Using web-fonts
- Started
- Last post
- 11 Responses
- ZEE_NL
Being able to use web-fonts nowadays, creates new perspectives in webdesign. With this new development there will exist more differentiation in "web-identities". To bad Windows OS and its partner in crime "Internet Explorer", renders most web-fonts like a 2 year old.
Using the Fedra webfont ourselves we were quit disappointed seeing the result in a Windows based browser.
Typotheque:
"Why don’t the fonts look the same in Windows and in Mac OS?Font rendering is handled by the operating system’s rasterizer. While Apple’s OS X does a great job of rendering all fine details of type on screen, the Windows rasterizer is less refined, so fonts in small sizes don’t look as good as in Mac OS.
You can enhance font display on LCD screens by turning on Windows ClearType. You can further fine-tune ClearType by using the ClearType Tuner.Follow these steps to enhance screen fonts on Windows: How to Use ClearType to Enhance Screen Fonts in Windows XP ClearType Tuner ClearType Tuner PowerToy"
http://www.zee.nl
http://www.typotheque.com/help/w…
http://www.thebrightlines.com/20…
- Continuity0
The long and the short of it is that Windows sucks if you want things to be pretty, at least not in any sort of native way like Mac OS.
And this, is probably one of the big reasons why Flash won't disappear any time soon. Despite all of the fun one can have with <canvas>, HTML5 and JS, the fact of the matter is that if you design something in Flash, it will look the same across all browsers and OSes.
Once the warm and fuzzy glow wears off of HTML5, I think people with a vested interest in making sure everything looks great and the same everywhere - designers, advertisers, and so on - will come back to Flash, knowing that it's reliable in this arena.
Also, you've got a classy site there, Zee, fine work. :)
- kult0
Windows XP? Are you actually serious?
- mikotondria30
I run GDI++.dll on XP Pro and it looks great :)
http://lifehacker.com/5190607/gd…
- ItTango0
The problem with ClearType and any other browser tweaks is that they are user initiated... which means 90% of the time, they will never be implemented.
They also assume that users are aware of discrepancies regarding the display of fonts - they aren't.
- jaylarson0
Curious to see how this lovely site looks on windoze:
http://lostworldsfairs.com///
- Looks same as on Macukit
- beautiful!ernexbcn
- Screenie?Continuity
- You don't believe me?:)
It looks exactly the same.ukit - It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that I'm running a Mac, and I wanna see. :PContinuity
- does look bad on XP : ( Great design, but the type is rendering dreadfully for me.mikotondria3
- ZEE_NL0
I agree.
It's good to know that it's possible to optimize the font rendering performance. Let's hope this will be implemented in the upcoming updates of the browser and OS.- Well, let's face it: MS has a lot more fundamental issues with its OS to wrry about than how pretty it makes websites.Continuity
- makes = rendersContinuity
- ukit0
Isn't Cleartype on by default after XP?
- ukit0
"ClearType was later introduced as an operating system feature in Windows XP, where it was kept turned off by default. In Windows Vista, ClearType is turned on by default."
- ItTango0
For headings and <ui> stuff, I occasionally use this: http://cufon.shoqolate.com/gener…
- ukit0
I guess it is a problem that a lot of people are still using XP but they should move on at some point, it's been about 10 years:)
- Continuity0
I just realised that we always focus on how things look on Windows and Mac OS, and never mention Linux. Guess we all think Linux users can go hang. :P