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Typography On the Web Gets Different

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the but-i-miss-comic-sans dept.

bstender writes "Most major browsers — including the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome, and Opera — recognize a CSS rule known as @font-face. What that means, in brief, is that Web developers can now easily embed downloadable fonts in their pages. To see an example, load up Firefox 3.5 or Safari 4 and learn more. You'll see three new typefaces — Liza, Auto, and Dolly — used in the body text and headlines." No doubt the licensing issues are just as complex as the font nerd potential.

6 of 378 comments (clear)

  1. IE doesn't support font-face by verbalcontract · · Score: 4, Informative

    I was under the impression that no version of IE supported @font-face?

    http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2009/07/font-face-typekit-and-font-licensing-the-state-of-web-type.ars

    1. Re:IE doesn't support font-face by HappyHead · · Score: 4, Informative
      Actually, it does support @font-face, just not with standard font files. Microsoft's reason for this was because some people make TrueType font files and put them under copywrite,and they felt that allowing the use of .ttf files for font distribution would enable copywrite violations. Instead, you have to use a Microsoft utility to convert the font files into a special Microsoft font format for web pages called EOT - which doesn't actually solve the stated problem, but does make it difficult for anyone else to use the font file for things other than embedding in web pages that will be viewed with IE after you've put it on your website.

      http://jontangerine.com/log/2008/10/font-face-in-ie-making-web-fonts-work

    2. Re:IE doesn't support font-face by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      I managed to get @font-face working for all browser supporting it, buy having both .ttf and .eot files and IE CSS conditional comment. Also, check ttf2eot for a tool that run on linux if you don't want to use MS's tool.

  2. To disable @font-face in Firefox 3.5 by GeekDork · · Score: 5, Informative

    In about:config, set gfx.downloadable_fonts.enabled to false and restart the browser.

    --

    Fight hunger. Filet a politician and send him to a 3rd world country of your choice.

  3. Re:Oh Lord! by DanTheStone · · Score: 3, Informative

    Firefox has a checkbox in Tools -> Options -> Content -> Fonts and Colors -> Advanced to disable this, if you so desire.

  4. At least you'll have options by Nerdposeur · · Score: 3, Informative

    I know some css nerds will tell me if I feel that way I should use my own css. first off I don't have time for that. second, it's likely if I mess with CSS on an overly tuned web page i;ll make it less readable not more.

    I still think this can only improve your situation. As you said, you can use your own CSS, or none at all (in FireFox: View > Page Style > No Style). You may be too lazy to change it, but at least you'll have the option.

    People already use non-standard fonts on web pages. They just use images or Flash or whatever, which gives the user zero control over appearance.

    Additional benefits: since these wacky fonts will be sent as actual text, you'll still be able to Control+F search them, resize them, index them with a search engine, or have them read to you if you're blind.