1. What do I use fonts for?
2. How do I download the fonts?
3. How do I unzip the font files?
4. How do I install the fonts on my PC?
5. Why do the fonts appear black and white on my PC and not like the colored samples on your Font Gallery pages?
6. Okay, so what programs do you use to make the graphics for the font samples?
7. Why does your site load so slow?
8. What is "e-mailware"?
9. These fonts are all for the PC, where are the Macintosh versions?
10. Why don't your fonts have complete character sets? I would like some characters like accents and international characters.
11. Where can I find more fonts?
12. How do I make my own fonts?
13. Have you seen and/or can you send me a particular font?
14. How do I get all the fonts at once?
15. There is a broken link or some other problem with how the site loads or operates.
16. Other Questions?
1. What do I use fonts for?
Answer: If you're a brand new font enthusiast or if you've never had reason to think about it before, you may be asking this question. Simply put, fonts let you use different styles of typeface. It lets you choose the way letters look when you're using your word-processor or other program that lets you work with text. All the writing around you (in ads, on magazines, everywhere!) that looks different is a different font. When installed on your PC, you can use them for programs that you use to write with, make posters or banners, greeting cards, etc.
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2. How do I download the fonts?
Answer: For PC fonts, simply click on the graphic of the font sample or the "PC" link and the download will begin. For the Mac fonts, click on the "MAC" link and the download for the Mac version will begin. When prompted by your browser, Save the "fontname.zip" file (or for the Mac version "fontname.sit") to your hard drive. Once you are finished downloading you need to unzip the font before you can install and use it.
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3. How do I unzip the font files?
Answer: You will need to have an unzipping program such as the shareware program WinZip to extract the font. For a comprehensive site of compression programs, visit Dave Central's web page on the subject.
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4. How do I install the fonts on my PC?
Answer: For the PC versions, follow this procedure:
1. Click the download link to save the font's zip file.
2. Open the font's zip file with an unzipping program.
3. Extract the .TTF font file into a temporary directory.
4. Click the Start button on the taskbar.
5. Select Settings from the popup menu.
6. Select Control Panel from the popup menu.
7. Double-click the Fonts applet.
8. Select Install New Fonts from the File menu of the Font applet.
9. Select the directory where you unzipped the font file.
10. Select the new fonts you want to add.
11. Click OK.
12. Close the Font applet.
The font will now be available from within all applicable programs. For the Mac fonts, see the documentation that comes with StuffIt Expander.
If you're having difficulty installing the fonts in Windows 10 Pro it may be caused by your Firewall settingss being disabled. Try turning on the firewall in Services and you should then be able to install the fonts.
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5. Why do the fonts appear black and white on my PC and not like the colored samples on your website?
Answer: The graphics for the font samples on the Font Gallery pages were created in Xara 3D and a beta program called ddTitle. You can also create similar images with a number of other text/graphics programs. Programs like these allow the user to add special effects and textures to the text graphics. My graphic samples include shadows and bevels and such not to mislead the visitor but only to enhance to look of my site and illustrate to folks the many possibilities in using fonts as a great tool for graphic artists.
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6. Okay, so what programs do you use to make the graphics for the font samples?
Answer: As stated above, I use Xara 3D and a beta program called ddtitle. Xara 3D has numerous 3D effects and options, including animation. There are also dozens of other great programs to allow you to add effects to font graphics, each having their own particular strong points. For more information, MediaBuilder is an excellent resource for links to loads of graphics tutorials.
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7. Why does your site load so slow?
Answer: If you think this site is slow, you should have seen my first, full graphics version of Iconian Fonts. This newer site was made specifically to provide faster loading images and pages after considering several ideas on the use of graphics and/or the layout. If you still feel it loads too slow, I apologize but please keep in mind before complaining too loudly... all these fonts are FREE!
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8. What is "e-mailware"?
Answer: E-mailware, to me, is a font distributed for free personal use and, in most cases, free for use by charities or non-profit organizations (as these are generally, to me, noncommercial uses). I do ask that if you like any of my fonts, you please let me know by e-mailing me at iconian@aol.com, hence the name "e-mailware". If my fonts are used, I also ask for a copy of a final product using the font for my portfolio, if doing so is not an economic hardship on the creator of the product. These fonts may be freely distributed and may be included on any free font archive site so long as the "readme" text file is not removed from the ZIP file or the SIT file.
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9. These fonts seem to be for the PC, where are the Macintosh versions?
Answer: These fonts are for the PC only, but newer Macintosh systems can use PC made fonts. Also, for other Macs, Macintosh users can try to convert the PC files themselves into Mac format using the TT Converter.
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10. Why don't your fonts have complete character sets? I would like some characters like accents and international characters.
Answer: These fonts are freeware, and I do not hold them out to be of professional quality. If they were, I'd probably consider charging something for them. All those glyphs for marks like ampersands, dollar signs, etc. take time to design, especially the myriad of international characters. Since I'm not doing this for a living, I'm keeping the fonts fairly simple and uncomplicated. However, most of the fonts do have numerals and the more common punctuation marks.
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11. Where can I find more fonts?
Answer: Look at my font links to the right of the screen for other great font sites.
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12. How do I make my own fonts?
Answer: You will need an application that can generate fonts such as FontLab, Macromedia's Fontographer, Font Creator or Softy. I use FontLab myself. There are several other programs that let you make your own fonts. Several of the larger archive sites are pretty good at keeping their "Utilities" section up to date with newer font-making programs. As for "how to make letters" for fonts, see my Letter-Making Tutorial.
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13. Have you seen and/or can you send me a particular font?
Answer: Sorry, but no. I may have seen the font, but it's doubtful I've memorized the correct URL address. Concerning e-mailing requested fonts, I simply don't have the time for extensive font searches. Your best bet is to visit some of the larger archive sites or to post your request on a newsgroup or message board.
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14. How do I get all the fonts at once?
Answer: I considered zipping up the fonts in big archives, but my website hosts only allow me so much storage space. Better, I believe, to have individual files so that you can download just what you want instead of a 6MB download for one font.
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15. There is a broken link or some other problem with how the site loads or operates.
Answer: Please e-mail me with any broken links, missing files, etc. With so much on these pages, it is easy for me not to find an error somewhere. I'd appreciate any help in spotting errors so that this site runs as smoothly as possible.
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16. Anything I didn't answer? E-mail me and I'll try to promptly reply with a satisfactorily complete answer :)
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