Getting bitmaps from the archives

Most people these days start using TeX with a 300 dots-per-inch (dpi) laser printer, and Computer Modern bitmap fonts for this resolution are supplied with most TeX packages. There are also two such sets available on CTAN: fonts/cm/pk/pk300.zip (for write-black printer engines) and fonts/cm/pk/pk300w.zip (for write-white engines). However, some users want to send their work to high quality typesetting machines (typically with a resolution of 1270 dpi or greater); it is also becoming more common to use a 600 dpi laser printer. Why don't the archives or suppliers provide bitmap fonts at these sizes? There are two reasons:

1. When a bitmap font is created with METAFONT, it needs to know the characteristics of the device; who knows what 600 or 1270 dpi device you have? (Of course, this objection applies equally well to 300 dpi printers.)
2. Bitmap fonts get big at high resolutions. Who knows what fonts at what sizes you need?

So what to do? You can build the fonts you need yourself with METAFONT: this isn't at all hard, and some drivers help you (dvips, and the emTeX drivers) construct the METAFONT commands. You might need to look at Karl Berry's collection of METAFONT modes (fonts/modes/modes.mf). Alternatively, if it is a PostScript device you have, consider using the fonts in Type 1 font format. You can buy all the Computer Modern fonts in outline form from Blue Sky Research, Kinch or Y&Y (commercial vendors for addresses), or you can use Basil Malyshev's public domain versions in fonts/cm/ps-type1 (the Paradissa collection is complete, but has largely been replaced by the better BaKoMa collection).