I want to know primarily about management. How many fonts will slow down my computer? At what point do I need to look into something like (I think it's called) Suitcase, or ATM? In simple terms, what do these do? Is there a better option? I'm getting hired on part time with an ad agency, and will be doing lots of InDesign work mostly. Any help is appreciated.
I had a ton of fonts that i jacked from school before i graduated, and i found that it would slow down my system having them all activated only when opening illustrator or photoshop cause it goes through all of them.
There's a ton of free mac font sites but those are mostly for silly fonts. Windows fonts dont work on a mac but apparently there are programs that can convert the two. I never used one before so i'm not sure how it works.
"Used to be the new kid 'till I grew into that new shit/ Emperors that hear the tunes admit that they are nudists..."
----------------------- "I'm so glad I got my own I'm so glad that I can see my life's a natural high the man can't put no thing on me" (c) Curtis Mayfield
So, if I understand correctly the font book will allow me to control which fonts are activated and which aren't? I'm about to check out that linotype bit now. Thanks again.
7. "If you're doing real design work..." In response to Reply # 0
...you definitely need a font management program so you can turn them on and off as needed. You don't want to have 100 fonts open at a time. It will slow down your computer and occasionally leads to problems with layout & design programs.
I use Suitcase, but ATM works too. I don't know anything about Linotype.
Font programs also have helpful features like font sets so that if your client uses the same set of fonts every time you can make a set and just turn it on before you start work and all the fonts you need will be open (instead of turning them on one at a time).
Font mgmt programs also help to monitor duplicate fonts (which can mess up your system) or find font errors (which are responsible for like 90% of CS/Quark crashes, IMO).
The best thing you can do for you and your computer is to use clean, non-corrupted fonts and be diligent about managing them in a font program.
I work strictly on Macs and I don't know anything about Font Book. I've heard designers complain about it, and our IT guy hates it. But I don't know any of the details.
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