
RoboFont (an editor emphasizing extensibility and scriptability) and Glyphs (aiming at a simple, clean, contextual UI) are released. These UFO-based tools soon become a part of many type designers’ workflows.25, 26, 27
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RoboFont (an editor emphasizing extensibility and scriptability) and Glyphs (aiming at a simple, clean, contextual UI) are released. These UFO-based tools soon become a part of many type designers’ workflows.25, 26, 27
Founded by Ethan Dunham, Fontspring offers webfonts for download — an alternative to the subscription service model. Another distinction is a common license for all foundries in the collection. Fontspring soon adds an app license, and by 2014 over 200 foundries offer fonts through the retailer.20
The Macintosh version of IKARUS is developed by Petr van Blokland, enabling even more independent designers to digitize their existing typefaces. (About box animation by Erik van Blokland.)5
Dr. Peter Karow’s IKARUS is introduced by URW at the ATypI conference. The software is later used by Agfa-Compugraphic, Berthold, ITC, Letraset, Linotype, Monotype, and others (including small foundries and individual designers) for converting type to digital format.2
Monotype’s SkyFonts rental service enables fonts from Fonts.com, MyFonts, and Google to sync to the desktop.28 Adobe announces the Typekit library will be available for desktop use in the near future, as part of their Creative Cloud update.29
Established foundry Hoefler & Frere-Jones launches its own webfont service.27
Launched by Font Bureau and Ascender, Webtype is a hosted service like Typekit, except that it sells per-font licenses, rather than flat-rate access to its entire library. The model is favored by some pro foundries and Webtype soon distributes fonts from multiple sources.21
Google launches its free webfont service on May 19, 2010.22
Created by San Francisco company Small Batch, Typekit offers webfonts as a hosted service. The subscription-based library further fuels the use of webfonts among professional web designers.18
Developed by Erik Blokland, Tal Leming, and Jonathan Kew, the Web Open Font Format provides “garden gate” security to distinguish web use from desktop use. Concerns about piracy remain, but the format encourages several high-end foundries to offer webfonts.19
Opera CTO and CSS co‑creator Håkon Wium Lie writes “CSS @ 10”, an article that stimulates the progress of webfonts.17
The real-time information network is used widely by type designers and foundries. Within a few years it tops Facebook as a means of self-promotion.16
The social network provides more visibility and affordable self-promotion to small companies. Type foundries and designers initially advertise through personal accounts, then via groups and pages.15
The first OpenType fonts from Microsoft and Adobe are released to the public around this time (though some non-Latin OT fonts were bundled with software before 2000). OpenType-savvy releases from indie foundries arrive a few years later.8, 14
Born as an independent branch of Bitstream, MyFonts is an online retailer that soon becomes the largest in the font business. 15 years after launching, its catalog will contain about 100,000 fonts from more than 900 independent foundries.13, 16
Microsoft and Adobe develop a new cross-platform format. The wrapper for PS Type 1 and TrueType fonts enables advanced typographic features.8, 12
Produced by Soft Union Ltd. of St. Petersburg and released by Pyrus North America Ltd., FontLab 2.0 is one of the first font editors for Windows.11
Apple and Microsoft reveal the results of their 1989 partnership: a new vector format for typefaces.9
Tim Berners-Lee releases the first public version of HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language). The World Wide Web enables direct contact with customers, eventually liberating many type designers from distributors.10
The downturn accelerates PostScript’s success, as desktop printing is cheaper than previous methods. In 1992, Adobe cuts its type department significantly.8
The industry reacts to Adobe’s monopoly on PostScript fonts (Type 1) and technology. First, Bitstream cracks Adobe’s PostScript encryption, then Apple and Microsoft announce their alliance to develop the TrueType font format. After these events, Adobe opens the Type 1 font format and PostScript technology.5, 8
Joan and Erik Spiekermann’s company takes advantage of Adobe’s less proprietary attitude. FontShop is a pioneer of a new kind of font distribution, selling fonts from multiple independent foundries and type designers.5, 8
Developed by Apple and Adobe Systems, the LaserWriter is a 300 dpi printer with embedded PostScript fonts. Its release hastens the rise of digital typesetting and the demise of older systems.5, 8
Created by Zuzana Licko and Rudy VanderLans, the collective grows out of the arts magazine Emigre. They are quick to purchase a Macintosh and soon become the perfect model of an autonomous foundry run by designers. Many designers follow Emigre’s lead, joining their library or launching their own foundries.5
Set up by Aaron Burns and Herb Lubalin, International Typeface Corporation introduces a new method of marketing fonts, independent from any phototype machine manufacturer.1
Invented by Adobe in 1982, PostScript is a computer language capable of describing text and images on a printed page. It makes fonts accessible to the public, and permits typefaces to be designed and distributed independent of printing systems.5
Software company set up in Dec. 1982 by John Warnock and Charles Geschke. The profitability of their PostScript language encourages Adobe to produce original typefaces in digital format.4, 5
Created by Matthew Carter, Cherie Cone, Rob Friedman, and Mike Parker, Bitstream is the first to call itself a digital foundry. The company focuses solely on the design and distribution of typefaces, directed at various digital typesetting systems. They are supported by emerging hardware companies that developed digital systems but could not design their own typefaces as well.3
The first publicly available PostScript font editor appears. Its success helps establish the Macintosh as a tool for type designers.6, 7, 8
Relatively affordable and easy to use, the Mac allows graphic designers to set and edit texts with PostScript typefaces, democratizing a task that was previously limited to typesetting specialists.5
Note: this data reflects each foundry’s name, structure, and location at the time of the 2013 census. Corrections for this census or future updates? Contact us.