From: pfraterdeus@igc.apc.org (Peter Fraterdeus)
Newsgroups: comp.fonts
Subject: Re: URW Font CD-ROM
Date: 10 Sep 92 08:19:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #R:Bu2AMB.LtI@vcd.hp.com:-179234889:cdp:1347000018:000:3076
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!pfraterdeus    Sep 10 01:19:00 1992


From: Peter Fraterdeus <pfraterdeus>
Subject: URW Font CD-ROM

Attn: comp.fonts

        Reply to:   URW Font CD-ROM
URW is the originator of digital type description software. Peter Karrow, one
of the founders, designed the IKARUS digitizing system in the mid-1970's. He
wrote the book "Digital Formats for Typefaces" (URW Verlag, Hamburg,1987)
They have been the PRIMARY vendor of digitizing software to the industry since
then. (Until the Mac, and Fontographer took it to the masses...)  The fonts
they're selling are Postscript translations of the original IKARUS database
that the fonts were originally digitzed to. These are NOT knock offs! However,
the deal is not as good as it looks (though almost). The 3000 fonts are
actually 500 fonts with 5  additional variations on each. So instead of $0.30
per font it's really more like $1.79 a font.....
(Plus Inline, Outline, Relief, Shadow, and round cornered verisons of each...)
Basically, they are taking advantage of the broadening of the type market to
pull the rug out from under alot of the other discount vendors.

However, I've yet to see a list of the actual faces provided. If it's anything
like the FontBank collection, I'll be underwhelmed. Still, if you get two dozen
real, useful familys out of it, the final price will still be competitive!

Gnashing my Teeth as the font prices keep dropping---

Peter Fraterdeus, President
Alphabets, Inc.

"Our fonts are organically grown with no artifical fertilizers..."
"Drop a line for a fresh catalogue!"
"pfraterdeus@igc.org / alphabets@applelink.apple.com"
"Latest release -- MuiltiMaster version of KochAntiqua "
"Extra Light->Heavy"
--------------------------------------
Date: 9/7/92 12:43 AM
To: Custodian
From: 
 u


Topic 30    URW Font CD-ROM Response  1 of  1
dhosek
comp.fonts   7:06 pm  Sep  4, 1992
(at cbrown.claremont.edu)   (From News system)

In article <Bu2AMB.LtI@vcd.hp.com>, Carl Peterson <carlp@hp-vanc.hp.com>
writes:
>   I have before me a short article about a CD-ROM
> offered by the German type foundry URW called
> TypeWorks.  The CD-ROM is supposed to contain
> a collection of some 3,000 Type 1 fonts, all
> unlocked, for a reasonable price.

Fonts are the one place where price almost always equates to
quality. Anything in the font world that's cheap is almost always
a knock-off version. Yes, in most countries it's legal to steal
fonts, but that doesn't necessarily make it right. Plus it's very
rare that the quality of a knock-off will be comparable to a font
licensed from the designer.

If you want inexpensive fonts, get the Monotype FoneFonts CD
($50) and buy your unlocking from Publisher's Toolbox in
Wisconsin (last I checked they charged $20/font to unlock). Then
you get high quality fonts (the full Monotype and Adobe
libraries) for a good price. Not to mention that Monotype has
most of the best designs (if you see a version of a font from
Monotype and a version from somebody else, get the Monotype
version).

-dh

Don Hosek                  
dhosek@ymir.claremont.edu  
Quixote Digital Typography 
714-621-1291
Newsgroups: comp.fonts,comp.os.ms-windows.apps,comp.os.ms-windows.misc