Production First Software Encyclopedia of Typography and Electronic Communication : F

FACES scale See Wong/Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale.

family or family name A name referring to a group of typefaces having a similar basic design but certain variations of style. Also known as a typeface family.
example: Times Roman, Times Italic, Times Bold, Times Bold Italic; "Times" is the family or family name. "Roman," "Italic," "Bold," and "Bold Italic" are style variations and normally not part of the family name. However, sometimes a family or family name could have a style descriptor as part of its name, such as in the typeface Futura Black, which is not normally organized as part of the Futura family.

falling baseline See baseline erosion.

fancy text See RTF.

FastFont A proprietary outline font format developed by Atech Software.

fat client A desktop computer having mass storage capability containing software and data. Data can be generated by the software and stored. It can also be connected to a network. See thin client for the antithesis.

feature An internal mechanism or capability in a font format.

(another definition follows)

feature An element of writing systems which describe portions of sound segments (or phonemes). Phonemes can be, in a sense, subdivided into features.

federated server A server which links together several Websites and portals.

FEP An acronym for Front End Processor. See Input Method Editor.

figure height The nominal height of figures or numerals, usually based on the numeral seven.

figureline An imaginary line at figure height parallel to the baseline.
figure height and figureline illustration

file A collection of data which is handled as a group in a computer system. It is identified by a name, called a « filename. »

filename The name given to a file.

fill The distribution or application of a uniform color or pattern completely within the area defined by a closed curve or shape outline.

fillet The rounded portion which connects a serif to a stroke. See bracketed serif.

film recorder A device which records page images on color photographic film, usually for the purpose of making viewable slides or transparencies. Film recorders usually have (or should have) extremely high resolutions (at least 8000 dots per inch) because oftentimes the slide area is small (like 35mm slides).

final form The form of a character glyph at the end of a word or text string. (Compare to initial form, medial form, and isolate form.)

Fine Serif A typeface structural style grouping including typefaces not showing recognizable characteristics related to defined structural styles; and having pointed, very small wedge serifs with small bracketing. Typeface examples include: Albertus, Cezanne, ITC Friz Quadrata, ITC Quorum.

finial See swash.

Firewire The commercial marketing name given to the Type B IEEE 1394 interface. It is capable of a maximum data speed of 400 Mbps, can daisy-chain to up to 63 other IEEE 1394 devices, permits up to 4 1/2 meter connection between devices, and supports hot-plugability.

FireWire A variety of serial interface (IEEE-1794) which permits bidirectional transfer rates higher than Ethernet but which has the same software characteristics as a standard serial interface. It can be used as a data communications port (scanner, printer, modem), mass storage device interface, or video interface.

The original version can tranfer data at 400 megabits/second. The updated version (IEEE-1394b) can transfer at 800 mb/s.

.FIT or .FITS file See bitmap formats.

FitalyStamp keyboard A keyboard pattern developed by Textware Solutions for use with a PDA's Graffiti area. It is lowercase only, and is named by the arrangement of letters on the second line:


z v c h w k
f i t a l y
    n e  
g d o r s b
q j u m p x

FITS An acronym for Functional Interpolating Transformation System. An alternative format for storing graphical images, it is based on using numbers, stored in a file, which represent coefficients to polynomial and trancendental function-based mathematical algorithms. The algorithms reconstruct a viewable bitmap image, or part of one, rather than using a native bitmap format for storing a graphical image. FITS was first used in an image editing program called Live Picture sold by HSC Software, which also uses IVUE data format. FITS drastically reduces the size of an image file, and can speed the loading of an image on fast processors, despite its computational overhead. IVUE drastically reduces the time for imaging and editing, and the amount of memory required, because it partitions the image data spatially and by color and effect layers.

