Comments on: How can I convert Mac-fonts to PC-fonts?

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

vitaly friedman — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:24:47 -0800

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?

By: Chunder

Chunder — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:41:24 -0800

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.

By: vitaly friedman

vitaly friedman — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:44:29 -0800

I already did. The funny thing is that the creator of the font also doesn't know how to convert the fonts.

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:44:46 -0800

[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]

By: vitaly friedman

vitaly friedman — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:51:51 -0800

2jessamyn: sorry, thanks, of course.

By: nowonmai

nowonmai — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:06:28 -0800

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.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:09:59 -0800

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.

By: condour75

condour75 — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:13:03 -0800

Crossfont should work.

By: condour75

condour75 — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:13:25 -0800

(it's not freeware but it's time-limited shareware)

By: oddman

oddman — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:13:37 -0800

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.

By: zsazsa

zsazsa — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:18:00 -0800

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.

By: Robot Johnny

Robot Johnny — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:37:16 -0800

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.

By: zsazsa

zsazsa — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:52:39 -0800

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.

By: marajade

marajade — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 07:57:21 -0800

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...

By: briank

briank — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 08:42:43 -0800

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

Just so you know.

By: Alvy Ampersand

Alvy Ampersand — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 08:56:26 -0800

MeTa'd (Great, paranoid minds think alike, I guess.)

By: vitaly friedman

vitaly friedman — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:54:19 -0800

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.

By: dpcoffin

dpcoffin — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:54:57 -0800

Maybe this'll help. It's worked like a converting-charm for me...but I'm on a Mac.