Font Formats
There are three types of fonts available for both the PC and Macintosh platforms. OpenType, Type 1 Postscript and True Type.
OpenType developed jointly by Adobe Systems and Microsoft Corporation, is the new standard for digital fonts. OpenType fonts have many advantages over previous font formats including: more glyphs and special characters, more languages, utilization of the Unicode standard for character encoding, and they are cross platform. Each font is contained in a single file—there is no need for printer and screen versions of the font.
Currently the only version of the Stone fonts available from the WSU Site Licensing Program is in the OpenType version. In addition, most font vendors offer only OpenType fonts for sale.
For more than a decade, the worldwide standard for digital type fonts was Type 1 Postscript fonts. Type 1 fonts were first developed by Adobe Systems for use in Postscript printers. Although Adobe was the leader in the design and manufacturing of Type 1 fonts, hundreds of companies around the world have designed and released more than 30,000 fonts in the Type 1 format.
Type 1 Postscript fonts are used on both the PC and Macintosh platforms, unlike OpenType fonts the files are not cross platform. In addition for each font multiple files were needed to accurately display and print the font. Type 1 fonts have been the preferred format for the graphic arts and publishing industries until the recent development of the OpenType format.
Individuals and departments that received the Stone family of fonts in 2001 through the new Washington State University Graphic Identity program received Type I Postscript fonts for either PC or the MacIntosh platforms.
TrueType fonts were developed by Apple Computer, and subsequently licensed to Microsoft Corporation. Each company has made independent extensions to TrueType, which is used on both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. Unlike Type 1 Postscript and the OpenType formats, TrueType fonts were not intended for use in the graphic arts and printing industries. The Stone family of fonts are available in the TrueType format, however, these fonts are not considered official University fonts and should not be used for University purposes.