“The Web FontFont license applies to the the organisation whose websites will be implementing the fonts. Each client will need their own licensing for use on their websites, depending on their number of monthly page-views. The “User” would be the client, even if the developer is writing the CSS.”

and therefore you would need to have a separate license for each commercial site. Thus it would not add value to your business…

Having looked into Licensing from various foundries it is clear that many are slow to realise the business potential of @font-face. Some charge up to €15,000 for using one typeface on one commercial site. But I could get the same typeface via Typekit for $50 annually.

However, I am also concerned what I would do if/when I decide to cancel my Typekit subscription and my client’s sites revert to default fonts. As I would be taking something away from my clients that they have paid for, for which I am responsible.

I wasn’t talking about open source fonts at all. I am buying my fonts, for each project. And then, this purchases are increasing my company or activity value, because it becomes something I own, for future projects.

I am paying for a font something between $50 and $500. It can happen to be more.

You can pay fees to Typekit for 100 years and at the end you’ll own nothing, you’re never increasing your company value.

Also I have no clue in what conditions Typekit is buying fonts, how much they pay to creators / distributors to be able to exploit them as they do.

I’ve personally come from mainly a web background and not print/graphic design, which will be the case for a lot of people I’m sure. I haven’t learnt the history behind fonts and typography, when to use them and how to pair them. This is something I need to remedy, as will a lot of people, otherwise we might end up with some hideous sites using a multitude of fonts just for the sake of it, without actually serving a purpose or thinking about why we’re doing it.

Just food for thought. Use these beautiful fonts, but think about why. Something for myself to mull over as well.

Keep up the great work guys!

I’m not a massive quoter, but here’s a couple of good ones:

“Typography has one plain duty before it and that is to convey information in writing.”
Emil Ruder (1914-1970)

“Use fonts with meaning, not just to look pretty”
Simon Collison – said at FOWD (19/05/2010)