Linotype FontExplorer X

This is clever. Linotype, one of the world’s leading typeface foundries, has released a professional font management utility for Mac OS X — and it’s free. They’re going to make money by selling their own fonts through the app, iTunes-style. In fact, judging by the screenshots, the app itself looks rather iTunes-like. However, it’s iTunes 4.9 that it looks like, which means it already looks dated.

Jason Santa Maria speculates that they could open this up to selling fonts from other foundries as well. Update: Be sure to read through the comments on Santa Maria’s post; lots of details and first impressions from people who are trying it out. Looks like a winner. If you haven’t tried using professional font managers on Mac OS X, you don’t know how important FontExplorer might be.

★ Wednesday, 14 September 2005