Fonts for Web Pages?

[dcortez]

Hi,

I'm getting a bit working to common denominators for web fonts and I wondered if there was a way to deploy fonts from a web site to ensure your surfer has it.

1) Is there some meta-coding that can be used to send a font over to a surfer if they don't have it.

2) If so, is special licensing required for fonts deployed this way?

Thanks,
-Dino

[Basic_man]

I don't think there is a way to make install a font automaticly from a website.. you can use Flash or text written in a gif

[dcortez]

I don't think there is a way to make install a font automaticly from a website.. you can use Flash or text written in a gif

Thanks.

I kind of figured that. I guess when one lists cascading fonts in styles, they are stating their wish list and if a surfer has a font for which the page looks as intended, bingo. Otherwise, the other 'stand-ins' do their best.

How about this then:

Is there a current list of fonts standard to the most popular platforms?

Maybe a custom browser/platform based approach might work best.

-Dino

[MBS Auto]

I live Veranda

[dcortez]

I live Veranda

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean?

-Dino

[adultpixel]

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean?

-Dino

MBS Auto did mean the font Verdana

[DesignWise]

verdana is a good pixel font

[dcortez]

MBS Auto did mean the font Verdana

Ah. Got it.

In that case, the common safe ones usually are:

- Courier New
- Times New Roman
- Arial (and Arial Narrow ?)
- Verdana

(I'm bored with these fonts).

I kind of like the script style fonts, but they seem to be risky choices.

-Dino

[aico]

I live Veranda

On the lips would be fine

[clubahhh]

Best bet is to use CSS an dgo through a rule set

p {
font-family: "Nice Script", "Another Nice Font", Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;
}


- Courier New
- Times New Roman
- Arial (and Arial Narrow ?)
- Verdana

Definatly are limited to the type of fonts to use.. Especially if you want to use the cursive script fonts...

One way would be to decide whether you want a Serif (with tails) or Sans-Serif (without tails), then find a fancy font within that genre then cascade as in my example above..

What you want to avoid is designing a site for San-Serif and the user don't have the font so it defaults to a Serif font, would make your site look pretty shit...

Im pretty sure you could embed the font some how into the HTML page and when it loads it asks to the user if they want to install the font.. don't rekon you would be able to get an auto install though.. Plus I also think it is IE specific.. Remember reading about it ages ago but was working for the gov at the time so I couldn't use it even if I wanted to.. check www.google.com

hope my long rant helps...

[calmlikeabomb]

yeah clubahhh suggestion is your best bet if you are not already using css.

Here is a bit of my css source:

/* Controls layout settings */
body {
	background-image: url(images/gradient.gif);
	background-repeat: repeat-x;
	background: #294189;
	color: #ffffff;
	font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;
	font-size: 8pt;
	line-height: 1.5;
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
	padding: 0px;
	}