Peter Karow (born 11 November 1940) is a German entrepreneur, inventor and software developer. He holds several patents in the field of desktop publishing[1] and is known for his work on computer fonts. He contributed with several books and patents to the development of operating systems for computers. He is recognized as the inventor of outline computer fonts.[2][3][4]
Digitization of outlines for typefaces (1972) with Ikarus
Ikarus outlines
Digitizer 1972
Printouts of single characters in a height of approximately 10cm were digitized on a digitizer tablet of Aristo along their outlines, marking various points of support (beginning, corner, tangent and curve) with an accuracy of 1/100mm. This invention together with a newly developed structure for storing and encoding single characters inside a font made characters, but also any other graphical signs freely scalable for the computer and available for other mathematical operations.[5]
Calculation of the first typeface variations (1973)
Computer calculated variations 1973
After the output for plotters was programmed successfully - to make possible comparing digital output and original -, more software was developed to calculate first variations of fonts, for example italic, outlined and shaded typefaces.
Interpolation of typefaces (1973)
Interpolation of typefaces
automatic correction of electronic slanting
Software that enables to calculate interpolations and extrapolations between one light and one bold font version was than added and made it possible to create fonts such as ultra-light, semi-bold and extra bold variations. This invention drastically reduced time and effort for font manufacturers to create these intermediate fonts and was frequently used, particularly in Japan.
Text embroidery (1975)
In 1975, Peter Karow invented a software program for the company Gunold in Stockstadt, Germany, that made automatic stitching of embroidered text possible worldwide for the first time.
Calculation of bitmap fonts (rasterizing 1975)
calculation of bitmap fonts
Distortions through random rasterization
Controlled and optimal rasterization
In order to display characters by means of electronic devices such as electronic typesetters, dot matrix or laser printers and particularly computer monitors, a fast calculation of bitmaps in any size (resolution) is crucial. In 1965, Dr. Rudolf Hell invented the Digiset, the first electronic typesetter. In 1970, Xerox put into operation the first small laser printer, and three years later the first PC was developed with a graphical user interface that used a bitmap memory for the creation of the video signal.
Character hinting (1975)
Peter Karow realized very quickly that - in the case of coarse resolutions -the mere calculation of bitmaps led to images of letters that appeared distorted through random rasterization. In order to prevent these effects, he invented additional information for letter characteristics such as vertical and horizontal linear or curved strokes or serifs and their classification with regard to upper and lower case letters. This facilitated the creation of improved bitmaps that could then be used as bitmap fonts for dot matrix and laser printers or electronic typesetters. In 1985, based on this concept, John Warnock and Bill Caxton from Adobe developed “Hinting on the Fly” for PostScript fonts. This enabled the use of generally available fonts on any computer, printer and typesetter. In 1988, Peter Karow worked as an advisor for Apple Inc. during the development of hinting for TrueType fonts. In 1992, this method of font storage was adopted by Microsoft. Five years later both font storage technologies were combined as OpenType.
Character pair kerning (1981)
From 1981 to 1991, together with Margret Albrecht from Hamburg, Peter Karow devoted himself to the automation of kerning, i.e. the calculation of kerning values for the improvement of typesetting. These values had previously been determined empirically by font designers.[6]
Left with / right without kerning
Character grayscaling (1981)
Left without / right with grayscaling
Initially, the graphical user interfaces on monitors were black and white, and consequently the display of small type sizes was very poor due to jagged edges. Peter Karow tried to find an inexpensive solution to enhance the display by means of using grayscale instead of just black and white, but this solution did not immediately gain acceptance. As late as 1995, Adobe took his advice and then used grayscale in its Adobe Acrobat program for the display of texts on monitors. Today, all characters displayed on screens use grayscale for smoothing the edges.
Signus system (1983)
In 1983, the Ikarus Program evolved into the Signus System, a system that makes it possible to cut text, logos and other signs into self-adhesive foil for outdoor advertising. Today, this signage technology is referred to as "computer writing".
Writing with the Signus system
Optical scaling of fonts (1991)
Individual scaling per point size
Hot metal typesetting in earlier times used the so-called optical scaling, when fonts were cut bolder and wider with decreasing point size. With analogue calculations Peter Karow made it possible to automatically adjust the fonts to certain point sizes. Nowadays, however, this technique is not often used.
Element separation of Kanji characters (1992)
The Japanese company Fujitsu hired Peter Karow and Jürgen Willrodt from Hamburg to develop a method that would automatically break down Kanji characters into single elements. This method made it possible to store the Kanji font using only 20% of the previously needed storage space without any loss of quality after reassembling the elements.[11]
Paragraph justification (1992)
Paragraph justification with the Hz program
In 1992, Peter Karow developed the Hz-program,[12] the automation of the paragraph justification, together with the well-known typographer Hermann Zapf and Margret Albrecht. The optimization of the paragraph justification was implemented using an algorithm developed by Donald Knuth[13] along with automated kerning and optical scaling. In 1995, the underlying ideas and algorithms were passed along to the company Adobe, which incorporated them into their program InDesign.[14][15]
Chapter justification (1995)
Analogous to the development of the paragraph justification, Peter Karow and Margret Albrecht started working on an automated chapter justification. They succeeded in having each chapter of a book always start on a right page (recto) and end on a left page (verso) while avoiding widow lines and orphan lines. In 1996, a patent application was filed for this method at the company of Adobe, which has yet to be used in any typesetting program.
AdCyclopedia (1999)
On behalf of the company AdVision digital GmbH in Hamburg, Peter Karow developed the AdCyclopedia, a database for current and historic ads in newspapers, magazines, TV, internet, billboards, movies and emails. In 1999, the GWA headquarters (German Association of Communication Agencies) entered into a cooperation with the company AdVision digital GmbH in order to provide its members and their customers with an effective competitor monitoring tool on the internet. Today, the AdCyclopedia is extended to monitor spendings for advertising (budgets) per product, brand, company, country, and period.
