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Subject:Re: What's the point From:gloria <gmedcalf -at- PRAIRIE -dot- LAKES -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 8 Jan 1999 08:59:45 -0600
What is your output device? Back in the days before desktop publishing 72
points did not equal an inch. Today, with postscript and probably other
printer drivers, 72 points does equal an inch. If you want an accurate
scale, print one on your output device of choice.
At least this is my understanding
gloria
gmedcalf -at- prairie -dot- lakes -dot- com
>Folks,
>
>Having seen Karen Shriver's book on Document Design praised I went out
>and bought it. It is excellent. She states that the point, used nearly
>universally to measure text, is (only) nearly 1/72 of an inch. I thought
>it was exactly 1/72 inch so I looked it up (Graphic Arts Encyclopedia:
>McGraw Hill, amongst others). It is defined (since 1886) as 0.013837
>inch so that 72 points is 0.996264 inch.
>
>I looked in the archive to see if there was anything on point size but
>did not find anything relevant.
>
>My questions (at last): How did we get this (bizarre) unit? Where does
>it come from? Also, where can I get an accurate point type-scale (that
>does not assume exactly 72 points per inch)?
>--
>Peter Jones
>
>e-mail Holtec -at- comity -dot- demon -dot- co -dot- uk
>
