Typophile

Advice needed on where to purchase a specific font

123eyes

HI all,

I could really use some advice, as I'm driving myself nuts worrying about this. So any input would be very, very much appreciated :)

Long story short - I was working on a large design job for a publication over the last year. During the project I tried out several different typefaces, and finally the client and I settled on the DIN Condensed family.

I'm not entirely sure where I got the fonts from in the first place, but I was using them. I then planned to purchase the font license before the project went to print. i.e. I'm trying to be completely legit.

The problem is, now that all of the work is done I can't actually find where I can purchase EXACT version of DIN Condensed that I've been using.

I didn't realise there would be any difference between versions, so I went ahead and bought FF DIN Condensed OT. I then removed the version I had been using, but found that inDesign didn't recognise it as the same font!

The original font files had names like 'FF DINCond-Bold' and 'FF DINCond-Medium'.

The new ones that I've purchased have names like 'DINOT-Cond.otf' etc...

So my questions are:

  • Does anybody know where I can purchase those fonts? And do I even need to seeing as I have a license...?
  • I find it quite confusing, as there seems to be dozens of versions of DIN alone... How can you tell exactly which version a font is before you buy?
  • I've since found versions of all of the DIN Condensed fonts available for download on the free fonts website [name removed by moderator] - does this mean I didn't need to purchase the fonts at all? i.e. they are public domain, as the website says...

Apologies for all the questions. I could just really use some advice (worrying myself sick that I've screwed up!
Thanks a million.

Cheers
Dee

P.s. by all means tell me if I'm worrying about nothing!

Chris Keegan

Dee, sounds like the fonts you originally used were Postscript versions, and you purchased Opentype versions. They should be essentially the same, and you would merely go to "Find Font" in InDesign and replace the Postscript version with the Opentype versions.

The website you mentioned is illegally posting fonts. I checked it out, and they are hosting and allowing free downloads of fonts that are owned by major type foundries. They may have some public domain fonts on there, but I would steer clear of that site.

123eyes

HI Chris,

Thanks - I really appreciate the input.

Yeah I think you might be right that the original font was a Postscript version. The problem is the project has already gone to print, and I want to make sure I have a valid license for the finished product.

Also, the product is a textbook, and it includes a CDROM-based PDF of additional content, which also uses the same fonts as the print. So I worry that it is 'out there' but not properly licensed.

Do you think I still need to purchase the Postcript version to be fully covered? Or would my Opentype license cover me...?

I'm not thrilled at the additional expense, but I'd rather be on the level. The only thing is I can't seem to find the Postscript version anywhere, and even when I think I've found it I'm never 100% it's the right one - I don't fancy spending another $300 only to find out it's a slightly different version ;)

Thanks again,
Dee

Chris Keegan

Hi Dee, it would be best to speak directly to FontShop - the foundry that released FF DIN. Stephen Coles is around Typophile quite a bit, you might be able to track him down. Good luck.

123eyes

Hi Chris,

Sounds like a good idea. I think I'll just give FontShop a call. I'm a tiny bit worried that they'll be unimpressed that I managed to get hold of the fonts in the first place - I genuinely don't know where I got them. Probably picked them up in design college..

Hopefully they'll understand the situation.

Thank you so much for your advice
Dee

Stephen Coles

Yes, give FontShop a call. Getting properly licensed is the best thing you can do. And they'd love to know who might be illegally distributing the fonts as well.

123eyes

Thanks Stephen.

Truth is I'm not really sure where I got them. I've seen DIN online on free font sites, so for a long time I just assumed it was a free font. It wasn't until I looked into it that I realised otherwise.

Do you know if my DIN OT license covers the Postscript version?

Dee

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