Graphic design of program text

Computer programs, like literature, deserve attention not only to conceptual and verbal (linguistic) structure but also to visual structure, i.e., the qualities of alphanumeric text fonts and other graphic symbols, the spatial arrangement of isolated texts and symbols, the temporal sequencing of individual parts of the program, and the use of color (including gray values). With the increasing numbers of programs of ever greater complexity, and with the widespread availability of high resolution raster displays, both soft copy and hard copy, it is essential and possible to enhance significantly the graphic design of program test. The paper summarizes relevant principles from information-oriented graphic design, especially book design, and shows how a standard C program might be translated into a well-designed typographic version. The paper's intention is to acquaint the computer graphics community with the available and relevant concepts, literature, and expertise, and to demonstrate the great potential for the graphic design of computer programs. 22 references.