The advantages/disadvantages of FITS (and, in a sense, its mode of operation by analogy) are somewhat similar to the PostScript/bitmap tradeoff comparison. FITS is a much more compact format than bitmap, producing smaller data file sizes.

fixed pitch or fixed-pitch See monospaced (font).

fixed-width (font) See monospaced (font).

fixed-width encoding An encoding whose entire characters repertoire is represented by identical byte widths (for example, ISO 8859 (1-byte), Unicode (2-byte), ISO/IEC/10646 (2-byte or 4-byte).

flag The name of a newspaper or newsletter, usually displayed at the top of the first page.

fleuron A decorative symbol or ornament glyph.

flexography A printing technology utilizing flexible plates (sometimes made of rubber) mounted on a rotating print head.

floating accent An accent mark placed beside or separate from a base character. Used most commonly to indicate pronunciation. Also called a « piece accent. » The term « floating accent » when applied to a diacritical mark in a composite character is incorrect and a misnomer.
floating accent illustration

.FLC file See bitmap formats.

.FLI file See bitmap formats.

flower See fleuron.

flush The beginning or end of a line aligning to the same horizontal position as other lines, as in « flush left » or « flush right. »

focus point One of several points placed on an outline so as to create a deliberate, local distortion of the glyph outline at certain locations under distortion of the glyph topologic space. Focus points are usually not superfluous as a group, because there are more than one placed. Almost the opposite of anchor point.

font poisoning See poisoning.

folded text See text folding.

folding The substitution of one element in place of another, thereby eliminating that element, for the purpose of unifying or reducing two or more elements. Folding can be instituted to reduce the number of letterform cases, the element being a character, (see case folding) or the number of other character properties; to reduce the size of a character collection, as with Han unification, a type of folding; or to reduce text, the element being a line, by substituting a line return for an entire line (see text folding.

folio A page number.

.FON file A screen font file in Microsoft Windows format.

font A collection of bit-mapped data or computer language instructions (software) which render glyph images on some output device. Basically, a font is a library of glyphs. Sometimes a collection of differently formatted files is sold as « a font, » which really means « a font package. » An example of this would be a « PostScript font. » This package usually contains a so-called screen font, one or more metrics files, and the actual PostScript outline printer font.

Font software which is purchased separately ( « third party » ) fundamentally differs from other software in at least two aspects: (1) it is a collectable; and (2) once purchased, it is expected to be usable for a long period of time, transcending the updating and replacement of computer hardware, computer operating systems, and computer applications.

(another definition follows)

font A collection of metal castings of letterforms and related figures ( « hot type » ) in one typeface, style, and point size. These castings are sometimes mounted directly in a chase to make a plate for printing, or sometimes used as masters for the formation of softer metal castings which are actually mounted in a chase.

font authoring tool or font tool Application software which is designed to construct or create completely new fonts. Examples are Altsys Fontographer, Production First Software Electric Designer and FontMaker, Pyrus FontLab, and URW Ikarus.

font bounding box A bounding box big enough to include all the superimposed bounding boxes of every character in the font located with all character origins coinciding.

font cache A storage area in computer memory, printer memory, or on a hard disk where bitmaps of font character outlines are kept. The first time a character of a font at a certain type size and character orientation angle is displayed on-screen or written on a page, a rasterizer (PostScript, TrueType, or some other) creates a bitmap of the character outline at the specifed size and orientation angle. This is, timewise, a relatively lengthly process: the higher the resolution, the longer it takes. The second time that character is needed, the stored bitmap is used, saving a relatively enormous amount of time in outputting the page. If text is resized, or a different font selected, or the orientation angle changed, the whole process is repeated for each first occurrance of every character required.

The font cache usually gets distroyed when the output device is turned off and it does not have permanent storage (ie, an attached hard disk). On output devices which have permanent storage, the font cache is stored as a cache file (or auxiliary file), which can produce a problem: the number of cache files may build up to the point where they slow the system down worse than without using a cache (if a wide variety of work is done). Periodically, some cache files must then be deleted to restore performance. Under certain conditions, font caching cannot be used. If a decorative font contains certain bit-map data or halftoned characters, it cannot be cached with Adobe PostScript. If a character shape changes (as with optical scaling or variable scaling), the character may or may not be cached, depending on how the character is constructed.

font classification See typeface classification.

