How can I convert Mac-fonts to PC-fonts?

February 21, 2006 6:24 AM

Browsing through my logs and exploring the links leading to “25 Best License-Free Quality Fonts”, I accidentally discovered Delicious and Fontin – two unique, delightful, delicious, license-free beauties, which definitely will make a lasting positive impression on the visitors of your web-projects. However, there is a problem. The fonts can be used only on a Mac-PC, which means that I don't have any use of them whatsoever. So how could I convert a Mac-font to PC-font? Are there any freeware tools which would convert the fonts without loss of quality?
posted by vitaly friedman to computers & internet (17 comments total)

Is there such a thing as a Mac-only font??

As it's a free download, why don't you get in touch with the creator, get him to e-mail it to you - and then let us know what the font type is...
It may be that the creator has designed it on/for a Mac, and maybe doesn't know what PCs support.
posted by Chunder at 6:41 AM on February 21, 2006

I already did. The funny thing is that the creator of the font also doesn't know how to convert the fonts.
posted by vitaly friedman at 6:44 AM on February 21, 2006

[removed self-link to poster's blog post, please put the link in your profile if it's necessary to the question, sorry it makes the question a little choppy]
posted by jessamyn at 6:44 AM on February 21, 2006

2jessamyn: sorry, thanks, of course.
posted by vitaly friedman at 6:51 AM on February 21, 2006

The format of these fonts is "Postscript type 1", which information might help with your googling. This previous AskMe is perhaps not much help. This program is not free but might have a demo mode?

I really like Fontin.
posted by nowonmai at 7:06 AM on February 21, 2006

Other then for graphics, you're going to have trouble putting fonts directly on your web page. I don't think there is a standard way of embedding fonts in HTML yet.

Secondly, as far as licensing goes, only the data files that make up the fonts can be copyrighted, and the name can be trademarked. The actual font itself cannot be. Perfume smells and fonts are two things that cannot be copyrighted in the US.
posted by delmoi at 7:09 AM on February 21, 2006

Crossfont should work.
posted by condour75 at 7:13 AM on February 21, 2006 [1 favorite has favorites]

(it's not freeware but it's time-limited shareware)
posted by condour75 at 7:13 AM on February 21, 2006

Those were both very nice fonts. I would love to get my PC (don't forget Linux) hands on them.

Perhaps if you let the creator know that you are not alone in your admiration of, and desire for, the font he will be motivated to find someone to convert it for him.
posted by oddman at 7:13 AM on February 21, 2006

You can use StuffIt for Windows (direct link to download due to annoying webpage signup) download to extract the font and CrossFont (mentioned by condour75 above) to convert it to PC. CrossFont is shareware, but I've never needed more than what the free trial version does for my personal use.
posted by zsazsa at 7:18 AM on February 21, 2006

Is there such a thing as a Mac-only font??

Yes, although newer font formats and newer operating systems are making the idea of platform-dependant fonts obsolete. Mac OS X now natively accepts PC Truetype (in addition to Mac Truetype and Mac PostScript) and the OpenType font file format is universal across platforms.
posted by Robot Johnny at 7:37 AM on February 21, 2006

I had to change the option in StuffIt (god, what a horrible program) to extract the fonts as MacBinary rather than discarding the resource fork. Edit->Application Options->Cross Platform->Encode the Data And Resource Forks...

If you're using Windows XP, the OpenType option is probably the best format to convert to with CrossFont. As a bonus, they'll work great on a Mac, too.

I have them converted but I'd rather not host them without the font maker's permission.
posted by zsazsa at 7:52 AM on February 21, 2006

We use an old copy of Fontgrapher - if you can get your hands on one it's very easy to convert fonts back and forth...
posted by marajade at 7:57 AM on February 21, 2006

This person has been banned elsewhere as a self-linker.

Just so you know.
posted by briank at 8:42 AM on February 21, 2006

MeTa'd (Great, paranoid minds think alike, I guess.)
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:56 AM on February 21, 2006

condour75, zsazsa, thanks for your help. However, I can't convert these fonts and use them for commercial purposes, for I have converted them with demo- or shareware-tools. Therefore I was actually looking for freeware. But thanks, anyway.
posted by vitaly friedman at 10:54 AM on February 21, 2006

Maybe this’ll help. It’s worked like a converting-charm for me...but I’m on a Mac.
posted by dpcoffin at 7:54 PM on February 21, 2006