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1. Re: Anyone interested in sIFR redone in AS3
kennethkawamoto2 Mar 14, 2011 9:40 AM (in response to 2m)I do not feel confortable using Flash for font replacement - my prefered method is Javascript based Cufón (if @font-face is not applicable).
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2. Re: Anyone interested in sIFR redone in AS3
2m Mar 14, 2011 10:00 AM (in response to kennethkawamoto2)Hi Kennethkawamoto2,
I considered Cufón, but I do not feel very comfortable with it. For one thing I think that there still is al lot more support for Flash out there then for canvas (IE!) and even so I have not tested it my educated guess would be that the toll on the processor is much higher than with properly programmed AS3 Flash.
What I love about flash is, that you do not have to consider (a lot) of browser issues, which I fear we all will have to do with the next generations of browsers once we use the more advanced native features.
Also my experience in the past very often was that there tend to be a much higher risk for side effects with other complex elements and js-frameworks.
And there still ist the legal issue.
So I'm not saying, that Cufón isn't a valid approach, but I feel like it is a lot more "risky" (stability wise, and as Its a lot harder to test due to the numerous rendering engines one has to rely on) for the web-site visitor than Flash is. It is a bit tricky to implement on the developer side, but I'd hope to improve a bit on that and somehow, that is where the fun is isn't it? ;-)
One way or the other I would be interested why you do feel less comfortable using Flash for font replacement than you do with java-script, especially as the sIFR way was/is to be unobtrusive.
THX
M
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3. Re: Anyone interested in sIFR redone in AS3
kennethkawamoto2 Mar 14, 2011 10:12 AM (in response to 2m)Well, cufon works on every browser including IE. sIFR does not work on iOS, for instance. Font foundries consider sFIR as EULA vioration, by the way. But then it's your call, of course
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4. Re: Anyone interested in sIFR redone in AS3
2m Mar 14, 2011 11:27 AM (in response to kennethkawamoto2)Thanks for the info, guess I haven't read into it too deep before. I'll definitely play around with it a little more sometime soon.
Regarding the EULA violation, I'm sure that if you ask them they will likely consider everything than outright buying the font as a violation in some way or the other I guess ;-) but do you have any concrete evidence of any actual legal proceedings about flash font-embedding? It has been around for years and I haven't heard of actual problems.
Also I'm quite impressed with how Flash handles fonts (even without hinting in the font data) down to a sub-pixel level so I still feel that it might be worth trying it. After all if one goes through the trouble of implementing, testing and delivering any such solution it is only for reasons of readability and maximized graphical fidelity.
But you surely have some valid points.Some of mine I feel are also still standing, and it is clear that there is no perfect and 100% legally bullet proof solution.
M
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5. Re: Anyone interested in sIFR redone in AS3
kennethkawamoto2 Mar 14, 2011 12:45 PM (in response to 2m)I agree Flash's font rendering being far superior to that of web browsers (especially IE).
sIFR, Cufon, and others are in the "grey zone" of legality - but if you ask a foundry they will definitely tell you how much you have to pay to embed a font in Flash, that means if you do not pay you are using it illegally. At least that's the case for foundries I have dealt with such as Bitstream and Monotype/Linotype who can isue you "web licence". (Although unless it's for a very visible site I don't think a foundry would sue you for it ) I think it's Monotype person who said they prefer Cufon as it's more "legal" - you'll probably find an article if you search.
Anyway, probably the most legal and "proper" way currently is to use Typekit.



