Most people wouldn’t give a second thought about which font is displayed on a Web page. For years Web designers and Internet users have been limited to a handful of mundane yet reliable type faces. That’s because traditionally, fonts need to be installed on the end-user’s computer to be viewable. Only a small number of these fonts are so ubiquitous that they are considered compatible across all major platforms. Up until recently – oh, say in the last two years – the only way to display an uncommon typeface would be to convert the text into a graphic. Still today, designers struggle to maintain their creative freedom while making content accessible through a multitude of browsers and operating systems. Fortunately, a new movement is underway that takes advantage of new technologies and Web standards to display fonts as they were intended.

These fonts are installed on a Web server (not the end-user’s computer), and allow much greater flexibility in designing. Problem solved, right? Sort of. As with most creative works, typefaces are protected by various legal means, including design patents, copyrights, and trademarks. While it’s not impossible to swap fonts between friends the same way digital music is shared, it’s still illegal and – increasingly – difficult. That’s because the major type foundries who distribute our beautiful fonts recognize the Web as a major evolutionary platform and are endorsing technologies that protect their investment, as they should. In fact, these digital type designs are more akin to computer programs than art, and can be encoded using all sorts of security techniques to prevent copying. But, there is a silver lining.

Many open-source fonts are available for download at no charge, and can be installed for personal or commercial use. If a particular font is not available for free, and a designer is willing to pay a reasonable fee, a growing number of commercial fonts can be purchase like music or stock photos. Licensing is indeed at the forefront of this movement, but having the legal right to use a font is not the only challenge to overcome.

Although the technology to download Web fonts on demand has existed for more than ten years, it was not immediately embraced. Development slowed and a lack of standards made the whole practice inadvisable. Today, interest in displaying real Web-based fonts has grown. As a result, new standards have been recommended, and for the most part all major browsers and font foundries are on board. There are merely four major formats [of fonts] that cover all major browsers, provided users don’t have a sufficiently old version.

Web designers have a great tool in their back pocket that encourages more creativity, while addressing the needs of accessibility. Many services already exist that allow free font downloads, hosting, and subscription services. The unique font shown above in this post was downloaded from Kernest.com for free. Another site of interest is Typekit.com. Better yet, just Google the topic and you will be rewarded with a wealth of information on Web Typography.

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