Type from the Desktop
Designing with Type and Your Computer

Publisher:  Ventana Press, Chapel Hill, USA
Year Published:  1990
Pages:  226pp   Price:  $23.95   ISBN:  0-940087-45-6
Library of Congress Number:  Z286.D47B83   Dewey:  686.2`2544536
Resource Type:  Book
Cx Number:  CX4155

Abstract: 
"Desktop publishing" -- page design and production using computers -- is now widely used to produce many publications, especially the more inexpensive newsletters, reports, and magazines. One of the problems with desktop publishing, however, compared to traditional typesetting, is that the quality and variety of type produced is noticably inferior. As a result, higher-quality publications have continued to rely on traditional typesetting, at least for the final output.
However, efforts as being continuously made to upgrade the quality of type available through desktop publishing. Type from the Desktop is an intelligent and systematic introduction to getting better typographical results. Clifford Burke, whose earlier book Printing It is something of a classic handbook for small-scale publishers, begins by explaining what typography is and why it is so important to someone who is using text to communicate. He discusses how to choose typefaces, how to decide on margins and type sizes, and then begins a detailed look at display type, type as ornamentation, building your type library, design consideration, and production. Burke also practises what he preaches: Type from the Desktop is well-written attractively designed.
For someone who cares about producing printed materials that truly look good but doesn't know exactly how to go about it, Type from the Desktop would be an excellent "desktop" reference guide.