Re: Questions re web-fonts

Thomas Lord wrote:

> The problem, John, is that TTF/OTF exist as
> standards precisely to facilitate the exchange
> of font files between applications.  These
> are "open standards", intended to be implemented
> by anyone and everyone who cares to do so.

TrueType came into being to break PostScript's stranglehold on page 
layout and printer drivers. OpenType came into being to extend the 
capabilities of TrueType to handle complex scripts and, as a byproduct, 
more sophisticated typographic layout. Fundamentally, the formats exist 
for the purpose of document creation and display, not 'exchange of font 
files between applications'. What is exchanged between applications is 
typically content, in some form from plain text up to fully styled text 
and document layout; the circumstances in which a TrueType or OpenType 
font travels with a document is rare. When a font does travel with a 
document, e.g. embedded in a PDF, it is most often subsetted and lacking 
many of the capabilities of the document creation font. Further, such 
embedding is properly respectful of the embedding bit permissions in the 
font OS/2 table; whereas the browsers supporting naked font linking are 
apparently unwilling to be responsible for any such permissions.

 > One is tempted to tease you a little bit by
 > asking if you are aware that modern browsers
 > have been turned into music-sharing devices and
 > that that has resulted in the unauthorized use
 > of music files...

I'm tempted in return to tease you by asking if you understand the 
difference between music and fonts.


JH

Received on Wednesday, 15 July 2009 18:40:49 UTC