Firefox 3.6 Learns WOFF
Mozilla has made itself into the draft horse for a new font format for the Web that some of its developers and independent font designers are currently hatching. Firefox 3.6 should be the first to support the new Web Open Font Format (WOFF).
The new Web Open Font Format (.woff) should repackage the existing TrueType (.ttf) and OpenType (.otf) font formats. Two things benefit from it: compatibility with the existing formats and metadata whereby a font designer can communicate to the world about the font's usage. A few font designers have already announced that they're jumping aboard WOFF. A discussion participant already lists Adobe among the supporting foundries, although Mozilla itself does not yet include the font veteran on their list.
The proposal for the new format came from font designers Erik van Blokland and Tal Leming beginning of July on their w3.org mailing list. Mozilla developers have since chimed in. Together with the aforementioned, Jonathan Kew drafted the first WOFF design specification and John Daggett describes the new format in a Mozilla hacks blog.
Kew and Daggett also present the realm of possibilities due in Firefox 3.7 for the new font format.
Issue 161/2014
Buy this issue as a PDF
Digital Issue: Price $9.99
(incl. VAT)
Tag Cloud
News
-
Munich Adopts Kolab
The Bavarian capital shuns Microsoft, Google, and other alternatives to implement an open-source groupware solution.
-
Canonical Announces Ubuntu Smartphones
Phone vendor partnerships bring Mark Shuttleworth's dream of Ubuntu on a phone a step closer to reality.
-
Piviti Seeks Funding
Donors will get to vote on new features for the free video editor.
-
Debian Tech Committee Votes for systemd
Debian project puts init out to pasture and says no to Ubuntu's Upstart.
-
The Mask: Scary New Face of Internet Intrusion
Ultra-sophisticated attack tool might have originated from a state-sponsored intelligence service.
-
Epoch 1.0 Released
New alternative for init comes with a small footprint and minimal configuration.
-
Wayland 1.4 Challenges X11
X marks the target for the next-generation windowing system.
-
Red Hat Adopts CentOS
Super-clone CentOS Linux gets beamed up to the mother ship.
-
W3C Promotes Media Source Extensions
HTML technology will enable new video editing and playback options.
-
Valve Announces SteamOS Beta
New Linux distro is optimzed for gaming.