Basic README

README.md

@@ -1,2 +1,28 @@
-# ClassicMacTypography
-Tools and data for studying classic (1980s) Macintosh bitmap typography
+#Classic Macintosh Bitmap Typography
+
+This is a small set of Objective-C classes that can be used for parsing font data from the original Macintosh,
+and for simple rendering of bitmap text using those fonts. 
+
+This work formed the basis of [the article here](https://medium.com/@bzotto/hidden-sheep-and-mac-typography-archaeology-efce770da76c).
+
+The `BitmapFont` class does the parsing into a usable object, and `SimpleBitmapRenderer` can use that to put some text on a canvas.
+
+*NB*: This code is reasonably durable but was create to facilitate an academic exercise. 
+It was not designed or written with performance or security concerns in mind, and if 
+you want to use it for anything other than hacking on, please revise it accordingly.
+
+###Usage
+
+	// Load FONT resource containing Chicago:
+	NSData * data = [NSData dataWithContentsOfFile:@"00012"]; 
+	BitmapFont * font = [BitmapFont fontFromResourceData:data withResourceIdString:@"00012"];
+
+	// Create a renderer
+	SimpleBitmapRenderer * renderer = [[SimpleBitmapRenderer alloc] initWithSize:UIntSizeMake(300, 200)];
+
+	// Write some text
+	NSString * text = @"Hello.";
+	[renderer renderString:text.macRomanString atOrigin:UIntPointMake(20, 20)];
+
+	// Get a PNG out of it
+	NSData * pngData = [renderer bitmapImageAsPNGDataWithScale:15 showingGrid:YES];