Computer Modern
Encyclopedia
Computer Modern is the family of typeface
s used by default by the typesetting program TeX
. It was created by Donald Knuth
with his METAFONT
program, and was most recently updated in 1992. However, the family font was superseded by CM-Super (Computer Modern-super), the latest release dating 2008. The latter was complemented by CM-LGC, which provides support for Latin, Greek and Cyrillic, with the latest release dating 2005. Both CM-Super and CM-LGC are included in TeX Live
, a modern TeX distribution.
The Computer Modern typefaces are described in great detail (including full source code) in the book Computer Modern Typefaces, volume E in the Computers and Typesetting
series, which is unique in the history of font design: in Knuth's words, they "belong to the class of sets of books that describe precisely their own appearance."
As implied by the name, Computer Modern is a modern font. Modern, or "Didone", fonts have high contrast between thick and thin elements, and their axis of "stress" or thickening is perfectly vertical. Computer Modern, specifically, is based on Monotype
Modern 8a, and like its immediate model it has a large x-height
relative to the length of ascenders and descender
s.
The most unusual characteristic of Computer Modern, however, is the fact that it is a complete type family designed with the METAFONT
system. The Computer Modern source files are governed by 62 distinct parameters, controlling the widths and heights of various elements, the presence of serif
s or old-style numerals, whether dots such as the dot on the "i" are square or rounded, and the degree of "superness
" in the bowls of lowercase letters such as "g" and "o". Computer Modern is by no means the only METAFONT-designed typeface, but it is by far the most mature and widely used.
The advance of printer technology has reduced the need for software rasterizers like METAFONT, which produced a bitmap version of the font from the metafont stroke-based definition. Outline fonts (to be rendered by the printer or display system) are now generally preferred. Computer Modern was first transformed to a PostScript Type 3
font format by BlueSky, Inc. in 1988, and then to Type 1
in 1992 to include font hinting
. The Type 1 version has since then been donated to the AMS which distributes them freely under the Open Font License. It is found in most standard TeX distributions. Other PostScript-based replacements exist such as BaKoMa, CM-super, or Latin Modern, instead of the original METAFONT-based Computer Modern. The Latin Modern implementation, maintained by Bogusław Jackowski and Janusz M. Nowacki, is now standard in the TeX
community and was made through a METAFONT
/MetaPost
derivative called METATYPE1
.
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
s used by default by the typesetting program TeX
TeX
TeX is a typesetting system designed and mostly written by Donald Knuth and released in 1978. Within the typesetting system, its name is formatted as ....
. It was created by Donald Knuth
Donald Knuth
Donald Ervin Knuth is a computer scientist and Professor Emeritus at Stanford University.He is the author of the seminal multi-volume work The Art of Computer Programming. Knuth has been called the "father" of the analysis of algorithms...
with his METAFONT
METAFONT
Metafont is a programming language used to define vector 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...
program, and was most recently updated in 1992. However, the family font was superseded by CM-Super (Computer Modern-super), the latest release dating 2008. The latter was complemented by CM-LGC, which provides support for Latin, Greek and Cyrillic, with the latest release dating 2005. Both CM-Super and CM-LGC are included in TeX Live
TeX Live
TeX Live is a TeX distribution which is the replacement of its no-longer supported counterpart teTeX.It is now the default TeX distribution for several Linux distributions such as Fedora, Debian, Ubuntuand Gentoo....
, a modern TeX distribution.
The Computer Modern typefaces are described in great detail (including full source code) in the book Computer Modern Typefaces, volume E in the Computers and Typesetting
Computers and Typesetting
Computers and Typesetting is a 5-volume set of books by Donald Knuth published 1986 describing the TeX and Metafont systems for digital typography. Knuth's computers and typesetting project was the result of his frustration with the lack of decent software for the typesetting of mathematical and...
series, which is unique in the history of font design: in Knuth's words, they "belong to the class of sets of books that describe precisely their own appearance."
