Ron,

> When I drag a TTF file onto Squeak's window, it opens a file
> containing a lot of weird text, i.e. the contents of the font file.
> If there's a way to install it, it's not obvious.

  What version of Squeak are you using?  Squeak 3.8 gamma is good.

> OK, that offers a button Install TTF or something like that, and
> seems to have done something ...
> 
> But now the text appears
>   a) more bold than in actual TTF -- it's outlined in black?
>      How can I make it not be outlined?

  What font did you load?

  It doesn't outlining or anything by default.

  If you install the family of fonts (ARIALN.TTF, ARIALNB.TTF,
ARIALNBI.TTF, and ARIALNI.TTF, for instances), Squeak does the "right
thing".  It may have been a bold font.

>   b) all the tall ascenders and descenders are cropped off.
>      How can I get the whole font in there?

  How are you using it?

  Can you send a screenshot? (and how to reproduce it?)

> Is there someplace I should be reading about all this, instead of
> asking questions?

  Asking questions would be better.  Otherwise, the mailing list
archive(s) and the the image itself would be what to read.

> www.XProgramming.com

  Preparing upfront detailed documents sounds like a violation of
YAGNI principle^^;

-- Yoshiki