For many PC users, fonts are an afterthought. They may prefer one typeface over another, such as Times New Roman over Arial, but they never really think about their fonts. If this sounds like you, read on. Here, we’ll introduce you to the basics of fontography and show you how to manage and expand (or reduce) your font collection.

Fonts 101

An entire group of typestyles (such as the standard version of the typestyle, the regular version, the bold version, and the italic version) is called the typeface family (sometimes font family). A font is a single typestyle, such as Times Roman Bold, within that family. On a PC, a font consists of one or more files that contain the information for programs to render the appearance of a particular typestyle in the requested size and with the correct spacing. Font files can, but do not necessarily, contain expanded character sets, supporting enhancements such as swashes (a flourish on a letter) as well as special and foreign language characters.

Prior to 2001, there were two main types of fonts on the market: PostScript and TrueType. Adobe’s proprietary PostScript technology used special outline files that enabled even commercial printers to reproduce type beautifully at a variety of sizes.

Apple (www.apple.com) developed TrueType technology to compete with PostScript, and Microsoft adopted the TrueType standard with the release of Windows 3.1. TrueType fonts are scalable, meaning programs can increase or decrease the size of type without needing special files for printing. However, this technology is not always compatible with commercial printing equipment, so some graphics professionals avoid using TrueType fonts.

Today, Vista users can select from a third font format: OpenType. (Vista doesn’t support other font specifications, so we won’t discuss them here.) Developed by Microsoft in conjunction with Adobe, OpenType unites the best of both TrueType and PostScript technologies within a single format.

You may hear of another type variant: ClearType. ClearType is not actually a font specification, but rather a technology to render TrueType fonts more sharply on screen. All ClearType fonts will show up as TrueType in your programs.

True Or Open?

OpenType fonts are an extension of TrueType technology, and they retain many of its positive characteristics, including scalability. However, OpenType files can also incorporate PostScript features and expanded character sets.

OpenType fonts that are TrueType have a filename extension of .ttf. OpenType fonts that are PostScript have a filename extension of .otf. This is an important distinction if you want to print your documents commercially, because some printers will not accept documents containing TrueType fonts of any sort.

Confusingly, Vista uses an O to designate all OpenType files (even if the file is OpenType TrueType) both in folders and on font menus in programs. To determine what type of OpenType font you have installed, you must explore its properties. (More about that later.) For native TrueType fonts, Vista always uses a TT icon.

You should be able to see all installed TrueType and OpenType TrueType fonts in any program that offers font menus. Not all programs work with OpenType PostScript fonts. If you install OpenType PostScript fonts but they do not appear in a program, contact the program’s developer (or search online) for PostScript drivers that might be required.

Inside The Folder

Vista comes with 90 TT fonts, and the programs you install will add more. You can remove fonts you don’t want or use and you can add new fonts. The process is easy but not as versatile as earlier versions of Windows. (Some fonts come with a self-installer package that handles the installation for you.)

In Vista, the Fonts folder is your key to several font-related activities, including installation and removal. Here, you can also glean important information on the variants of OpenType fonts on your system. To open this folder, click the Start button and select Control Panel. Click Appearance and Personalization and under Fonts, click Install or Remove A Font. (If you are in the Control Panel’s Classic View, select Fonts directly from Control Panel.)

In the default view, you will see an icon, such as O (OpenType) or TT (native TrueType) for every installed font. You may also see TC (TrueType Collection: groupings of virtually identical fonts) and A (special system-only fonts). To preview the appearance of any font, right-click its icon and select Open. To determine whether an OpenType font is TrueType (.ttf) or PostScript (.otf), right-click it and select Properties.

Install New Fonts In Vista

You can install fonts downloaded from the Internet. If the font file is compressed (i.e., zipped), extract it. If you acquire a typeface in multiple font formats, install just one format at a time to avoid potential problems.

With the Fonts folder open, select Install New Font from the File menu. (If you don’t see the File menu, press the ALT key or, for a permanent fix, click Organize, Layout, Menu Bar.) Make sure the checkbox in front of Copy Fonts To Fonts Folder is checked to keep your original file safe from deletion if you uninstall the font. In the Add Fonts display, use the Drives drop-down menu and Folders display to navigate to the location of the font. When the font appears in the List Of Fonts display, select it and click Install. If Windows requests permission, click Continue, then click Close.

Your font may appear immediately, even in open programs. If it doesn’t, restart the program or Windows. If the new font still doesn’t appear in a particular program, check with the program developer to ensure the font is compatible. If it doesn’t appear in any program, check with the font provider to see if you need to install more than one font file.

Uninstall Fonts In Vista

With the Fonts folder open, click the icon for the font you wish to remove. To select more than one font, hold down the CTRL button as you click multiple icons. Right-click your selection (or click the File menu) and select Delete. If a User Accounts Control window appears, click Continue. Accept the prompt to remove the file. If Vista won’t let you uninstall a font, close any open programs with font menus. If you still cannot uninstall the font, it may be a required system or program font.

Uninstalling a font will delete it from the folder but will not delete copies of the file stored elsewhere provided you copied the font there initially. To reinstall the font later, repeat the installation process described above.

Fonts For All

You can find a lot of fonts (including free ones) online. Be sure to confirm that the source is trustworthy before you install them. A good resource for licensed fonts is Fonts.com. For free fonts, Font Squirrel (www.fontsquirrel.com) is a good place to start.

We didn’t discuss them here because their users are largely professional designers, but Vista users can install and use some types of native Adobe PostScript fonts. If you want to explore that world, both Fonts.com and Adobe’s site (www.adobe.com) offer a wealth of information.