font compression or font compression technology A software technology used to reduce the size of outline font files. Examples are CFF, Chameleon, Panose 2.0, and . The first is a non-lossy scheme, whereas the latter three are lossy.

font converter (utility) A utility program which converts from one outline printer font format to another. The font formats usually delt with are Type 1, Type 3, and TrueType. Contrary to marketing claims, all Type 3 or TrueType fonts cannot be converted to equivalent Type 1 fonts. Furthermore, discretionary character hints of one format cannot be exactly duplicated in another format, even with human intervention.

font editor (utility) A utility program which can edit and alter the character outlines or add new character outlines to existing fonts. Some editors can also alter hinting, and produce AFM files and screen fonts.

Font Description Language or FDL A source language format, abbreviated FDL, for the construction of fonts, used as input to font compilers and font authoring tools, which produce a final font. FDL can comprise typeface information, glyph outline data, and metrics data. The format is largely font output format independent, but also extensible so output format specifics can be defined and continually modified. Font tool editor software reads and writes only the applicable data

The purpose of a FDL is:
1) to encourage more compatibility between font authoring tools;
2) to make the path from "new font feature" to "feature-saavy font editor tool" shorter, while being able to keep other tool features integrated; and
3) to take away font production dependencies on complex font authoring tools. Ideally, a complete and cross-platform FDL font compiler should be built in an OpenSource fashion.

font embedding The process whereby a font resource is added to a page description or document file (either application file or print file), so that when the file is transported and subsequently processed, the fonts included are available. The alternative to font embedding is to have the font resources installed on the host system. If a font is neither embedded within the document file which uses it nor installed on the host system, another font will be substituted. The results of font substitution vary from poor to good, depending on the substitution selection method. Sometimes, a single font (usually Courier) is substituted if the required font is not available.

font embedding permission A methodology, originated by Microsoft, of assigning different levels of permission to a font in order to control its use when embedded within a page description or document file. The font may then be included with documents, so that when a document is viewed on a system not having the font in question installed, the document will display as intended by the creator. The issue is not only one of æsthetics--the format of the document can be substantially altered if a different typeface or font is substituted; the number of pages may be increased; the text may appear too small to be legible; or special letterform glyphs only found in the intended typeface or font may turn up missing.

The purpose of embedding permission is to prevent unauthorized (licensing violation) usage so as to provide fiduciary protection to the licensor. However, the process is nowhere near foolproof. Four levels or categories of permission have been defined:
(1) Fully Installable - font can be reinstalled on the host system from the document in which it was embedded, with no restrictions to use.
(2) Editable - font can be used to make changes or additions in the document in which it was embedded.
(3) Read Only - font can be used only for display and cannot be used to make any changes or additions anywhere.
(4) Not Embeddable - font cannot be embedded in any document.

The complication with using font embedding permission is that the application or operating system must actively manage it. In addition, tools and utilities have been available from freeware, shareware, and retail which enable the embedding permission of a font to be easily altered. But, alternatives to supporting font embedding permission exist. Production First Software has developed a method of poisoning fonts so that they can be conveniently used for document creation or editing only by the original licensee, unless a key is provided. No modification of operating systems or applications are necessary.

font feature See feature.

font instance A specific chosen installed configuration of a font which can be selected for use. Examples include a particular encoding of a PostScript font or a particular set of axis adjustments for a MultipleMaster font.

font manager (utility) A utility computer program which allows access to large font libraries on the systems level in systems which normally have access to a limited number of fonts (usually 99 to 256). Examples would be Fifth Generation System's Suitcase II and III (for Macintosh systems), and Production First Software's PC-FontManager (for Microsoft Windows).

font resource The term applied to a file or group of files which constitute an installable font on a computer system.

