Mac Users: Font Software

[Spliffic]

I'm looking to buy some new font software to use with my CS3, was looking at MacFonts. Has anyone used this? I'm not looking at anything too extravagant, but don't want to have to download shitty fonts from the internet anymore.

Can anyone recommend some good font software to purchase?

 

[turpentine]

linotype font explorer has a free version that is perfectly competant. its a font manager though. you buy font packs separately. you can get a big pack from your favorite pirate sources.

 

[Fatbat]

I'm confused by your question. It sounds like you are looking for a font manager, but then go on to say you don't want to download shitty fonts from the internet anymore. What? Are you looking for font management software or fonts themselves?

If it's management software you can't really go wrong with Suitcase. It's pretty much the standard font management tool. Font Manager and Digital Asset Management Software for Personal, Professional and Corporate Environments.

If it's fonts and you want a good solid type library that you can depend on day in and day out then pick up the Adobe type library. Adobe Fonts

 

[Spliffic]

Sorry if my question sounded dumb. I meant fonts itself, but I don't want to break the bank and spend $2500 on a font library.

I'll take a look at Suitcase and Linotype. Thanks for the input guys

 

[turpentine]

fonts are expensive, for example all of helvetica neue costs over a grand.

 

[Spliffic]

Ya no shit, I didn't realize they were that crazy expensive. Obviously you pay for quality though, but I'm not that heavy into design to justify paying that much.

 

[Fatbat]

fonts are expensive, for example all of helvetica neue costs over a grand.

You would be foolish to buy it on its own for nearly a grand (it's $961 from Adobe) when you can buy the entire Adobe library for $2600 which has the full Helvetica Neue in it, along with a couple thousand other fonts.

If you are looking for free fonts there are some fantastic stuff out there, you've just got to track it down...

Fontleech: The best free fonts on the web. << An old blog that hasn't been updated in a long time, but links to some great quality free fonts

40+ Excellent Freefonts For Professional Design | Fonts | Smashing Magazine

15 Fresh High-Quality Free Fonts | Fonts | Smashing Magazine

Beautiful High-Quality Free Fonts For Your Designs | Fonts | Smashing Magazine << Smashing Magazine lists of quality free fonts

Fonts | Smashing Magazine

Maniackers Design Font | ƒfƒUƒCƒ“ƒtƒHƒ“ƒg | mksd.jp << Maniackers, Japanese with some great "techno" fonts

Larabie MyFonts << Larabie has some right shitty fonts, but there is some useful stuff in there

Free Fonts Download Sites << a decent list of free font sites

I can keep this up all day, I'm a font whore, but this should get you pointed in the right direction.

 

[kblessinggr]

Just remember, if shit starts going haywire, its usually a single corrupt font out of a library of a few thousand. A single corrupt font can cause several applications on a mac to crash oddly enough. *some* managers have tools to hunt down a bad font, but not always. Just something to keep in mind if something goes south after installing the manager(s).

 

[Spliffic]

You would be foolish to buy it on its own for nearly a grand (it's $961 from Adobe) when you can buy the entire Adobe library for $2600 which has the full Helvetica Neue in it, along with a couple thousand other fonts.

If you are looking for free fonts there are some fantastic stuff out there, you've just got to track it down...

Fontleech: The best free fonts on the web. << An old blog that hasn't been updated in a long time, but links to some great quality free fonts

40+ Excellent Freefonts For Professional Design | Fonts | Smashing Magazine

15 Fresh High-Quality Free Fonts | Fonts | Smashing Magazine

Beautiful High-Quality Free Fonts For Your Designs | Fonts | Smashing Magazine << Smashing Magazine lists of quality free fonts

Fonts | Smashing Magazine

Maniackers Design Font | ƒfƒUƒCƒ“ƒtƒHƒ“ƒg | mksd.jp << Maniackers, Japanese with some great "techno" fonts

Larabie MyFonts << Larabie has some right shitty fonts, but there is some useful stuff in there

Free Fonts Download Sites << a decent list of free font sites

I can keep this up all day, I'm a font whore, but this should get you pointed in the right direction.

+rep, thanks for the links and your time to post all this

 

[Spliffic]

Just remember, if shit starts going haywire, its usually a single corrupt font out of a library of a few thousand. A single corrupt font can cause several applications on a mac to crash oddly enough. *some* managers have tools to hunt down a bad font, but not always. Just something to keep in mind if something goes south after installing the manager(s).

Good to know, thanks bro

 

[guysmy]

here is a value priced version of adobe font folio. it's educational, but if you look hard enough you may be able to buy it without any credentials.
Adobe - Adobe Font Folio Education Essentials

once you start using professional fonts, you will never go back to the amateurish free stuff.

 

[Fatbat]

here is a value priced version of adobe font folio. it's educational, but if you look hard enough you may be able to buy it without any credentials.
Adobe - Adobe Font Folio Education Essentials

once you start using professional fonts, you will never go back to the amateurish free stuff.

While it would be an ok place to start, the Educational Essentials version is only 25 font families and less than a quarter of the number of fonts in the full font folio.

I certainly agree that it is a good idea to have professional library forming the basis of your font collection (and Adobe is pretty much the best choice and bang for the buck IMO) but there's also plenty of free stuff out there that isn't amateurish at all (see the links posted above), but like I said, you have to really hunt for it. It's not found at the usual 1001 free font sites, Da Font, etc.

 

[guysmy]

plenty of free stuff out there that isn't amateurish at all (see the links posted above), but like I said, you have to really hunt for it. It's not found at the usual 1001 free font sites, Da Font, etc.

the links are excellent. i'll be grabbing up those fonts soon.

one of the main problems with free fonts on 1001 etc. i noticed is the poor kerning in even the best fonts they have. kerning is a detail that seems to separate the pro from the shit.

 

[Fatbat]

one of the main problems with free fonts on 1001 etc. i noticed is the poor kerning in even the best fonts they have. kerning is a detail that seems to separate the pro from the shit.

Yeah, you got it, 100% correct there. I think the best free stuff comes from pro type designers that usually have a portfolio of paid stuff but put out a few freebies too.