faq

Here you can find the answers of questions concerning fonts in general and ingoFonts in particular.

Technical Questions
Can I install the ingoFonts offered for free download on my computer without hesitation?	Yes. The ingoFonts offered for free download are just as functional as those font data files which can be purchased.
Which operating system do I need in order to use ingoFonts?	ingoFonts are available for all operating systems. As a rule, ingoFonts are delivered as OpenType font and, therefore, function on all current operating systems. If you need the font in another format, let us know and we will help you out. OpenType fonts run under Unix, Linux, Windows (as of Windows 2000) and Macintosh (as of Mac OS 9.2.2).
In which file formats will I receive ingoFonts?	ingoFonts are usually delivered in the format OpenType (PostScript). These files end with .otf. They function on all current operating systems. ingoFonts are available in any other desired format upon request. We offer, for example, the following formats: PostScript Type 1 (The font consists of at least two files: a font suitcase which includes .bmp fonts used for screen display, and PostScript fonts for output on PostScript compatible printers such as laser printers.) This data format was customary in the past on Apple Macintosh computers up to system 9. TrueType (This format includes the bitmap font and the outline font necessary for screen display for the output on laser printers in one single file.) It is available for Apple Macintosh up to Mac OS 9, for Mac OS X with the file ending .dfont and as OpenType (TrueType) with the file ending .ttf for Macintosh as well as Windows and Unix.
What’s so special about OpenType?	OpenType is a format developed by Microsoft and Adobe for scalable (vectorized) computer fonts, and the technique can be transferred to other operating systems without restrictions. OpenType offers the possibility to simplify special features which in the past could only be applied with difficulty. For example, ligatures, “exotic” characters, stylistic alternates, initials, small caps and much more can be contained in one single font file. This is also made possible through the extended Unicode support from OpenType, so that up to 65,536 varying characters (so-called glyphs) can be contained in a single font file. Professional Desktop Publishing Programs (Adobe Creative Suite, Quark XPress 7) support these possibilities so that good typographical printed materials are finally realistic. OpenType fonts are available in two variations: as PostScript font (.otf), optimized for use on PostScript compatible devices (laser printer, image setter, plotter), and as TrueType font (.ttf) optimized for small presentations on screens and displays.
How do I install an ingoFont on my computer?	Basically there are two possibilities for installing a font: Directly in the system, which means simply move the font file into the directory designated by the operating system. Under Unix and Mac OS X the directory is /user/username/library/fonts Another possibility is by using font management software (i.e. Linotype FontExplorer, Extensis Suitcase, Apple Font Book). Regardless of where the font file is, the font manager will activate or deactivate the font for the entire system as needed. If you work with many fonts, we recommend this procedure.
Why doesn’t my ingoFont include accents, figures and other special characters?	You have installed a “reduced” ingoFont. ingoFonts offers all fonts for download free. Here’s the catch: The files offered to download contain only a reduced font. That means, the font only consists of uppercase and lowercase from A to Z or rather, a to z. The complete font including figures, umlauts, punctuation, accents and if applicable the ligatures and other features is only available by order and with payment. So you can test the font and judge its appearance and effect, but you can’t use it for everything.
Why are there "reduced" ingoFonts?	We work to make a living, too. Fonts are the fruits of our labor. According to international agreements, fonts are protected by copyright and the unlawful use or distribution of them is punishable by law. To counteract this kind of use and distribution, we provide the free download of all of our fonts, but with one difference: the files offered for downloading consist only of uppercase and lowercase A to Z, or a to z. The complete font including figures, umlauts, punctuation, accents and if applicable the ligatures and other features is only available by order and with payment. In this way you can test the font and judge its appearance and effect, but you can’t use it for all your needs.
I bought an ingoFont, but I still don’t see any figures or accents. Why?	First you installed the "reduced" ingoFont. Before you can fully use your ingoFont, you must delete all "old" files. This can also apply to alias-files which are created by some programs (Linotype FontExplorer, Microsoft Office) and refer to the wrong font file. Many programs (Microsoft Office, Apple Font Book) also copy fonts in special directories from which they must also be deleted.
How do I delete a font from my system?	Fonts can be installed in two ways (see: "How do I install an ingoFont on my computer?"). In any case, you must delete the font file, regardless of where it is. If the font is directly installed into the directory designated by the operating system, then simply remove the font file here. Under Unix and Mac OS X that’s directory /user/username/library/fonts. If you work with a font manager (Linotype FontExplorer, Extensis Suitcase, Apple Font Book), then you should use the corresponding function in this program for best results. Otherwise the program is all mixed up afterwards. Many programs (Microsoft Office) also copy fonts in special directories from which they must also be removed. Have your system search for files with the font name and delete these. Also be sure the wastebasket has been emptied because only at this point is the font gone. Many programs notice if a file has only been moved around and continue to recognize the file.
