TrueType FAQ

Other questions

Q Can you tell me which fonts are supplied with Windows 95, the Plus! pack and Microsoft Office?
A We've written a document which explains how to use Fonts in Microsoft Internet Explorer, which contains a list of all the fonts supplied with these popular Microsoft products.

Q I've seen advertised 1000 'High Quality' TrueType fonts for $24, whereas another company charges $100 for a single typeface. I know you get what you pay for, but can the $100 typeface really be so much better than those included in a $24 pack?
A You are right to comment that you get what you pay for. However, there is no easy answer to your question, as there are various factors which combine to make a good quality TrueType font.
    The most obvious factor is the quality of the actual outlines themselves. It is possible to create font outlines automatically using a utility which traces the edges of bitmap graphics. The quality of these 'auto-traced' typefaces can be very low. However, in some cases, particularly where used for display text, this rough look can be an advantage. The designers of high quality fonts will often spend a large amount of time perfecting their outlines.
    A second critical factor relates to the spaces between letters. Again utilities can auto-space characters, however the designers of high quality fonts will spend long periods of time optimising this spacing.
    Another equally important factor is the quality of the font's 'hinting'. Hinting is a labour intensive process which makes character displayed on screen at small sizes more legible. High quality fonts, especially those designed for screen use should be hinted to a high standard. Unlike some other formats TrueType allows diagonal as well as vertical and horizontal strokes to be hinted. The quality and level of hinting invested in a font makes all the difference between a good font and a great screen font.
    For further information on how hinting works, and why it helps, see our comprehensive TrueType hinting document.
    A fact that many users may not be aware of is that fonts can potentially contain bugs which can crash operating systems and applications. High quality fonts will have been fed through automated test routines and will probably have been tested with a wide range of applications, and operating systems.
    Finally, one reason why a font pack might be cheap is that the type designs are simply 'knockoff' copies of other designers' work.

Q In my head there's a great idea for a new display typeface, but I've no idea how to make a TrueType version. Where do I start?
A There are various font creation tools on the market. Demo versions of many of these are accessible from the comp.fonts home page [external link, please see our disclaimer]. Also see our Information for type creators page which includes TrueType specs and tools.

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this document last updated 9 March 1996
© 1996 Microsoft Corporation. all rights reserved.
comments to the MST group: ttwsite@microsoft.com