Font Resource Management A feature installable for use with PostScript fonts which allows automatic font substitution for fonts used in a publication but missing to the output device. This feature must be installed using the Production First Software MatchMaker Kit. Font Resource Management must be installed on each system component where a PostScript interpreter resides (for example, a host system with Display PostScript or a printer with an installed PostScript interpreter).

font signature Character set, supported codepage, and other information that characterizes a font to an operating system.

font smoothing See anti-aliasing.

font testing See UniTest.

font wars The ideological battle between Adobe and Microsoft involving font formats. When Adobe Systems introduced PostScript, the PostScript Type 1 font format, with interpreter hinting, was proprietary. The Type 3 specification, however, was open; but Type 3 fonts were more complicated to hint, and were not as efficient. PostScript was the technology that spawned desktop publishing, which allowed desktop computer users to design and print documents which looked more professional than ever before from a desktop computer. Every time a printer with a PostScript interpreter was sold, Adobe earned a substantial royalty, a royalty worth from 25% to 50% of the total cost of a laser printer. Since the details of the Type 1 font format remained proprietary, only Adobe or its licensees could create Type 1 fonts. Apple decided that it was time to introduce competition to the desktop font business, and so Apple developed a format (TrueType) which could be natively supported by Apple's operating system without requiring PostScript licensing fees. Microsoft had similar feelings and was able to license TrueType from Apple. However, the TrueType specification was made accessible by Microsoft to software developers from the start, and the font wars between PostScript and TrueType began. In response to this, Adobe had no choice but to publish the Type 1 specification. Much of Apple's business centered around graphic design, desktop publishing, and electronic publishing. PostScript continued to remain the format of choice for a number of reasons for this customer base. On the other hand, business customers always favored the IBM PC-compatible platform, and versions of Microsoft Windows were steadily improving. TrueType, with its native operating system support, was the format of choice for the business customer base. Third party font developers (and, therefore, customers) then had a choice between two compact, extensible outline font formats.

While most large font suppliers package and license PostScript and TrueType font formats separately, Production First Software licenses both formats together, except for OEM licensees. Production First Software also includes multiple platform formats (Macintosh, PC, and Unix) as well.

In 1997, font wars moved to the World Wide Web and back to the desktop (to join browser wars) with the development of Compact Font Format, Expresso, IET, OpenType, and TrueDoc. And this is only the beginning.

FontWizard Suite This is a collection of utilities and applets, patches, and scriptlets, for existing font editors by Production First Software which improves and expedites the preparation of multilingual multibyte fonts, both PostScript and TrueType. Included are utilities to automatically generate and manage multilingual kern pair data in various type colors using a number of different algorithms, implementation of different hinting strategies necessary for multi-stroke glyphs, architectural schemes for multibyte multilingual fonts compatible with legacy systems and software, and procedures for designing glyphs with stable topology. Both PC-compatible and Macintosh System 7.5 platforms are required. The kit is upgradable.

foot A one-sided serif touching the baseline as on b and d.
foot illustration

footer Information, such as: title, chapter, chapter name, report number, date, page number, or footnotes, listed below the main text area of a page.

forced justification Also see justification. Forced justification refers to an algorithm built into software which always adjusts the width of the line of text to the width of a column, no matter how short the line may be. This can be done by adjusting the space between words, the space between letters, or the widths of the letterforms themselves, or a combination of all three.

Some applications offer a choice between forced justification and performing justification if a line of text exceeds a certain percentage of the column width.

Formal A typeface style with large x-height, little or no curvature in strokes, and condensed design. This style mimics the ecclesiastical manuscript style of calligraphy used in recording the Bible.

formata A term which describes a form intermediate between cursive and textura.
formata illustration

forme In hot type, an assemblage of bodies, leading, engraved illustration blocks, spacing blocks, and other components used to compose a document, locked in a chase for use in a printing press.

foundry Traditionally, an establishment where casting of metal objects (founding) takes place. In the modern computer age, this definition has been extended to an establishment which designs typefaces and creats fonts.

fount British spelling for « font. »

Fourier analysis A mathematical method which can be used to translate the topological (Euclidian) space of a glyph shape into Fourier space. Production First Software has used Fourier analysis to explore a possible method of compression of glyph outline data, as a method of cataloging glyph shape characteristics useful for type matching, and also as an aid in optimizing type color.

Fourier space See Fourier analysis.