Which programs do I need in order to use all OpenType functions?	Current DTP programs support a number of OpenType functions. These may be more or less depending on the program version. Find out details in the help-function of your program under the key word "OpenType". In addition to Adobe InDesign and the other programs from "Adobe Creative Suite," Quark XPress 7 now supports OpenType also. Some functions are also available in Microsoft Office. The most common OpenType function is "ligature". This function is supported by all professional programs.
How do I work with OpenType functions?	That depends on the program being used. Find out details in the help-function of your program under the key word "OpenType". In most programs the function "ligature" is activated as a standard at the least. When needed, further functions can be selected and activated using the font menu or under options of the font menu.
I can’t find my ingoFont in the font menu. What happened?	Look again at the end of the font list. Perhaps the name you are looking for is here. Normally the fonts are listed alphabetically according to their names in the font menu. Some programs, especially those from Adobe, subdivide the fonts additionally according to other criteria. Fonts with non-European coding are listed separately. And some ingoFonts contain so many characters from other Unicode sectors that they are also listed separately, and that is at the end of the alphabetical listing, even if the font name begins with B, such as Biró Script.

Typographic Questions
Why or for what reason are there various figures?	Numbers – the correct term is figures – are mostly needed for tables (invoices) or as page numbers, in enumerations, and as year figures. For invoices, of course, you want a clear picture. That is why there are tabular figures which all have the same width; even the one is as wide as the others. In this way the figures are lined up under each other exactly in a list. Within a text, tabular figures look plump. The figures are as big as capital letters and don’t really fit in combination with normal words using uppercase and lowercase letters. For this purpose there are so-called normal figures or also old style figures with ascenders and descenders. They fit in beautifully with the normal typeface. In old PostScript fonts they were usually included in the file with small caps or the so-called old style variations. We think the medieval figures look nicer. That is why the old style figures are defined as standard in ingoFonts, and the tabular figures must be selected extra with the corresponding OpenType function. In some fonts there are more kinds of figures: capital figures in the same height as the capital letters but with a different width; figures raised and lowered to produce breaks, small cap figures... In OpenType fonts all conceivable variations of figures can be included.
When do I use which font, or when does a font fit and when doesn’t it?	A font has to fit. This is the basis for the career ambition of countless graphic artists and typographers. And that’s also how ingoFonts began: with the consideration of creating a font which fits exactly to a specific purpose. Whether a font is the right one is much less a matter of taste but more a matter of topic and historical coherency. Only those who know how a certain font came into being will be able to develop a feeling for the correct application of that particular font. Knowledge of font classifications is very helpful here. Basically, fonts can be divided into styles based on art-historical and formally defined types. There are antique fonts, medieval fonts, fonts of the Renaissance, transitional fonts, classicistic fonts. The modern are subdivided into classic modern, Jugendstil and art deco, post-modern and many more styles. The most important font types are: Roman: "Latin letters" with alternating stroke thicknesses and ending with serifs Sans serif: classical sans serif in the style of the Roman and modern sans serif without a historical standard Black letter typefaces: Gothic, Fraktur, Schwabacher, bastard Handwritten fonts: these include personal handwriting, brush scripts, children’s scripts, calligraphy, and also hand drawn fonts, picturesque fonts Naturally, all of these font types exist in more or less distinct styles; for example a typically classic handwriting form (Commercial Script from URW) or a Renaissance-antique (ingoFont Charpentier Renaissance Pro). In the selection of a font, art-historical and historical reference is resonated and should be taken into consideration when applying the font.
Which dash is correct and how do I achieve it on the computer (Mac)?	In any proffessional font at least three variations of the “dash” are included: Minus or Divis: only correct as a hyphen at the end of a line and as a hyphen when connecting words. Occupies the key - next to the period/semicolon on the keyboard The en dash or middle length dash: in German, as a dash with a space before and after and as a wildcard symbol for the small word "bis"; as a minus with numbers. Key combination alt - on Mac or minus in the number pad The em dash or longer dash: In English and French without space as a dash; as a wildcard character with prices for the zero after the comma in German. Shift alt - on Mac.
Which quotation marks are correct and how do I achieve them on the computer (Mac)?	Quotation marks open and close direct speech and citations. In most fonts, quotation marks differ in form from the comma. Each language has its own rules for correct quotation marks. In central Europe the quotation marks are placed at the bottom of the line at the beginning of the direct speech and at the top at the end. In English both are placed at the top. The mnemonic "ninety-nine sixty-six " helps, first 99, then 66. The key combinations are alt ^ for "German below", alt 2 for "German above", alt shift 2 for "English beginning". The so-called "French" quotation marks « and » are placed in German showing inward, in French outward and with a clear distance. Accordingly, there are also simple quotation marks for the second level of citation: alt s for "German beginning" and alt # for "German ending" as well as alt shift # for "English beginning". For "French toward the right" alt shift n and "French toward the left" alt shift b.
