[tex-live] cm fonts are a bit messed up

[Vladimir Volovich]

"NP" == Norbert Preining writes:

 >> \usepackage[10pt]{type1ec} \usepackage[T1]{fontenc}

 NP> Works. But this is hard to know, isn't it?

 NP> Can you explain me btw why I have to use type1ec at all?

there's some explanation on the purpose of the "type1ec" package at
the top of the file "type1ec.sty":

% Put \usepackage{type1ec} before \usepackage[...]{fontenc}
% in order to use CM-Super EC/TC/LH fonts at arbitrary sizes.
% To reduce the output PS or PDF file size, use \usepackage[10pt]{type1ec}
% (that will use only 10 pt fonts scaled to any desired size).

So it serves two porposes:

1) allows to use EC and other similar fonts at arbitrary sizes
   (similarly to what the "type1cm" package provides)

2) allows to scale only 10pt fonts to any requested size, thus
   reducing the set of fonts used in the document.

TeX Live maintainers decided to leave only one font per fontshape
(10pt) to reduce the size of the CM-Super package (and similarly for
CBgreek).

Thus, if you wish to use Type1 EC fonts at any size in your documents
in TeX Live installation, the second usage shown above is what you
need.

If you have a full set of CM-Super fonts, you don't need to pass the
[10pt] option.

Best,
v.