I have begun putting type samples of my typewriters, type elements, print wheels, font cartridges and computer printers and aim for these to be consistent, high quality represenations of their output created to a high standard. The goal is consistency to present samples that look and are sized the same to invite comparison and review.

I also welcome submissions from anyone wanting to participate in this project and have created these these guidelines for creating samples:

How to create your samples:

• First, type your sample on smooth, but not glossy, white paper.
  • Please avoid thin copy paper
  • Please avoid textured and watermarked papers like one might use for a resum�.
• New fabric ribbons tend to be extra bold. I would prefer you use a ribbon somewhere around midway through its useful life to reveal more of the nuances of the type face.
  • If you have a choice, please use a "film" ribbon
• Please scan at a fairly high resolution:
  • 1,200 dpi is the best balance of resolution and file size
  • 2,400 dpi is probably ideal if you can handle it well
  • 600 dpi isn't bad and if that is the limit of your hardware, I can work with it
  • 300 dpi really too low. If that is all you can do, well, I'll take it but try to find a way to get at least a 600 dpi scan for optimal results.
• Save your scan as a TIFF or PNG image if at all possible as these formats have no compression artifacts.
  • If you no option and must save as a JPG, look for a "file size" or "compression" option and pick the "largest" or "highest quality" setting.
• If you make a minor mistake, just "x" over it and I can fix it in "post."
• Another option is to "x" out a while line and move on to the next. The "x" lines can be removed quite easily.

Here is an example of a page as you might submit, complete with minor formatting errors:

There are four main elements, the first two I consider the minimum requirement. The key layout and paragraph are optional but requested:

• Description Line
  • The name of the typestyle (example: Pica)
  • Character pitch (example: 10 CPI or PS)
  • Typeface ID number (example: 101)
  • Typewriter / printer Name and Model, plus the year, if known (example: Thumper 3000)
  • Typewriter / printer serial number (example 01010100)


• Short text and character set
  • Please keep the text and character set consistent.
  • The exact spacing between the sentence and character set blocks is not critical.
  • The character set sample consistents of five lines:
  • Uppercase letters, alphabetical order
  • Lowercase letters, alphabetical order
  • Numbers, space, top row unshifted symbols, space, second row symbols, space, third row symbols, space, fourth row symbols
  • Shifted numbers, space, top row shifted symbols, space, second row symbols, space, third row symbols, space, fourth row symbols
  • Alternating upper and lower case for 13 letters, normally A through M
  • Highlight the word stormy using whatever feature the machine may have of your choosing.
  • My "little" sister named the "lazy dog" Cooper.
  
  
• Keyboard layout
  • This is just a visual representation of the keyboard layout, unshifted and shifted
  • Just try to get the alignment kinda close to where the characters are positioned on the keyboard.
  • Proportional typefaces are more difficult. Just start off each row with what looks right and keep going.
  • Some keyboards, mostly electronic machines, have extra characters via a 2nd Shift or Graphics Shift. Please create these following the same layout as much as possible with a notation as to the "shift" key used.
    • You may pick a character as a place-holder for keys not having an assigned character
    • If there are only a few, you can create a simple list for those. For example, the IBM WheelWriter has only four characters accessible via the Code key.


• Text paragraph
  • I would prefer all use the same paragraph
  • My sample just furthered as many cliches as possible.
  • However, alternate text blocks of roughly the same length are acceptable.


• Other notes
  • If a symbol is unavailable, feel free to substitute with any character of your choosing.
    • Example: I have one typewriter with no % symbol, so I type "percent" in its place.
  • If your typewriter has additional special features, feel free to add one paragraph for each to the bottom of the sample.
    • Be sure to identify the feature (i.e. "Expand" on an IBM Exectuve or "Double Width" on a thermal typewriter.)
    • I suggest using the short #Haburgevons: sentence

  When I process the images, I can make minor corrections for typos and alignment problems. You can see in this example the alignment error on the QWERTY. Don't worry about—I can shift that over in post. (That wasn't a deliberate pun!)

  I'm not aiming for total perfection and am more concerned about size, overall presentation and alignment. When I clean up a typeface, I want the result to be true to the type (do not read a pun into that) and will leave type defects. On the other hand, my old Selectric ribbon leaves "crumbs" behind; I clean those up because they are not part of the type itself.

  Here is the text above (formatted using the standard 101-key layout) so that you cut and paste and print it for your own reference:

  TypefaceName - 10 cpi - TypefaceID - ManufacturerAndModel (Year) - SerialNumber #Hamburgevons: It was a dark ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ and stormy night when the abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz quick brown foxes jumped over 1234567890 `-= []\ ;' ,./ Cooper, the lazy dog, coming !@#$%^&*() ~_+ {}| :" <>? to the aid of their country. AaBbCcDdEeFfGgHhIiJjKkLlMm #Hamburgevons: It was a dark and stormy night when this story began. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog many times, but was the dog really lazy? No! The story never told of when the dog would (sometimes) get up and trip the fox. The quick fox never quit trying because he knew that one misses 100% of the shots not taken. Many foxes get knocked down -- and lots of them dust themselves off and keep trying -- but only the truly brave ones know when it's time to get back up and come to the aid of their country. Now our quick brown fox is getting some needed R&R because the typing is on the paper. @ECHO OFF Bold: #Hamburgevons: It was a dark and stormy night when the quick brown foxes jumped over Cooper, the lazy dog, coming to aid of their country.

  How to send in your samples:

  • You can simple email the scans to me, one per email so as to not overload anyones email server.
  • If you think the email is getting too big, there is no problem splitting it into more than one, or even sending each photo separately so as long as it is easy to tell which photos go to which sample.
  • You also have the option to "snail" mail sheets to me, as well. Just contact me via email and we can work that out.
  
  
  • Also, bonus points if you send a photo of your keyboard and the type bars / element.
    • You may also include a "glamour shot" or two of the machine itself. (While I will accept these submissions, the Typewriter Database is really a much better place to post multiple photos of the machine. The TWDB is an EXCELLENT resource, I might add.)
  
  
  • Let me know you want to be recognized or the final files labeled somehow, such as your name or nickname and I will do my best to oblige.
  • Privacy policy: Unless you ask me not to, I plan on keeping all submissions along with any personal information provided in an off-line database. This information can be removed at any time by your request. This is to allow me to contact you in case more information is needed nor or in the future.
  • My email address is explained at the very bottom of this page.

  In addition, I hope add PDFs scans of catalogs and other materials to invite further analysis and identification. Many will be acquired from other sources (with permission, of course.) If you have any such resources, please let me know.

  If you have any questions, feel free to email me or post on https://typewriters.groups.io.

  TheComputerArchive.com SysOp: Thumper
  My email address is my SysOp name at/on this web site domain.