QMS 860, User Manual, Page: 197 / 398

Character
Set A character set is a collection of symbols designed for
various printing applications. Many character sets are
composed of the letters (uppercase and lowercase
A-Z), digits (0-9), and any symbol (such as blank
space, dollar sign, and ampersand). Other character sets
are composed entirely of symbols.
Typeface Classification
One way of classifying the different typefaces is to group them into
the following categories:
■ Serif
■ Sans serif
■
Script
■ Pi or symbol
Serif—A serif is a decorative line or tail on the ends of the strokes
of a letter. Serifs, usually on the lower half of a letter, have also
been referred to as feet or curlicues. Courier, ITC Bookman, New
Century Schoolbook, Palatino, and Times are serif typefaces.
In the following example, all the letters except “e” and “o” have
serifs:
Times Roman
Sans serif—Sans serif (“sans” is French for “without”) indicates
a typeface without any of these small tails. A sans serif typeface is
decorative by the shape and styling of its letters but has less detail
than a serif typeface. Helvetica, Helvetica Condensed, Helvetica
Narrow, and ITC Avant Garde Gothic, are all sans serif typefaces.
Chapter 7
7 - 2 P r o f e s s i o n a l P r i n t i n g