At TypeCon2007 today, Microsoft Corp. and Apple announced they have renewed their font licensing agreement, giving Apple users ongoing use of the latest versions of Microsoft Windows core fonts.
Under the agreement, Apple and Microsoft are extending the seamless Web and software experience Apple users have enjoyed for years when using and viewing Microsoft fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial and Verdana.
Apple customers, developers and Web designers can safely specify fonts knowing that their documents, presentations and Web pages will appear as they are meant to be seen on screen and in print.
Source: Microsoft press release.
Thank you Microsoft for your butt-ugly contribution to typography.
Great.. Times New Roman.. why bother with that font? It’s the ugliest font I have used thus far. Arial is good, Verdana is good for web.
Verdana is nice.
First post
(that’s all)
These typefaces are all cheap knock-offs foisted onto the rest of us by Microsoft (not unlike everything Microsoft seems to develop). If I hear one more person say “is that the one that looks like Arial” when I’m talking about Helvetica, I’m going to scream.
Verdana is indeed a very nice font. (to get rid of)
Arial ROCKS! I can’t believe Apple liked it so much they wasted time and energy to create Helvetica just to be like Windows. Typical. Too little, too late. I love seeing Arial everywhere. Great typeface. What I like is how it upsets MAC lemmings because it reminds them they are left with Apple’s half-baked ugly version: HELLvelveeta. Tough luck, I say.
Once again Microsoft creates something beautiful only to have Apple copy it with a cheap knock-off.
Your potential. Our passion.™
Helvetica? Isn’t that the one that…
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COMIC SANS MUST DIE
Facts are only Verdana was CREATED by Miscrosoft. Helvetica and Arial were created by type designers outside MS and Apple.
i.e. Zune Tang is an idiot (again)
@Zune Tang
We all know you are a troll, amusing yourself stirring things up, but please don’t spread FALSE font facts. Helvetica was NOT created by Apple you cluless idiot.
From Wikipedia
HELVETICA FACTS:
— created in 1957 as a REAL print font by Swiss graphic designer Max Miedinger.
— is among the most widely used sans-serif typefaces.
–Monotype’s Arial, designed in 1982, while different from Helvetica in some few details, has identical character widths, and is indistinguishable by most non-specialists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helvetica
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arial
Update:
“In 2007, Helvetica’s 50th birthday, Microsoft replaced Arial as the default in Microsoft Office applications with a new sans-serif design Calibri by Luc(as) de Groot.”
Mac font are just better the MS. Fact.
I’ll stick to my Myriad Pro, Trajan Pro, and Lucida Grande thank you very much.
I can’t remember the last time I used Arial, or Times OldRoman. Just Myriad Pro on itself kicks all three Arial’s, Times NewRoman’s, and Verdana’s disproportionate arse.
what happened to Charcoal?
Just don’t use Comic Sans.
Check out The Scourge of Arial
Why Apple pays Micro$hit for their lame-ass fonts is beyond me. Do we really care if unwashed Windows users need Arial because their broken operating system doesn’t ship with Helvetica? I say fuck ’em, let them wallow in their font shit-hole, we don’t need em.
Calibri, the new standard font for the Office-suite in Vista, is very nice indeed. Looks good – and is easy to read. I will never use Arial again.
…new sans-serif design Calibri by Luc(as) de Groot
Hmmm, I knew this was connected to the Dharma Project.
I like Georgia. Use it as my default anywhere I can. If you have a problem with that, learn to deal with it. When I downloaded it from MS, the page said it – and the other five included with it – were free and cross-platform. I’m surprised Apple needs a license to use them.
As for Zune Tang, I enjoy his off-the-wall riffs. You think for a minute he is not pro-Apple and well-informed? Only the most gullible would take anything he said (with that alias) as anything but a joke. Lighten up, OK?
“COMIC SANS MUST DIE”
So must ALGERIA…
I’m glad to hear that. Microsoft is the big fish in the pond and every Windows user is sending you an e-mail using Arial. I like the idea of fonts being universal. I hate seeing the empty rows of boxes when you get a document with unrecognizable fonts in it.
It’s not that I feel that Microsoft makes better fonts (they don’t), but I like that they are all accessible. A surprising feat for Microsoft, who is normally famous for keeping it all to themselves. I would like to see more universal collaborations with Open type formats.
I like Helvetica more than Arial. Particularly, the capital “R” looks better in Helvetica.
“…..Apple and Microsoft are extending the seamless Web and software experience ………”
Somehow … using the words “seemless” .. and “Microsoft” in the same sentence seems like an oxy-moron … doesnt it ?
I used to believe Verdana was the sole decent thing that Microsoft created, then I found out they bought it from some Brits – it won a design award some time in the last few years.
I just checked my recollection and, well, that’s not the whole story – is it ever. Seems Verdana was designed by a Brit – expat – working for MS.
http://www.typophile.com/node/17631
That’s nice, but when is Microsoft going to license some NICE fonts for THEIR OS like Optima?
Well,
Does no one remember that M$ originally licensed the font technology for Windoze from Apple? That press release from M$ may just have forgot to mention that there could be the little detail that M$ gets to keep using their version of TrueType…
Enquiring minds are amused.
Calibri looks pretty good.
Some days ZuneTang really makes me smile. Good entertainment, bud!
@ Zune Tang
Your posts make me laugh so hard!!!
Keep posting! You’re hilarious!
Arial, the just good enough font for the just good enough operating system.
Prefer serif fomts myself, at least when writing. Garamond was my favourite, but it’s not standard issue anymore, so I use Palatino.
Arial is crap knock off, Dish had it right!
Don’t feed the troll.
Back on topic – compatibility with windoze is essential in the short term. M$ don’t make it easy and windoze users are extremely resistant to change. In 5 years no-one will be bothered with Office compatibility but for the moment it is important for switchers.
Doesn’t Microsoft use TrueType, a font format invented by Apple?
I don’t think Microsoft ever released TrueImage. (that was Microsoft’s end of the deal)
@Crissyone
I have a Kodak which looks suspiciously like that Canon! Maybe this is just one of those Concord/Tupolev things…
(Did anyone except me even understand that obscure remark?)
First, let me apoligise for my previous post which wah meant to be in a different forum! (Victum of too many active tabs!)
Secondly, let me say I really hate Arial, Times and Comis Sans etc. But what else have M$ got to look forward to? The ubiquity of Windows bring us all down.
I work as a training consultant, BA, process re-enginerer etc so I do a lot of writing and I would love in a professional environment to be able to use fonts like Parisian, Apple Chancery etc, but normally the opportunity doesn’t exist.
@Shadowmac
Yeah I got it. Humorous.
Arial? Times New Roman? Helvetica? Nah… The font Windings is the way to go!
Peace.
Oops… should have been: Wingdings
Darn my butterfingers.
Peace.