Cool post with a lot of great history and font samples!
As a self proclaimed programmer/designer I enjoy not only the logical and practical things in life, but also the beautiful and well designed. And I find the greatest pleasure when these things converge to produce something extraordinary.One such thing is Typography. Typography is the art of language, the visualization of the spoken word. A medium by which non-verbal communication is made possible. And though I profess no expertise in this art, I have come to deeply appreciate it’s power and ability to convey the same message in so many different ways. Each with a unique feeling and style.The Messenger
In 1956 Howard Kettler designed the typeface Courier. It was made for IBM’s new (and revolutionary) line of electric typewriters. Originally called “Messenger”, Courier is one of the earliest fixed-pitch (also known as Monospace) fonts, meaning each character takes up the same amount of space on a line; allowing for easy tabular alignment and legibility.
Courier was a hit, and as many made the transition from typewriter to computer, this classic typeface wasn’t far behind. It was included in all early Apple computers, and while creating the core fonts for Windows 3.1, Microsoft hired Monotype Typography to give Courier a makeover. And so Courier New was born, as a thinner and cleaner version of it’s former self.
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