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Thomas Phinney
Inspiring
August 11, 2003
Question

Font Folio OpenType Edition

  • August 11, 2003
  • 93 replies
  • 24755 views
Press Release Source: Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe Announces OpenType Edition of Font Folio
Monday August 11, 8:12 am ET
New Version Offers the Adobe Type Library in Enhanced Cross-Platform Font Format

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 11, 2003--Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE - News), the leader in network publishing, today introduced a new version of Adobe® Font Folio(TM) featuring the Adobe Type Library in OpenType® format on one CD-ROM. The Adobe Font Folio (OpenType Edition) product contains more than 2,000 fonts in OpenType format, which allows for richer linguistic support and more advanced typographic control in any print, Web or dynamic media project. Adobe also announced the availability of a new special version with a 10-computer license, making it more affordable for small design shops to access the entire Adobe Type Library.

Adobe and Microsoft Corporation created the OpenType font format to improve cross-platform document portability and simplify font management, by introducing one font file that works on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Creative professionals benefit from extended foreign language support and the inclusion of expert typographic glyphs, such as small caps, old style figures and swashes, in many OpenType fonts.

"The OpenType font format is much more convenient than the old Type 1 or TrueType fonts," said David Blatner, co-author of Real World InDesign, InDesign for QuarkXPress Users and Real World Photoshop. "With Adobe's new Font Folio in OpenType format, I love having large character sets in the same font instead of having to work with a whole array of related font files."

Pricing and Availability

The Adobe Font Folio [OpenType Edition] product is available immediately and will be sold primarily through the Adobe store at www.adobe.com, Adobe retail and licensing channels, and includes a standard 20-computer license for US$8,999. License extensions are also available and Font Folio is included in Adobe's transactional and contractual licensing programs. Upgrade pricing from Font Folio versions 8 or 9 to Font Folio OpenType Edition is US$2,499. Adobe is also releasing a special 10-computer license of Font Folio OpenType Edition for smaller design workplaces that is available for US$4,999. International English versions are available where localized versions are not sold.

Full Press Release:
http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pressroom/pressreleases/200308/081103FONTFOLIO.html

Product page: http://www.adobe.com/products/fontfolio/main.html

List of all the fonts is here.

More information on compatibility and differences between the OpenType fonts and their Type 1 counterparts is here. Look in the right-hand column for links to the two cross-reference documents, and the font conversion FAQ.
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    Neil_Keller
    Known Participant
    February 18, 2005
    Mikey,
    >Adobe saw fit to rename all their normal fonts with "Lt Std". I'd like to know why - because now, you can't just say "Helvetica", you have to say "Helvetica Lt Std".

    STD (standard) or PRO were added to the names of Adobe's OpenType remakes of their original PostScript Type 1 fonts to prevent confusion or inadvertent font swapping. Latest FF includes the available OT versions of Adobe fonts. The Type 1 were largely dropped from the FF and will soon be dropped from Adobe's catalog. BTW, "Lt" just means "Light" and refers to a single weight of the typeface.

    Although the OT versions can be swapped in for Type 1 fonts, there may be some copy reflow due to minor changes in the fonts. But -- most important -- the OT versions have expanded, often vastly expanded, character sets plus cross-platform compatibility.

    So, yes, you must specify exactly which fonts you are talking about.
    >Perhaps a name conflict issue, but what if you have a website that specifies Helvetica in its style sheet as a preferred font over... say... Arial (runs and hides)?

    You should probably keep the TrueType versions of fonts like Arial, Helvetica, Times, Georgia, and Verdana available for viewing Websites. They should not conflict with other versions of these fonts as long as the font names are different.
    Neil
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    Neil_Keller
    Known Participant
    February 18, 2005
    >I thought that the Type Reference Book came with FF.

    Not sure, Dominic. Could be. I acquired my Type Reference Book independently of FF.

    Neil
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    _Mikey_Hopkins_
    Participant
    February 18, 2005
    I have some experience with the Font Folio, though I don't own it myself (have worked for a larger company that owns a copy). So, I'd like to ask a question.

    Some time between FF9 and FFO, Adobe saw fit to rename all their normal fonts with "Lt Std". I'd like to know why - because now, you can't just say "Helvetica", you have to say "Helvetica Lt Std". Perhaps a name conflict issue, but what if you have a website that specifies Helvetica in its style sheet as a preferred font over... say... Arial (runs and hides)?

    Now I'd imagine to make sure that people get Helvetica, you'd have to do something like font-family: "Helvetica Lt Std", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
    Hmm... not the nicest of things to have to do.

    Not to mention opening up older files and having to replace all the fonts because they've now got "Lt Std" after their names... sigh...
    _
    _Dominic_Hurley_
    Participating Frequently
    February 18, 2005
    Just to be clear, I thought that the Type Reference Book came with FF. Is this the case?
    N
    Neil_Keller
    Known Participant
    February 17, 2005
    Ade,

    The closest I've been able to find is the soft cover Adobe Type Library OpenType Edition Reference Book, Second Edition ISBN 0-321-19401-2 ($30). It has some alphabets, short text showings, but not complete glyph showings of its typefaces. It looks more reminiscent of old-style type shop type books, but without the copy casting tables.

    Neil
    Ade_Fowler
    Ade_Fowler
    Participating Frequently
    February 17, 2005
    Does Adobe Font Folio come with a good printed reference book (a character display of all the fonts in the folio). Spiral bound would be nice!

    As new fonts are added to the library, is there an economic way to upgrade the Font Folio?

    The half price offer is very tempting.
    N
    Neil_Keller
    Known Participant
    February 9, 2005
    Thomas used to be able to easily palm a basketball. Now he has short, stubby fingers, all for the cause.

    The sacrifice was worth the effort, Thomas!
    Neil
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    _Andy_Lawson_
    Participant
    February 9, 2005
    I just had the chance to go through the font list and drop it into an Excel spreadsheet. Someone really put a lot of time into this! Thanks again for the prompt response, and thanks also to whoever compiled this list.

    Andy
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    _Andy_Lawson_
    Participant
    February 9, 2005
    Thank you so much for the list!

    I only got through entering 1,300 + fonts by hand into the Excel spreadsheet so far this week, so this list will make the rest of my week MUCH easier.

    Thanks again,
    Andy
    T
    Thomas PhinneyAuthor
    Inspiring
    February 8, 2005
    Here's the somewhat reformatted list. I've also linked to this from the message at the top of this thread.
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