Reply To: Adobe CC Fonts

Here is my concern about eliminating the majority of the built-in fonts. I use the Creative Cloud version of CC on a Windows computer. I work in the construction industry, for a company that offers a few specialized services to larger firms who design or build projects. As such, usually we are a subconsultant to a larger firm. The majority of my work product consists of individual documents (resumes, project description pages, etc) that will be incorporated into a master document by the larger firm.

A surprising number of these firms have not upgraded to the Creative Cloud versions of InDesign–when I am sending files, I routinely package the document with “Include IDML” selected. This allows people with an older version of InDesign to open my file, and has the added benefit of ensuring that my document looks the way I want it to and remains brand-compliant, particularly useful if the person I am sending to is using a Mac and doesn’t have access to the Windows-bundled fonts.

I am concerned that if I can no longer package fonts to send to my end clients who do not have access to Typekit, it is really going to impact my ability to control the quality and appearance of the end document–and if I wasn’t interested in having control over quality and appearance, I might as well just be using Microsoft Word (oh…please don’t make me go down that road!!!)

I faced this exact scenario about a year ago, with a brochure design. The printer that I was required to use would only accept editable indd files for production. I had used a Typekit font in my design, and they did not have access to Typekit. I couldn’t package the font, and outlining the fonts didn’t work either. I eventually had to completely redesign our brochure using fonts from the list of fonts that they had available (they actually sent me a list of what they had).

So, I may never run into this problem with any of our clients–but after going through this experience with printing our brochure, I purposely do not use Typekit fonts for any of my work. So, this change really has me worried–especially as I am scheduled to get a new computer in about a month, and it will require a clean install of the Creative Suite…I am going to go back-up my current font files to an external drive immediately!