For Release: May 1993 Contact: John G. Derrickson 834 Chestnut St. #1204 Phila., PA 19107 USA 215 922-1826 NEW PROGRAM VERSION FOR USERS OF HP LaserJet+ and MS-DOS PC JaDy(tm) FontEdit version 6.1 by John G. Derrickson, provides the power to build and alter fonts for HP-compatible laser printers. It edits softfonts, using a mouse (optional) and the numeric key- pad for omni-directional cursor control, with full access to all definition parameters. It functions under Windows and in plain DOS. It supports all screen formats: monochrome character displays, AT&T 6300, Hercules graphics, CGA, EGA and VGA. Many users of laser printers haven't graphic displays; FontEdit can simulate graphics using block-graphic symbols. Despite the many available laser fonts, not all symbols are in all fonts. For example, most fonts do not include the copyright and trademark symbols. With FontEdit, users can include any symbol into their favorite fonts. FontEdit is featured in The Font Problem Solver, a "how-to" book by David D. Busch, twice winner of "Best Book" from the Computer Press Association. FontEdit supports myriad editing capabilities. The function menus are immediately productive. All functions are displayed as needed for full editing power with instant on-screen context- sensitive help. (Support is offered by phone, email and mail, but few users have felt the need.) Users can change pixels of characters with auto-scrolling for grids too big to fit on screen and zoom to several magnifications. Cursor control is managed by any combination of the normal cursor-control keys, the numeric keypad as an eight-direction control, and a Microsoft-compatible mouse. Special effects include bold, ghost, incline, overlay, re-size, shift and negative image. Fonts can be combined and split, copied, flipped, inverted, output as raster graphic file and printed for a sample sheet to analyze and catalog. Fonts can be converted between fixed and proportional. Utilities are provided to convert portrait to landscape orientation and to build character width tables for MS-Word, PC-Write and XyWrite. The most significant change in the previous version is support for a Microsoft-compatible mouse. Other changes include: * support for non-graphic displays; now everyone can edit fonts; * enlarged editing area; 3/4 screen is dedicated to editing; * printed reference card depicting help screens and edit menus. Version 6.1 fixes several irritating problems reported by users: * preserve left offset of newly drawn image; * allow use of setup without need to first save file; * prevent file corruption when combining fonts. And, version 6.1 adds these features: * new setup function to specify screen colors; * user specification of cell width and height; * block graphic display can be used with screen-graphic modes. FontEdit is a mature product. It is used worldwide, supporting the special needs of international communication in a mixed- language environment. Foreign words and names are printed in their glyphic splendor. FontEdit has been used to develop special symbol sets, like the ZODIAC font by Psychic Planner, Inc., included with FontEdit. FontEdit is well-behaved. It is fully self-contained -- no extra files to maintain -- so installation is simple. It does not modify itself nor any system files, so virus scanners are not confused. It does not bother the user with pleas for money nor warnings of criminal behavior. It will not terminate abnormally; it protects the user's efforts, and changes can be saved anytime. FontEdit is not simply shareware. It is not public domain. It is not freeware. FontEdit is commercial software. FontEdit is Copyright 1989 John G. Derrickson. All rights reserved. The author has coined a new word, EvALUEwARE, to describe this special type of commercial software. He defines EvALUEwARE to be the full-featured product offered free -- as a marketing technique -- expecting satisfied users will purchase future versions. The author recognizes that computer software holds a unique position in the publication universe. Computer software is easy to copy. Computer users often copy programs, unaware they may be violating copyright law. The author will not risk making his customers into unwitting criminals. Therefore, he permits users to copy and distribute freely. In fact, FontEdit is available from bulletin board systems and software library distributors. The author is so confident users will love FontEdit, they will purchase the newest version. Furthermore, as incentive to purchase, he offers customers free softfonts, utilities, printed reference card and those who report problems get a free update. He thinks of this as a money-back guarantee before-the-fact. System requirements for FontEdit are: an IBM PC, XT, AT, PS/2 or compatible computer with any display type, 264K RAM, MS-DOS 2.11 or later, HP LaserJet+ or compatible printer, and a 3-1/2" or 5-1/4" disk drive. A Microsoft-compatible mouse is optional. JaDy(tm) FontEdit is available as file FONTJD.EXE from the CompuServe IBM Hardware Forum (IBMHW), the GEnie Home Office/Small Business RoundTable (HOSB), other bulletin board systems, and from The Public Software Library (800 242-4775), Public Brand Software (800 426-3475) and other distributors. FontEdit is included with the book The Font Problem Solver: How To Install And Use Type With Your Software And Printer, PC Edition, by David D. Busch, published by Business One Irwin, Homewood, IL, ISBN 1-55623-506-2. FontEdit version 6.1 is available for $30 (check, cash or money order, U.S. dollars; price includes first class mail, air mail internationally) from: John G. Derrickson, 834 Chestnut St. #1204, Philadelphia, PA 19107 U.S.A. For American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa orders, call The Public Software Library at 800 242-4775 or 713 524-6394, by FAX at 713 524-6398, by CompuServe Email to 71355,470, or by mail to PsL, P. O. Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705. Please specify disk size and item #10393 when ordering. Questions about the order shipment status and technical support should be directed to John Derrickson. -###- JaDy is a trademark of John G. Derrickson