Add information about character set facilities

2 files changed, 9 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 949d828a..10dff2e6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ Rather strange, most likely:
 
 For longer samples, you can [gaze into the abyss](src/c.bqn) that is the self-hosted compiler, or the [shallower but wider abyss](src/r.bqn) of the runtime, or take a look at the friendlier [markdown processor](md.bqn) used to format and highlight documentation files. There are also [some translations](examples/fifty.bqn) from ["A History of APL in 50 Functions"](https://www.jsoftware.com/papers/50/) here.
 
+## How do I work with the character set?
+
+I enter the special characters using a backslash prefix, so that, for example, `\z` is translated to `⥊` (the backslash character itself is not used by BQN). The online REPL supports this method out of the box, and this repository also has [scripts](https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/tree/master/editors) to support it, along with the standard syntax highlighting and indentation, in Vim and [Kakoune](https://kakoune.org/). When starting out, it may be easier to use the bar above the REPL: hover over a character to see a short description, and click to insert it into the editor. Finally, on Linux [this configuration file](https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/editors/bqn) for [XKB](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_keyboard_extension) can be used to allow typing glyphs with a modifier key system-wide.
+
+Few existing monospace fonts support all the BQN characters (double-struck letters like `𝕩` are a particular sticking point), which can cause these characters to be rendered with a fallback font and have the wrong width or look inconsistent. Two fonts modified to support BQN are available currently. This site uses a [modified DejaVu Sans Mono](https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/docs/DejaVuBQNSansMono.ttf), and another, more playful option is [BQN386](https://github.com/dzaima/BQN386), based on [APL386](https://abrudz.github.io/APL386/).
+
 ## How do I get started?
 
 Read the [documentation](doc/README.md)!
diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index 0f1eb360..11cee23a 100644
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@
 </span>144
 </pre>
 <p>For longer samples, you can <a href="https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/src/c.bqn">gaze into the abyss</a> that is the self-hosted compiler, or the <a href="https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/src/r.bqn">shallower but wider abyss</a> of the runtime, or take a look at the friendlier <a href="https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/md.bqn">markdown processor</a> used to format and highlight documentation files. There are also <a href="https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/examples/fifty.bqn">some translations</a> from <a href="https://www.jsoftware.com/papers/50/">&quot;A History of APL in 50 Functions&quot;</a> here.</p>
+<h2 id="how-do-i-work-with-the-character-set">How do I work with the character set?</h2>
+<p>I enter the special characters using a backslash prefix, so that, for example, <code><span class='Value'>\z</span></code> is translated to <code><span class='Function'>⥊</span></code> (the backslash character itself is not used by BQN). The online REPL supports this method out of the box, and this repository also has <a href="https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/tree/master/editors">scripts</a> to support it, along with the standard syntax highlighting and indentation, in Vim and <a href="https://kakoune.org/">Kakoune</a>. When starting out, it may be easier to use the bar above the REPL: hover over a character to see a short description, and click to insert it into the editor. Finally, on Linux <a href="https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/editors/bqn">this configuration file</a> for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_keyboard_extension">XKB</a> can be used to allow typing glyphs with a modifier key system-wide.</p>
+<p>Few existing monospace fonts support all the BQN characters (double-struck letters like <code><span class='Value'>𝕩</span></code> are a particular sticking point), which can cause these characters to be rendered with a fallback font and have the wrong width or look inconsistent. Two fonts modified to support BQN are available currently. This site uses a <a href="https://github.com/mlochbaum/BQN/blob/master/docs/DejaVuBQNSansMono.ttf">modified DejaVu Sans Mono</a>, and another, more playful option is <a href="https://github.com/dzaima/BQN386">BQN386</a>, based on <a href="https://abrudz.github.io/APL386/">APL386</a>.</p>
 <h2 id="how-do-i-get-started">How do I get started?</h2>
 <p>Read the <a href="doc/index.html">documentation</a>!</p>
 <p>BQN documentation is currently written primarily for array programmers and is not comprehensive, with aspects of the language that are shared with APL poorly documented. If you're not an array programmer, it would probably be better to start with another language, or wait a few weeks. But if you're a serious language enthusiast, the <a href="spec/index.html">specification</a> is fairly complete and might be enough to fill the gaps in the documentation.</p>