Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!uwvax!oddjob!mimsy!dftsrv!ames!vsi1!altnet!uunet!ateng!chip From: chip@ateng.ateng.com (Chip Salzenberg) Newsgroups: comp.text Subject: Re: Definition of Point Message-ID: <1988Oct14.112317.27149@ateng.ateng.com> Date: 14 Oct 88 15:23:16 GMT References: <2610015@hpsal2.HP.COM> <4036@boulder.Colorado.EDU> Organization: A T Engineering, Tampa, FL Lines: 18 According to wu@spot.Colorado.EDU (WU SHI-KUEI): >In article <2610015@hpsal2.HP.COM> morrell@hpsal2.HP.COM (Michael Morrell) writes: >>Does anyone know the exact definition of "point" (as in a 12-point font)? > >In "The ABC's of TYPOGRAPHY", the author writes: > "...There are approximately 72 points to an inch. One point > equals .0138 inch, which is close enough to 1/72 inch for the > kinds of calculations we will be doing." Fine, for ballpark calculations. However, I know of at least one typesetter that actually produced *severely* misaligned text because the programmer ass_u_med that 1/72 inch was "close enough." Be exact. You'll regret it later if you aren't. -- Chip Salzenberg or A T Engineering Me? Speak for my company? Surely you jest! Beware of programmers carrying screwdrivers.