The accompanying three metafont files generate the three fonts, cmttsslc10, 
cmttssc10, and cmttssbc10, a set of fonts based on CMbase (and therefore by 
some definition Computer Modern fonts).

These fonts are three weights (light, regular, and bold) and a single design
size of a fixed pitch, sans-serif, condensed font. They are based on cmtt10.

The need for a fixed pitch font in different weights has been obvious to
me for a long time. I was finally motivated to generate these fonts when
it became clear I simply could not go on without them. Otherwise I stay away
from metafont, preferring to generate fonts in Adobe Type 1 format, where
I can render the result at high resolution without rerunning metafont.
In fact these three fonts are the basis for a set of PostScript fonts, 
CMTTSSLC, CMTTSSC, and CMTTSSBC. 

These fonts were specified relative to existing cm fonts. I started out by
generating a sans-serif fixed-ptich font, cmttss10, via the rule:

cmttss10 : cmtt10 = cmss10 : cmr10

where the colon is a heuristic "is-to" relation. Next, I defined cmttssc10
by condensing cmttss10 by about 80%. This was done for the purpose of fitting
more characters in a line of type, something that needs to be done in so many
cases. I wanted to fit 80 characters comfortably in a 27 pica measure with
room to spare for line numbers, etc. I find that a sans-serif font holds up 
to condensing better than a serif font.

Next I defined a bold variant on cmttssc10 by 

cmttssbc10 : cmttssc10 = cmb10 : cmr10

and then a light variant by working a like amount in the opposite direction.

I later restored the beak to the digit 1, and certain distinguishing features
to the lowercase i and l. I also checked that the digit 0 and the uppercase O 
are sufficiently distinct. To accomplish these changes, I created modified 
copies of the files punct.mf, romanu.mf, and romanl.mf. Be careful that these 
modified copies of the standard cm suite do not clobber the latter.

Please let me know if you have any difficulty in working with these fonts, or
make changes to them.

Arthur Ogawa
1101 San Antonio Road, Suite 413
Mountain View, CA 94043-1002
415/691-1126
Internet: ogawa@orion.arc.nasa.gov
AppleLink: ogawa
gambate kudasai