Font embedding round up

Font Jazz

Font Jazz works on the principle of using a single file for a font which you make on FileJazz.com, download a generated Javascript and file, then let the javascript run through H# tags and replace them with proper text. The technology behind it is 100% server side, all the developer has to do is prepare the right files first.

[Link: FontJazz.com]

Cufon

Cufon leverages Javascript/JSON, FontFourge, SVG, and VML . There is more preparation than Font Jazz in some ways, but works very well also.

[Link: http://wiki.github.com/sorccu/cufon/about]

sIFR

Some may throw their hands up in the air and declare this as an atrocity as it uses Flash technology, and thus shouldn’t be considered as a scalable solution due to plugin availability… But it’s kind of a moot point considering it’s dependent upon Flash 6 and up… Yes, Flash 6 which is installed on pretty much any computer that has the internet and has a more current version. And since Flash for the majority of it’s uses is completely cross browser compatible, many would argue this is the most straight forward, dependable solution for embedding fonts in to your web site(s).

[Link: http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/sifr/]

TypeKit

A solution that is currently in development and is based around the legalities/pains of using fonts across the web. Due to license limitations many fonts can not be used on the web so TypeKit more or less plans on offering fonts on their servers that you can use on your sites, including for commercial use. Sounds great right? It will be a double edged sword because developers/designers will know they’re in safe, blue legal waters, but ask any designer if he wants to make heavy use of a font that is being used on thousands of other sites, with many possibly being well known? No, they won’t (I know I wouldn’t). But, we’ll see how TypeKit decides to solve this issue… The great thing is it will call more need for talented typographers, a trade that is dwindling.

[Link: http://typekit.com/]