Peter Karow – författare

Seit der Erfindung des Buchdruckes wurden Schriften und die Entwicklung der Schriftformen wesentlich von der Technologie gepr{gt. Durch die Einbeziehungvon Computern bei der Herstellung von Gedrucktem wurde es erforderlich, Buchstaben in digitaler Form verf}gbar zu machen. "Dieses Buch wendet sich gleicherma~en an die Techniker wie auch an die Schriftanwender in den verschiedenen Bereichen. Es ist mehr als nur ein Instruktionsbuch; denn es ber}hrt eine Reihe neuer Gebiete der digitalen Aufbereitung von Schriften" (aus dem Vorwort von Herrmann Zapf). In seinem Buch zeichnet Peter Karow, der Mitbegr}nder des weltweit gr|~ten Software-Hauses f}r digitale Schriften (URW, Hamburg), zun{chst diese rasante Entwicklung der letzten Jahre nach, nicht ohne dabei die wesentlichen Grundlagen derallgemeinen Typografie darzustellen. Er beschreibt den aktuellen Stand der Technik bei der Digitalisierung und Speicherung von Schriften, von der Erzeugung einer Datenbasis }ber Soft-Scanning, bis zur systematischen Speicherung und Codierung der Schriften. Die elektronischen Formate der Schriften (PostScript, TrueType etc.) werden erkl{rt, ihre Eigenschaften diskutiert und die Herstellungsaufw{nde angegeben.

"Ein auf einem Chip gespeichertes Alphabet von hoher digitaler Genauigkeit und Formqualit{t wird uns dann helfen, }ber die hohe Qualit{t der Gutenbergschen Druckkunst als Standard zu verf}gen." Wir wissen heute, da~ diese von Hermann Zapf 1986 getroffene Aussage in naher Zukunft wahr wird. "Schrifttechnologie" von Peter Karow befa~t sich mit der Qualit{t von Formen und Satz digitaler Alphabete. Folgen der Geschichte und Aspekte der Lesbarkeit werden untersucht, Fragen des Copyrights ber}hrt und eine Markt}bersicht gegeben. In vielerlei Hinsicht gibt dieses Buch eine Antwort auf Fragen zum Thema Schrift, ihre Herstellung und Verarbeitung. "Schrifttechnologie" macht deutlich, da~ - allen Unkenrufen zum Trotz - die Computer Schrift und Satz befl}geln k|nnen.

Summary his book was written primarily for people who intend or wish to develop new machines for the output of typefaces. It is practical to categorize equipment into three groups for which digital alphabets are required - 1) display devices, 2) typesetting machines and 3) numerically controlled (NC) machines. Until now, development of typefaces has been overly dependent upon the design of the respective machine on which it was to be used. This need not be the case. Digitization of type should be undertaken in two steps: the preparation of a database using hand-digitization, and the subsequent automatic generation of machine formats by soft­ scanning, through the use of a computer-based program. Digital formats for typefaces are ideally suited to system­ atic ordering, as are coding techniques. In this volume, various formats are investigated, their properties discussed and rela­ tive production requirements analyzed. Appendices provide readers additional information, largely on digital formats for typeface storage introduced by the IKARUS system. This book was composed in Latino type, developed by Hermann Zapf from his Melior for URW in 1990. Compo­ sition was accomplished on a Linotronic 300, as well as on an Agfa 9400 typesetter using PostScript. v Preface Preface his book was brought out by URW Publishers in 1986 with the title «Digital Formats for Typefaces;). It was translated into English in 1987, Japanese in 1989 and French in 1991.

Summary his book was written primarily for people who intend or wish to develop new machines for the output of typefaces. It is practical to categorize equipment into three groups for which digital alphabets are required - 1) display devices, 2) typesetting machines and 3) numerically controlled (NC) machines. Until now, development of typefaces has been overly dependent upon the design of the respective machine on which it was to be used. This need not be the case. Digitization of type should be undertaken in two steps: the preparation of a database using hand-digitization, and the subsequent automatic generation of machine formats by soft­ scanning, through the use of a computer-based program. Digital formats for typefaces are ideally suited to system­ atic ordering, as are coding techniques. In this volume, various formats are investigated, their properties discussed and rela­ tive production requirements analyzed. Appendices provide readers additional information, largely on digital formats for typeface storage introduced by the IKARUS system. This book was composed in Latino type, developed by Hermann Zapf from his Melior for URW in 1990. Compo­ sition was accomplished on a Linotronic 300, as well as on an Agfa 9400 typesetter using PostScript. v Preface Preface his book was brought out by URW Publishers in 1986 with the title «Digital Formats for Typefaces;). It was translated into English in 1987, Japanese in 1989 and French in 1991.

Computers have changed typography and prepress as well as printing. Typefaces are manufactured by "digital punch cutters" with a PC, not any more by punch cutters. Typefaces are constructed an output by a new technolgy, the so-called fonttechnology. The book by Peter Karow covers the whole area of it. It offers various chapters about (among others) issues like intelligent font scaling, kerning, quality of type, legibility, and problems of different output devices. It is interesting to read about Gutenberg setting, the font market, optical scaling, and last but not least a "hand on" Kanjhi, the Chinese/Japanese Glyphs. Furthermore, Fonttechnology contains a number of valuable and instructive appendices. Almost everything one has to know about type and computers!

Computers have changed typography and prepress as well as printing. Typefaces are manufactured by "digital punch cutters" with a PC, not any more by punch cutters. Typefaces are constructed an output by a new technolgy, the so-called fonttechnology. The book by Peter Karow covers the whole area of it. It offers various chapters about (among others) issues like intelligent font scaling, kerning, quality of type, legibility, and problems of different output devices. It is interesting to read about Gutenberg setting, the font market, optical scaling, and last but not least a "hand on" Kanjhi, the Chinese/Japanese Glyphs. Furthermore, Fonttechnology contains a number of valuable and instructive appendices. Almost everything one has to know about type and computers!