As implied by the name, Computer Modern is a modern font. Modern, or "Didone", fonts have high contrast between thick and thin elements, and their axis of "stress" or thickening is perfectly vertical. Computer Modern, specifically, is based on Monotype
Monotype Corporation
Monotype Imaging Holdings is a Delaware corporation based in Woburn, Massachusetts and specializing in typesetting and typeface design as well as text and imaging solutions for use with consumer electronics devices. Monotype Imaging Holdings is the owner of Monotype Imaging Inc., Linotype,...
Modern 8a, and like its immediate model it has a large x-height
X-height
In typography, the x-height or corpus size refers to the distance between the baseline and the mean line in a typeface. Typically, this is the height of the letter x in the font , as well as the u, v, w, and z...
relative to the length of ascenders and descender
Descender
In typography, a descender is the portion of a letter that extends below the baseline of a font. The line that descenders reach down to is known as the beard line....
s.
The most unusual characteristic of Computer Modern, however, is the fact that it is a complete type family designed with the METAFONT
METAFONT
Metafont is a programming language used to define vector 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...
system. The Computer Modern source files are governed by 62 distinct parameters, controlling the widths and heights of various elements, the presence of serif
Serif
In typography, serifs are semi-structural details on the ends of some of the strokes that make up letters and symbols. A typeface with serifs is called a serif typeface . A typeface without serifs is called sans serif or sans-serif, from the French sans, meaning “without”...
s or old-style numerals, whether dots such as the dot on the "i" are square or rounded, and the degree of "superness
Superellipse
A superellipse is a geometric figure defined in the Cartesian coordinate system as the set of all points withwhere n, a and b are positive numbers....
" in the bowls of lowercase letters such as "g" and "o". Computer Modern is by no means the only METAFONT-designed typeface, but it is by far the most mature and widely used.
The advance of printer technology has reduced the need for software rasterizers like METAFONT, which produced a bitmap version of the font from the metafont stroke-based definition. Outline fonts (to be rendered by the printer or display system) are now generally preferred. Computer Modern was first transformed to a PostScript Type 3
PostScript fonts
PostScript fonts are outline font specifications developed by Adobe Systems for professional digital typesetting, which uses PostScript file format to encode font information.-History:...
font format by BlueSky, Inc. in 1988, and then to Type 1
PostScript fonts
PostScript fonts are outline font specifications developed by Adobe Systems for professional digital typesetting, which uses PostScript file format to encode font information.-History:...
in 1992 to include font hinting
Font hinting
Font hinting is the use of mathematical instructions to adjust the display of an outline font so that it lines up with a rasterized grid. At low screen resolutions, hinting is critical for producing a clear, legible text...
. The Type 1 version has since then been donated to the AMS which distributes them freely under the Open Font License. It is found in most standard TeX distributions. Other PostScript-based replacements exist such as BaKoMa, CM-super, or Latin Modern, instead of the original METAFONT-based Computer Modern. The Latin Modern implementation, maintained by Bogusław Jackowski and Janusz M. Nowacki, is now standard in the TeX
TeX
TeX is a typesetting system designed and mostly written by Donald Knuth and released in 1978. Within the typesetting system, its name is formatted as ....
community and was made through a METAFONT
METAFONT
Metafont is a programming language used to define vector 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...
/MetaPost
MetaPost
MetaPost refers to both a programming language and the interpreter of the MetaPost programming language. Both are derived from Donald Knuth's Metafont language and interpreter. MetaPost excels at producing diagrams in the PostScript programming language from a geometric/algebraic description...
derivative called METATYPE1
METATYPE1
METATYPE1 is a tool for creating Type 1 fonts using METAPOST, developed by the Polish JNS team ....
.
External links
- Computer Modern-Super font package
- CM-LGC font package - Type 1 CM-based fonts for Latin, Greek and Cyrillic.
- Computer Modern typeface in TrueType format and OpenType.
- Computer Modern Unicode fonts X11 licensed
- Latin Modern fonts
- Comparison between CM-super and latin modern
- How to install Computer Modern fonts on OSX