NewDeal Technical Support Document 220

The world of outline fonts is somewhat complex. There are many companies involved at several different levels. This document will attempt to clarify some of the terms involved and where companies fit into the scheme of things, as well as describing ways to add more fonts to your NewDeal software.

Overview

foundry

Designs outline fonts. An example of this is URW, which designed typefaces such as URW Roman. Foundries license their typeface designs to other companies.

rasterizer company

Creates the software for rendering outline fonts for display. An example of this is Digital Typeface Corporation (DTC), which has a rasterizer known as Nimbus-Q. Companies that create rasterizers make money by either licensing the rasterizer algorithm to other companies, or by creating separate software which adds this capability to existing programs. Traditionally, the fonts used with rasterizing software are licensed from a foundry. For example, many of DTC's fonts were licensed from URW.

application company

Licenses rasterizing software for use in a PC application. An example of this is NewDeal, which licensed the Nimbus-Q rasterizer from DTC for use in NewDeal software. The fonts for NewDeal software were also licensed from DTC, who in turn licensed the designs from URW.

converter company

Makes software to convert between one or more of the font formats. This market came into existence a few years ago because of the large number of incompatible font formats at that time. Conversion programs allow application users to use more fonts than might otherwise be available for the font format their application supports. An example of this is MI.EXE from MicroLogic Software, which converts Adobe Type 1 fonts into MicroLogic's MLS font format. With the advent of True Type as the dominant font format in the PC world, converter companies have all but disappeared.

To keep things interesting, a number of companies fall into more than one of the above categories. For example, Adobe has designed some of its own fonts (acting as a foundry), created its own rasterizer (acting as a rasterizer company), and also sells the rasterizer as an add-on product for both Windows and the Macintosh (acting as an application company).

The NewDeal font format

NewDeal software includes outlines for several typefaces, which are very similar to fonts from other companies. The chart below gives the comparisons for the fonts included in NewDeal. In addition, NewDeal offers additional typefaces through font packages you can purchase directly from us. These fonts are the easiest way to add new typefaces.

Below are the original nine NewDeal outline fonts along with names of equivalent or nearly equivalent fonts from other companies.

ATech Software published a conversion program called AllType which will convert a large number of formats, including Adobe Type 1, True Type, ATech's FastFont format, Nimbus-Q, and NewDeal into any of the other formats. Atech is no longer in business, but AllType is still available from some retailers and from PageTech ( http://www.tfb.com/pagetech/).

MicroLogic Software offered fonts in an MLS font format which can be converted into NewDeal fonts. MicroLogic had two font packages called Display Faces and Classic Faces. These packages include a program (MT.EXE) which will convert these fonts from MicroLogic's MLS font format into a large number of formats, including native Nimbus-Q and NewDeal format (choose the Geoworks Ensemble option).

MicroLogic also made a rasterizer for Windows and WordPerfect and this package includes a program which will convert Adobe Type 1 fonts into MicroLogic's MLS font format. This program is known as MI.EXE and can be used in conjunction with MT.EXE to convert Adobe Type 1 fonts into NewDeal format.

Unfortunately, Micrologic is no longer in business, but you can sometimes find their software products in retail stores.

I've converted some fonts, now what do I do?

Once fonts are converted to the NewDeal format, simply copy the font files into the \USERDATA\FONT directory. Your NewDeal software will find the fonts and add them to your font menus in your applications, or you can run Preferences, Fonts to customize your list. You may need to exit and re-start your NewDeal software before it recognizes your new fonts.

Companies, contacts and links

Adobe Systems - fonts
345 Park Avenue
San Jose CA 95110-2704
(408) 536-6000
Fax (408) 537-6000
http://www.adobe.com/type

Digital Typeface Corp. - rasterizer (NimbusQ)
9955 West 69th Street Suite 100
Eden Prairie MN 55344
(612) 944-9264

MicroLogic - converter (MT, MI) and fonts
1351 Ocean Ave
Emeryville CA
Sales: 800-888-9078
Tech Support: 800-888-9078
Fax: 510-652-5040

Page Technology Marketing Inc (PageTech) - AllType font converter
10671 Roselle Street Suite 100
San Diego CA 92121-1525
(619) 658-0191
Fax (619) 658-0194
http://www.tfb.com/pagetech/

URW++ Design & Development - foundry
Rechtsform: GmbH, Amtsgericht Hamburg
Geschäftssitz: Poppenbütteler Bogen 29A
D-22399 Hamburg
Tel. +49 (40) 60 60 50
Fax +49 (40) 60 60 51 11
http://www.urwpp.de/

Zenographics - fonts, SuperPrint
4 Executive Circle
Irvine CA 92714
(818) 765-5585
Fax (818) 765-5877

ZSoft Corp - SoftType
450 Franklin Road Suite 100
Marietta GA 30067
(404) 428-0008
Fax: (404) 427-1150