflecting a sentiment shared by some regarding the practicality of HDR emoji.