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FON is a Windows bitmap font format that stores glyphs as pixel grids at specific sizes. These aren't scalable outline fonts like TrueType — each size is a separate hand-tuned bitmap, which means a 10pt FON font and a 12pt FON font are literally different sets of pixel art. Scale to any other size and the system has to improvise, usually badly.
The format is actually a Windows NE (New Executable) or PE resource file containing one or more FNT bitmap font resources. Each resource stores a character set with fixed or variable-width glyphs, kerning tables, and header metadata. The format dates back to Windows 1.0 (1985) and was the standard font format before TrueType arrived with Windows 3.1 in 1992.
FON fonts still exist in Windows — they're the system fonts for console windows, BIOS setup screens, and certain legacy UI elements. You'll also encounter them when maintaining old software or working with retro computing projects. They're a reminder of an era when every pixel was precious and fonts were works of meticulous pixel-level craftsmanship.