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From: gary@darth.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.text
Subject: Re: Quality of TeX fonts
Message-ID: <186@darth.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 7-Mar-87 11:17:35 EST
Article-I.D.: darth.186
Posted: Sat Mar  7 11:17:35 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Mar-87 15:12:52 EST
References: <8176@watdaisy.UUCP> <648@lll-lcc.aRpA>
Reply-To: gary@darth.UUCP (Gary Wisniewski)
Organization: Darth Software, Allison Park, Pa. 15101
Lines: 41
Keywords: TeX, fonts
Summary: A love-hate relationship with amr/cmr

I have been using TeX for several years on a diverse set of output devices
ranging from Epson printers through APS-5 typesetters and I tend to agree
with the general perception that cmr / amr fonts are not the best.  These
sentiments have been echoed by many TUGboat (TeX User's Group) contribu-
tors and others who have a critical eye for such things.

If you happen to have a LaserWriter, TeX, and dvips from Textset in Ann
Arbor, try printing out the Textset dvips manual and turn to pages 14
and 15.  You can compare amr fonts at 300dpi with Adobe's Times Roman in
the LaserWriter.  Amr looks somewhat conservative---the serifs are stocky
and thick; the proportions not quite right.  On the other hand, the Times
Roman characters are open and slender, with fine complimentary serifs.

In the METAFONT book, Knuth says: "The characters you are reading ...
were developed hastily by the author of the system, who is a rank amateur
at such things."  Considering that Knuth designed a complete family of
compatible fonts, and didn't do too badly, perhaps he's being a bit hard
on himself.  Still, even he admits that the value of METAFONT is its
utility to top-notch typeface designers.

Unfortunately, METAFONT is a much more suitable companion for a
mathematician than for an artist of type design.  METAFONT provides no
interactive way to explore the subtle nuances of shape and relationship
and allow typefaces to evolve visually.  Instead, the type designer must
be constantly aware of the relationship of visual character forms to the
abstract mathematical declarations which generated them.

I believe the complexity of type design with METAFONT is the single largest
reason why we are stuck with amr / cmr.  Given METAFONT's capacity to
generalize font descriptions, so that entire families can be designed more
easily, it would be interesting to see what gems might be produced by
professional typeface designers using tools like METAFONT.

I still feel that TeX is the way to go, however.  I will soon be writing
and typesetting a book which will accompany a new product.  I'll probably
use TeX with Adobe fonts and have the camera-ready made from the PostScript
output.  Few tools provide the flexibility and control TeX does, providing
you have the patience.

Gary Wisniewski
uucp: {allegra, bellcore, cadre}!pitt!darth!gary