FINE CHARACTERS

If you're looking for a new character-set to add atmosphere to a game or utility, Alan Grier's £1.99 package might solve your problem.

Fonts is the rather dull name of a utility program which gives you the choice of 20 different character-sets for use in your own software. The program lets you choose between a display of the alphabet in twenty different styles, including italics, bold type, stencil lettering, Olde English and Amstrad-style serif characters. Once you've chosen a character-set you can save it as a short tape file.

The character-sets are attractive, well-proportioned and generally clear, although the 3D shadow and Olde English faces were obviously limited by the Spectrum's 64-point character grid. It is a pity that eight out of 20 of the character-sets did not include matching lower-case (small) letters.

The on-screen instructions are inadequate for a beginner, because they don't say how to decode where characters should be loaded, but they form an adequate aide-memoire for the programmers who are likely to buy this package.

If you're bored with the Spectrum's 'ransom note' lettering and you can't be bothered to design your own replacement set, the Fonts cassette is good value. It costs £1.99 from Alan Grier at 1 Dayaar Road, Saltcoats, Ayrshire KA21 6HB.