[comp.fonts] Need International Character fonts for MSWord 5.0 laser jet plus

dmw1@ra.MsState.Edu (David Wells) (10/05/90)

Where can we buy laser jet plus software fonts to use with Microsoft Word 5.0?

We need 8,10, and 12 pt fonts that have both the U.S. ascii and International

character sets (Roman 8).

clouds@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) (10/05/90)

Bitstream's downloadable fonts build several different character sets,
including USASCII and Roman-8. Call 800-522-3668 for a catalog, but
don't buy direct from Bitstream. PC Connection was selling the Font
Collections (three families, four weights each) for $129 as of about
a month ago (800-243-8088). IMHO, the Reports&Proposals collection is
the nicest--Activa (=Trump Mediaeval), Bitstream Amerigo (sort of like
Albertus), and Zapf Humanist (=Optima). You need to get the MS Word
installer kit--it should be free or minimal cost from Microsoft.

--Kathy

By the way, the PC Connection ad says $159, but they gave me a $30
refun on my order... some sort of promotion, maybe? Ask them when
you call.


==========================================================================
|  Kathy Strong               |  "Welcome to FUBAR Corp., where there's  |
|  (Clouds moving slowly)     |   never enough time to do a job right,   |
|  clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu  |   but always enough time to do it over." |
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koontz@cam.nist.gov (John E. Koontz X5180) (10/05/90)

In article <37920@ut-emx.uucp>, clouds@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) writes:
> Bitstream's downloadable fonts build several different character sets,
> including USASCII and Roman-8.  ...

In addition, Bitstream's outline fonts contain a range of exotic characters
for European languages that aren't in many standard US sets, and with, e.g.,
Softcraft's version of Fontware, it is possible to generate custom character
sets in downloadable formant in a wide range of point sizes.  I believe that
Bitstream's own version of Fontware doesn't allow custom character sets.  
Bitstream Fontware and their Dutch (Times Roman and Italic) and Swiss
(Helvetic) outlines have been available at nominal cost to new purchasers of
several of the major word processors recently, though I don't know if that
promotion is still in effect.  

Digi-Fonts is another product (non-Bitstream) that allows generation of 
custom international fonts in download format from outlines (non-Bitstream).
Their equivalent of Fontware allows arbitrary matching of characters and
diacritics, though the sets of diacritics and characters have some holes
in them, e.g., no edh, and no nasal hook (as in Polish).

For addresses and addition information, see the June 13, 1989 issue of
PC-Magazine (8.11).

++++++++

All recommendations are my own, not my employers.  I have some experience
with Softcraft's Fontware, but none with Digi-Fonts.

clouds@walt.cc.utexas.edu (Kathy Strong) (10/07/90)

In article <5241@alpha.cam.nist.gov> koontz@cam.nist.gov (John E. Koontz X5180) writes:
>
>Digi-Fonts is another product (non-Bitstream) that allows generation of 
>custom international fonts in download format from outlines (non-Bitstream).
>
My company ordered a Digi-fonts face (their equivalent to Eurostile). Their
catalog is exciting, showing HUNDREDS of faces--but we found the execution
to be below standard. Intercharacter spacing (which, as anyone who's tried
to digitize a font knows, is the hardest part to get right) was erratic, the
screen fonts were truly rotten, and the final product, printed on a HP Laser-
Jet II, was ragged beyond our tolerances, especially at smaller point sizes.

It's dangerous to generalize from one example, but I wouldn't spend a lot of
money on Digi-Fonts without testing one first to see if it meets your
standards.

--Kathy


==========================================================================
|  Kathy Strong               |  "Welcome to FUBAR Corp., where there's  |
|  (Clouds moving slowly)     |   never enough time to do a job right,   |
|  clouds@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu  |   but always enough time to do it over." |
==========================================================================