JIT bitmap text rendering for microcontrollers

graphics modes were generally available on home computers, but they were typically lower resolution than text mode

On the Apple II, hi-res graphics were the same resolution as text. (280 x 192 IIRC)

and a 1MHz 6502 (or similar) was just not powerful enough

Definitely true. I used an Apple II library called “Higher Text” that rendered programmable bitmap fonts; it was pretty, and good for kiosk displays, but you could watch it drawing the words like the text was coming in over a 300-baud modem.

Also: the font format described in the article is pretty much identical to the “StrikeFonts” in Smalltalk-80.