embedding on the web
Embedding fonts is tricky these days. Browser makers and font makers are still trying to come up with a system that works for everyone. For general information on web embedding, visit Readable Web and subscribe to updates. Here are some current embedding options:
Raster Graphics
This isn’t technically embedding: the licensed font user creates bitmap graphics (gif, png, jpg) for headlines and titles. The rendered text is added to the site just like any other image. The standard license agreement covers this type of use. Raster graphics are not scalable and the words within are not web searchable. They work on every web browser except some older mobile browsers which can only display text. FLIR is a type of raster graphics embedding (see section below).
WOFF embedding
Web Open Font Format. You can convert my fonts to WOFF and use them on a web site. It hasn’t been adopted by many browsers yet but they’ll catch up soon. Font designers prefer the WOFF format because it offers some security and the fonts can’t be installed on the desktop. WOFF embedding is allowed under my standard license agreement.
@font-face linking
Some browsers will let you assign @font-face linked fonts in a style sheet. When the page is displayed in a browser, the fonts are loaded on the user’s system. That may sound great but for various reasons not all font designers or browsers support it. When all browsers support WOFF, the need for delivering other legacy font file types will be reduced and hopefully eliminated some day. @font-face linking is allowed under my standard license agreement.
Embedded OpenType
Embedded OpenType has been in use for over a decade. Fonts are converted from TrueType format into an EOT (Embedded OpenType) font using a conversion tool called WEFT. The resulting font is subset; unused characters are removed. This makes the file smaller and a less useful to those who might try to extract them. The resulting font is restricted to a specific domain. Software compression makes EOT fonts load very quickly. The main disadvantage of EOT is that it currently only works in Internet Explorer for Windows. If you’re only interesting in supporting Explorer, EOT is a good choice, especially since it works in older versions. EOT embedding is allowed under my standard license agreement.
EOTFAST is a tool which allows you to convert your own compressed EOT Lite so they download even faster.
EOT Lite
EOT Lite is Embedded OpenType with the domain restrictions and compression removed. EOT Lite is backwards compatible with older versions of Internet Explorer for Windows, even versions from a decade ago. EOT Lite only works in Internet Explorer. EOT Lite embedding is allowed under my standard license agreement.
sIFR
Scalable Inman Flash Replacement uses Flash to embed fonts on a site. It’s more useful for headings, not body text. If the user doesn’t have Flash installed, the text will appear as plain text according to style sheet rules. It’s not the ideal web embedding solution but it works right now except on the iPad. sIFR embedding is allowed under my standard license agreement.
Cufón embedding
Cufón uses JavaScript to embed fonts on a site. Cufón has some disadvantages but it works on all browsers right now. Even though the rendering isn’t perfect, for headlines, it might do the trick. Cufón embedding is allowed under my standard license agreement.
FLIR embedding
Facelift Image Replacement is a server side type renderer that works on all browsers. FLIR embedding is allowed under my standard license agreement. Visit the official Facelift Image Replacement site for details.
Other types of web embedding
If there’s a type of web embedding I haven’t covered, maybe I don’t know about it. Contact me.
embedding in PDF documents
The current license agreement allows embedding in PDF documents. If you have trouble embedding, make sure you have the latest version of the font.
other types of embedding
For embedding fonts in software, installing on web servers or any other type of use you’re not sure about. Contact Ascender Corporation. Explain which fonts you’d like to use and what your intentions are and they’ll be able to help you.