This is my first time writing a blog for Merci. My name is Ochiai and I handle design! I look forward to working with you.

Design may be a single word, but there are all sorts of design in the world.
It is no exaggeration to say that almost everything we see and use as a matter of course every day has been designed.
Today, out of all those many kinds of design, I would like to talk about [fonts].

OpenType and TrueType

You may have vaguely noticed that when you select a font in Illustrator, Photoshop or other software that uses text, an "O" or "T" is displayed alongside the font name.

Back when I knew nothing about design I chose fonts without knowing what they meant, but these indicate the type of digital font.

"O" stands for OpenType
"T" stands for TrueType

So what exactly is the difference?

TrueType is a long-standing font format developed jointly by Apple and Microsoft.
OpenType, developed by Adobe Systems and Microsoft, largely makes up for its weaknesses.

Here's a simple explanation of the differences!

[TrueType]

〇 A wide variety of typefaces
〇 Supported in many environments
〇 Cheaper than OpenType
〇 Maximum resolution of 600 dpi
〇 Can be installed on both Mac and Windows, but the files are not compatible between them

[OpenType]

〇 Relatively few typefaces
〇 Limited supported environments
〇 Large character sets
〇 More expensive than TrueType
〇 No resolution limit, since outlines are described with cubic Bézier curves, the same as in Illustrator
〇 Fonts are compatible between Mac and Windows
〇 Flexible letter spacing (kerning)

Lining up their features like this shows that each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

So which font format should you use in the end?

Is the OS on the computer you use Windows or Mac?
OpenType is high-performance, but the environments where you can use it are limited. Consumer software for Windows often doesn't support OpenType, so if you buy a font without checking first, you may end up thinking, "What! I bought it and now I can't even use it!"
On top of that, OpenType itself is quite expensive for home use.
TrueType is also an excellent format with many free fonts available, so unless you're using fonts for work such as DTP, printing or publishing, I'd recommend going with TrueType.
However, since TrueType files aren't compatible between Windows and Mac, if you want to use a font on both you'll need to buy the Windows version and the Mac version separately.

On a Mac, OS X and later support OpenType, so you can use it without any problems.

In the design industry, on the other hand, OpenType fonts are used most of the time.
That's because printing large characters (30 pt or more, for example) in TrueType can produce jagged, unattractive edges due to resolution limits, and because some special characters simply can't be rendered in TrueType.
OpenType allows flexible letter spacing, which makes it invaluable in DTP work where beauty and readability matter. Many printing companies don't own TrueType fonts, so people often say they can't be used in DTP, but
if you use software that can convert fonts to outlines, such as Illustrator, you can use fonts even if the printing company doesn't own them.

There are also advantages to using OpenType if you want to use software that supports it on both Windows and Mac, if you need a large number of character types, or if you want to use special characters.

Each format has its pros and cons, so why not choose the fonts you buy or download based on your working environment and your purpose?

And that wraps up Ochiai's memorable first blog post!
Why start out with a story about fonts? Well, actually, fonts were what gave me the most trouble when I was studying design |дﾟ)
Among the countless typefaces out there, the ones widely used in the industry really are beautiful.
At first I couldn't even tell what made them "beautiful."
I'd like to keep writing on this blog mainly about the things I'm studying, such as graphic design, illustration and photography. (Whether it's useful is another matter!)
I'd be delighted if it sparks even a little interest and you give it a read!