Volume 2–3.pdf

4
The gigo principle!
Garbage in typography?
Paul Doebler sounds an alarm
that should be heeded seriously
for, if the new technologies in
typography are not used effectively
and imaginatively, there
probably will be chaos in the
"word processed" future of typography.
Quality standards and taste
levels must be established first
for the new computer "marvels"
if they are ever to do the work of
typography. Economics and efficiency
factors are important
considerations, but they cannot
hold priority over qiiality if typography
is to be the final goal.
If this is to be otherwise, then let
these "marvels" do the work of
"typesetting" or "type-printouts"
and let this work be called by
these names. But without a concern
for art and aesthetics, let
it not be called "typography"
Unfortunately for most of us
who work with typography today,
the major problems are ones of
language and knowledge. We lack
control of these and are at a disadvantage.
Metal typesetting
machines are being replaced by
phototypesetting machines. In
letterspacing, the point system is
being replaced by the unit system.
Most people know what a point
looks like, but how many know
what a unit looks like?
This article, therefore, will
attempt to draw a simple line
from input to output — with some
stop-offs in between — in an effort
to fill in some of the gaps that
exist in the basic knowledge and
language that are required to understand
today's new typographic
technologies.
It is also intended to suggest to
the reader some of the enormous
opportunities and challenges
that await the creative user of
the new typographic technologies.
It is too brief to be called an
article. In fact, it is only an introduction.
But it is a start, nevertheless,
in U&lc's educational
efforts to ward off the gigo
possibility. — AARON BURNS
1.
NORMAL LETTERSPACE
+ 1 UNIT LETTERSPACE
+2 UNITS LETTERSPACE
1
+3 UNITS LETTERSPACE
2
NORMAL Hillbilly Schoolbook
-1 UNIT Hillbilly Schoolbook
-2 UNITS Hillbilly Schoolbook
-3 UNITS Hilbiy Sdloobock
3
NORMAL Yo, Te, LY, YA
KERNED 1 UNIT Yo, Te, LY, YA
KERNED 2 UNITS Yo, Te, LY, YA
4
Typeface mixing within a line
5
Typesize mixing within a line
Typeface and size mixing in a line
6
7
TOP ALIGNING
BOTTOM ALIGNING
Name
Packard
Edsel
Hupmobile
Kaiser
a
Color
Red
Yellow
Blue
Green
9
Price
5,000
2,000
3,950
1,000
111,111,:a1=11■11■11111111711 ■1=3.
WAMIIMIJIMMIN11017/512.11MINIM"
IIIMIP911E
111111IMMILM61■161 NV
Nine Capabilities for
Typographic Excellence
The typesetting machine features
portrayed in illustration 1 are
primary functions used by contemporary
phototypographers to create
typographic quality. The quality of
typography attainable from any given
phototypesetting machine varies
directly in proportion to how many of
these basic capabilities the machine
canprovide. The more of these features
provided, the greater the opportunity
to achieve good typography.
1. Units to the Em. Although the designer
works in picas and points, most
phototypesetting machines work in
units. The unit is a variable measurement,
based on the division of the em
(the square of the type size). In an 18unit
system, each unit is 1/18 em (or 1/18
of the type size being set). Both the line
length and the type being set are measurable
in units as well as in picas and
points. By adding up the unit value of the
characters it is possible for the machine
to determine when a line is ready to be
justified.
2. Letterspacing. The minimum and
maximum spacing that can be added between
letters by keyboard commands.
Expressed in units. A unit is the smallest
amount of letterspacing possible. The
following will give you an idea of how
much space this represents in points: if
setting 9-point type on an 18-unit system,
a unit would be 1/2 point; if setting 18point
type, a unit would be 1 point; if
setting 36-point type, a unit would be
2 points.
3. Minus Letterspacing. Also referred to
as automatic kerning or letter tightening.
The minimum and maximum amount of