Bitstream

Bitstream Inc. was founded in 1981 by Matthew Carter and Mike Parker, making it one of the first companies dedicated entirely to digital typography. The company played a crucial role in the transition from metal and phototype to digital fonts.

Pioneering Digital Type

Bitstream was founded on the premise that typefaces could be separated from the hardware that produced them. This revolutionary idea enabled fonts to work across different systems and platforms, fundamentally changing the type industry.

TrueType and Font Technology

Bitstream contributed to the development of font technology standards and created some of the first digital versions of classic typefaces. The company's technical innovations helped establish the digital typography infrastructure we use today.

Notable Typefaces

Bitstream's library includes original designs and digital revivals:

• Bank Gothic - A distinctive Art Deco display face
• Bitstream Charter - Matthew Carter's highly legible text face
• Bitstream Vera - Open source fonts that influenced DejaVu
• Bitstream Courier - A refined monospace design

Open Source Contributions

Bitstream made significant contributions to open source typography, releasing Bitstream Vera as one of the first high-quality open source font families. This generosity influenced the development of open source fonts for decades.

Legacy

Though the company has gone through various acquisitions, Bitstream's fonts and technical contributions remain influential. The company's early vision of platform-independent typography became the foundation of modern font technology.