Abstract: A font server communicates with workstations and printers, i.e., clients, on a network and provides them with font-specific information that allow them to select a licensed font and to specify how to customize the font. The font server responds to a client's printing or display requests regarding a specific font or printing or display features, such as letter height, orientation, writing mode. The font server may customize a font by remapping glyphs, rotating or scaling characters and symbols, or adding special kerning pairs or ligatures. The font server then performs all the necessary rendering calculations and manipulations using the font, and produces the bit maps or outlines required for displaying or printing the desired characters and symbols. The font server translates fonts into a format that is compatible with the client's text processing application and operating system. To minimize traffic on the network, the font server and client use name-identifiers to communicate.