csw@ulysses.UUCP.UUCP (05/11/86)
I did not see the early discussions about PostScript so forgive me
if this has been hashed out already.
In the Proceedings of the 1982 Electronic Publishing in the 80's
conference, There is an article about the Mergenthaler Omnitech
laser typesetter family. In it, the author (Walter Hansen)
states that their typesetters feature "an outlined font character
storage system that generates all sizes of characters from 4-1/2
point to 127-1/2 point from a single size master font set". He
goes on to say that "one compact master produces up to 246 sizes
from 4-1/2 to 127-1/2 point. Software smoothing techniques are
used to assure aesthetic appearance on each character [...]
Electronic slanting of seven degrees and fourteen degrees either
forward or backward expands the variety of character forms
available..."
What I want to know is whether this was the first instance of a
single master font being used to produce a variety of font sizes.
I had assumed that Adobe's font system was somehow unique but
clearly it is not. If the technology has been around for a number
of years, why are printers still being produced which rely upon
prerasterized fonts?
I realize there are those who will say that you cannot get decent
quality output using this method but the folks at Merganthaler
obviously disagree, at least at 1000 d.p.i.
Also, does anyone know why they only offered 7 and 14 degrees of
slant? Was there some problem with providing a more versatile
graphics transformation method?
Chris Warth
ulysses!csw
P.S. Anyone know when or where the next Electronic Publishing in
the 80's conference will be held?GUENTHER@WSUVM1.BITNET.UUCP (05/20/86)
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From: ulysses!csw@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Chris Warth)
Message-Id: <8605102117.AA09625@ulysses.UUCP>
To: laser-lovers@washington.arpa
Subject: Fonts on Merganthaler
ReSent-Date: Thu 15 May 86 18:55:24-PDT
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Compugraphics, like Merganthaler, creates characters 4pt to 127.5pt range
using one master (which is designed at 64pt). They also use some sort of
smoothing mechanism (hardware or software I don't know) to get their
1300dpi fonts.
Dean Guenther
Washington State University
Pullman Wa 99164-1220
509-335-0411
BITNET: GUENTHER AT WSUVM1