It was discussed here http://www.typophile.com/node/38534

Oops. My search of Typophile failed me.

Also here: http://www.typophile.com/node/37793
and here: http://www.typophile.com/node/38872
or here: http://www.typophile.com/node/19502

But the fact that it will be available in Safari 3.1 is a new one.

I think everyone would be a lot better off if Apple would just work with Microsoft on this one. Laying down the gauntlet by sticking this functionality in a .X version browser with a minuscule market share isn’t going to do much more than give people something to gripe about.

I'm guessing this is more about the iPhone than anything. As long as Safari is adhering to standards, I guess I can't complain.

Apple has a way of market testing that sometimes spurs Microsoft into buying in with its own version if it turns out to be successful.

ChrisL

My own opinion is that this is good news. Apple can trial the feature and we'll see how iPhone and other Safari users react to the freeware fonts funneled down onto their favorite Web pages. Browsers on the side-lines can then decide if they want to jump on-board. Apple should get credit for having the balls to stick their head over the ramparts on this one.

You don't have to wait for the official update of Safari. There appears to be a daily (nightly…) build of WebKit available on the webthat has the full feature of downloadable fonts (strictly above water, mind you).

http://nightly.webkit.org/

. . .
Bert Vanderveen BNO

Yep, it's been there since November for Windows, maybe before that on the Mac.