Awards
2003: Dr. Peter Karow award for Font Technology & Digital Typography of the Dutch Type Library (DTL)[16]
Publications
Digital Typefaces. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York London Paris Tokyo, 1994, ISBN3-540-56509-4
Font Technology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York London Paris Tokyo, 1994, ISBN3-540-57223-6
Metafont is a description language used to define raster fonts. It is also the name of the interpreter that executes Metafont code, generating the bitmap fonts that can be embedded into e.g. PostScript. Metafont was devised by Donald Knuth as a companion to his TeX typesetting system.
Palatino is the name of an old-style serif typeface designed by Hermann Zapf, initially released in 1949 by the Stempel foundry and later by other companies, most notably the Mergenthaler Linotype Company.
Hermann Zapf was a German type designer and calligrapher who lived in Darmstadt, Germany. He was married to the calligrapher and typeface designer Gudrun Zapf-von Hesse. Typefaces he designed include Palatino, Optima, and Zapfino. He is considered one of the greatest type designers of all time.
Type design is the art and process of designing typefaces. This involves drawing each letterform using a consistent style. The basic concepts and design variables are described below.
Arial is a sans-serif typeface and set of computer fonts in the neo-grotesque style. Fonts from the Arial family are included with all versions of Microsoft Windows after Windows 3.1, as well as in other Microsoft programs, Apple's macOS, and many PostScript 3 printers.
Ikarus is a type design and production software developed by URW and Brendel Informatik foundries, for converting existing typefaces and logos into digital format for use on computer driven printing, plotting and sign cutting devices.
A computer font is implemented as a digital data file containing a set of graphically related glyphs. A computer font is designed and created using a font editor. A computer font specifically designed for the computer screen, and not for printing, is a screen font.
AMS Euler is an upright cursive typeface, commissioned by the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and designed and created by Hermann Zapf with the assistance of Donald Knuth and his Stanford graduate students. It tries to emulate a mathematician's style of handwriting mathematical entities on a blackboard, which is upright rather than italic. It blends very well with other typefaces made by Hermann Zapf, such as Palatino, Aldus and Melior, but very badly with the default TeX font Computer Modern. All the alphabets were implemented with the computer-assisted design system Metafont developed by Knuth. Zapf designed and drew the Euler alphabets in 1980–81 and provided critique and advice of digital proofs in 1983 and later. The typeface family is copyright by American Mathematical Society, 1983. Euler Metafont development was done by Stanford computer science and/or digital typography students; first Scott Kim, then Carol Twombly and Daniel Mills, and finally David Siegel, all assisted by John Hobby. Siegel finished the Metafont Euler digitization project as his M.S. thesis in 1985.
Zapfino is a calligraphic typeface designed for Linotype by typeface designer Hermann Zapf in 1998. It is based on an alphabet Zapf originally penned in 1944. As a font, it makes extensive use of ligatures and character variations.
Apple's Macintosh computer supports a wide variety of fonts. This support was one of the features that initially distinguished it from other systems.
Hz-program was a proprietary, patented typographic composition computer program, created by German typeface designer Hermann Zapf. The goal of this program was: "To produce the perfect grey type area without the rivers and holes of too-wide word spacing."
Scantext was a professional code-driven digital typesetting system popular in the 1980s, rendered obsolete by the popularity of the personal computer and desktop publishing software. It was developed and built by Scangraphic, a division of Dr. Böger Duplomat Apparate GmbH & Co. KG, based in Wedel near Hamburg, Germany.
Gudrun Zapf von Hesse was a German book-binder, calligrapher and typographer.
Microtypography is a range of methods for improving the readability and appearance of text, especially justified text. The methods reduce the appearance of large interword spaces and create edges to the text that appear more even. Microtypography methods can also increase reading comprehension of text, reducing the cognitive load of reading.
ITC Zapf Chancery is a family of script typefaces designed by the type designer Hermann Zapf and marketed by the International Typeface Corporation. It is one of the three typefaces designed by Zapf that are shipped with computers running Apple's Mac OS. It is also one of the core PostScript fonts.
Utopia is the name of a transitional serif typeface designed by Robert Slimbach and released by Adobe Systems in 1989.
Typefaces, fonts, and their glyphs raise intellectual property considerations in copyright, trademark, design patent, and related laws. The copyright status of a typeface and of any font file that describes it digitally varies between jurisdictions. In the United States, the shapes of typefaces are not eligible for copyright but may be protected by design patent. Typefaces can be protected in other countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, by industrial design protections that are similar to copyright or design patent in that they protect the abstract shapes. Additionally, in the US and some other countries, computer fonts, the digital instantiation of the shapes as vector outlines, may be protected by copyright on the computer code that produces them. The name of a typeface may also be protected as a trademark.
Adobe Systems, Inc. v. Southern Software, Inc. was a case in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California regarding the copyrightability of digitized typefaces. The case is notable since typeface designs in general are not protected under United States copyright law, as determined in Eltra Corp. v. Ringer. Since that case, the United States Copyright Office has published policy decisions acknowledging the registration of computer programs that generate typefaces. In this case, the court held that Adobe's Utopia font was protectable under copyright and Southern Software, Inc.'s Veracity font was substantially similar and infringing.
URW Type Foundry GmbH is a type foundry based in Hamburg, Germany. The foundry has its own library with more than 500 font families. The company specializes in customized corporate typefaces and the development of non-Latin fonts. It has been owned by Monotype Imaging since May 2020.
Jovica Veljović is a Serbian type designer and calligrapher. He is professor for type design at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