Fournier point Same size as didot point.

fractal A mathematical functional form, based on polynomials, increasingly used to construct images with great detail. Fractals can be used to compose images (because of their ability to create images which can mimic details of trees, mountains, clouds, water and other liquids, rock, and other natural materials). Fractals can also be used to encode existing images by breaking the image into cell regions, and solving for the fractal polynomial coefficients for each cell region. A set of equations then represents the image within the cell region. An image can be said to be « decomposed into fractals. » Because the image within a cell region can be represented analytically, it can be scaled or rescaled to any size without any loss of content. Therefore, the entire image (composed of a collection of cell regions) can be scaled or rescaled without any loss of detail. Since this process also results in less data than representing the image in a bitmap format, fractals can also be considered as a compression algorithm.

fractal image format The proprietary format developed by Iterated Systems used to represent images using fractals. The file extension used is .FIF . However, many other formats can be designed based on fractals. Since fractals are analytic functions where the image detail is built into the polynomial coefficients, the image data is resolution-independent and independent of the resolution of any output device. The only other common format which shares this characteristic is PostScript. Accordingly, images decomposed into fractals can be readily represented in PostScript; and a PostScript preamble can be written to recover them.

fraction (references to) See « case fraction; » and « vulgar fraction. »

Fraktur Calligraphic styles of black letter which mimic the writing style practiced specifically in the 12th to 14th century German monasteries and the typeface designs of late 15th century German printers. Those styles were originally based on Textura, the term « Fraktur » being applied because the style imitated the somewhat broken strokes of Textura but with embellishments. The term « Fraktur » is often mistakenly applied, instead of the more general and correct term « Blackletter, » for designs which do not mimic the appropriate period. A more rounded version of Fraktur is called Schwabacher.

FreeBSD See BSD.

Free Form A typeface structural style characterized by free-form shapes, as exemplified by the Art Nouveau movement. Some of these typeface designs can also be classified as decorative. The following sub-categories have been defined:
Solid - Solid strokes. Typeface examples include: Arnold Böcklin, Baldur, ITC Boutros Kufic Medium, Harrington, Laclede, Victoria.
Outline - Outlined strokes. Typeface examples include Alexandra and Edda. Miscellaneous - Not fitting into any sans serif sub-category. Typeface examples include Bernal and ITC Latif Medium.

Freetype An extension for Linux which supports, among other features, OpenType fonts.

French Old Style See Old Style.

.FRM file A file required for a font that is ISO 9541 Font Resource Management-enabled for the Production First Software MatchMaker system.

Frutiger number A 2-digit numbering scheme, developed by Adrian Frutiger, applied across a typeface family, which describes typeface weight and width. Both digits range from 0 to 9. The 2-digit number is sometimes used as part of the typeface name (for example, Univers 45 Regular, designed by Frutiger).

The first digit indicates weight, 0 being the lightest and 9 being the heaviest. A weight of 5 would be the middle, natural, normal, or regular weight.

The second digit indicates width, 0 being the widest and 9 being the narrowest. If a typeface is inherently an upright design, then the second digit is always odd (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) while for a real italic typeface design, the second digit is always even (0, 2, 4, 6, 8). Thus, only 5 different widths can be categorized for any typeface. These widths are usually designated as:
0,1 - ultra-extended
2,3 - extended
4,5 - normal or regular
6,7 - condensed
8,9 - ultra-condensed

Continuing the example given above, Univers 45 Regular and Univers 45 Oblique share the same number because an obliqued typeface is an inherently upright design which is geometrically slanted.

full measure A text string the full width of a page.

full point British for a « period. »

full stop Same as « period. »

full-width character A letterform glyph is one em in width. In a Japanese character set, a character glyph whose width is approximately standard height (analogous to « cap height » ) and therefore is approximately the area of a square. Most kanji characters are classified as full-width characters; whereas the Roman, hiragana, and katakana character glyphs are scaled to be half-width characters by convention in a Japanese typeface.

furigana See ruby.

.F01 to .F99 files Typographic International font bitmap .FON files for only those characters in the character subset of a particular Language Group.

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