13 Nov
2018
13 Nov
'18
11:51 a.m.
On 2018-11-13 11:11 AM, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote:
On 11/12/2018 08:51 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
Screenprinting. The production of the mask would have been done roughly
as I outlined: Camera ready ("mechanical") paste-up artwork, exposed via
process camera to a negative, and from then on the process is standard
contact exposures (vacuum frame, etching, etc).
IFF DEC used a commercial font, then it should be possible to find it.
But, it is extremely likely that they did NOT use a commercial font,
and either had their graphics art people draw the characters as
needed, or used reference patterns of their own that are NOT
incorporated into a computer font.
Were these DEC "fonts" fully formed, or a very fine bit pattern?
Well, how DID they make panels?? I'm guessing that in the beginning, it
was all done manually with photo/optical technology, the same stuff they
used to make boards.? Also, used to screen print part numbers on sheet
metal, power supply parts, etc.? So, they may have gotten pre-made
letters on some kind of carrier sheet, and transferred them to a mylar
sheet, and then photographically reproduced that onto a master
phototool, which was then used to make the silk screen.? This would be
all standard technology to anybody making PC boards in the 1960's - 1970's.
While DEC got big enough to do this all in house or have one of the
providers in this area make it for them, they also might have just
picked a font they liked from somebody's catalog.? A LOT of advertising
signage and all sorts of graphics arts stuff was done by hand with
photographic technology at that time.? Bishop Graphics comes to mind as
Yes, dry transfer is a possibility. But so is piecework phototypesetting.
a provider of transferable lettering and of course,
DIP component
patterns and such.
I suspect that they didn't get into any digital graphics technology
until at least the later DEC-10 systems, so mid 1970's.
--Toby
Jon