The following discussion can also be found in OS/2 Version 2.0 - Volume 5: Print Subsystem, including more details about Presentation Manager, the Workplace Shell, and the print subsystem.
Fonts are used for output by the system to two devices:
With the many types of displays and even more numerous types of printers one can imagine the complexity of tracking who can use which fonts and what do they look like on a 75 dot display as well as a 300 dot printer.
OS/2 Version 2.0 utilizes Adobe** Type Manager (ATM) for this specific purpose. There are two ATMs present in OS/2 Version 2.0, one for OS/2 PM applications and the other for WIN-OS/2 applications. These ATMs allow the system to provide a seamless look and consistent output while using most applications. Because there are two ATMs with some duplicate files, however, user installation and management is critical.