Why are there stylistic alternates for some letters?	In OpenType fonts there are often stylistic alternates for some letters. Some OpenType fonts are even programmed in such a way that through the function “ligatures” certain letter combinations can be exchanged with corresponding variants. With ingoFonts the fonts appearing "handmade" and the written fonts are especially equipped in this way. The typeface looks more interesting and lively. One extreme example is the ingoFonts Biró Script. Depending on the letter combination, the characters look different: an e before n different than an e after r, and an n before u different than a double n, an h in sch different than an h which stands alone and so on. Only in this way can the illusory impressions of handwriting be achieved.
Is there a CAPITAL “GERMAN DOUBLE S?”	This question has already filled plenty of typography forums. Even in the reformed German spelling there are still words with the “Eszett.” If you want to put these words in capitals, you’ve got a problem. Typically, SS is used. It is absolutely unacceptable to write the normal small ß within a set of capitals. There are traditional family names with german double s. One look at a cemetery and you’ll see: there certainly is a capital German Double S. That’s why many ingoFonts include a CAPITAL GERMAN DOUBLE S.
Why are there "reduced" ingoFonts?	We work to make a living, too. Fonts are the fruits of our labor. According to international agreements, fonts are protected by copyright and the unlawful use or distribution of them is punishable by law. To counteract this kind of use and distribution, we provide the free download of all of our fonts, but with one difference: the files offered for downloading consist only of uppercase and lowercase A to Z, or a to z. The complete font including figures, umlauts, punctuation, accents and if applicable the ligatures and other features is only available by order and with payment. In this way you can test the font and judge its appearance and effect, but you can’t use it for all your needs.
What can OpenType fonts do that others can’t?	OpenType is a format developed by Microsoft and Adobe for scalable (vectorized) computer fonts, and the technique can be transferred to other operating systems without restrictions. OpenType offers the possibility to simplify special features which in the past could only be applied with difficulty. For example, ligatures, “exotic” characters, alternate character shapes, initials, small caps and much more can be contained in one single font file. This is also made possible through the extended Unicode support from OpenType, so that up to 65,536 different characters (so-called glyphs) can be contained in a single font file. Professional Desktop Publishing Programs (Adobe Creative Suite, Quark XPress 7) support these possibilities so that good typographical printed materials are finally realistic. OpenType fonts are available in two variations: as PostScript font (.otf), optimized for use on PostScript compatible devices (laser printer, image setter, plotter), and as TrueType font (.ttf) optimized for small presentations on screens and displays.
How do I select an OpenType function?	That depends on the program being used. Find out details in the help-function of your program under the key word "OpenType". In most programs the function "ligature" is activated as a standard at the least. When needed, further functions can be selected and activated using the font menu or under options of the font menu.
Which programs do I need in order to use all OpenType functions?	Current DTP programs support a number of OpenType functions. These may be more or less depending on the program version. Find out details in the help-function of your program under the key word "OpenType". In addition to Adobe InDesign and the other programs from "Adobe Creative Suite," Quark XPress 7 now supports OpenType also. Some functions are also available in Microsoft Office. The most common OpenType function is "ligature". This function is supported by all professional programs.
How do I work with OpenType functions?	That depends on the program being used. Find out details in the help-function of your program under the key word "OpenType". In most programs the function "ligature" is activated as a standard at the least. When needed, further functions can be selected and activated using the font menu or under options of the font menu.
I can’t find my ingoFont in the font menu. What happened?	Look again at the end of the font list. Perhaps the name you are looking for is here. Normally the fonts are listed alphabetically according to their names in the font menu. Some programs, especially those from Adobe, subdivide the fonts additionally according to other criteria. Fonts with non-European coding are listed separately. And some ingoFonts contain so many characters from other Unicode sectors that they are also listed separately, and that is at the end of the alphabetical listing, even if the font name begins with B, such as Biró Script.
Which types of font are there?	Schrift muss passen. Auf diesen Grundsatz gründet sich der berufliche Ehrgeiz zahlloser Grafiker und Typografen. So fing auch ingoFonts an: mit der Überlegung, die exakt für einen bestimmten Zweck passende Schrift zu schaffen. Ob eine Schrift passt oder nicht ist weniger eine Frage des Geschmacks als vielmehr abhängig von Thema und geschichtlichen Zusammenhängen. Nur wer weiss, woher eine bestimmte Schriftform sich entwickelt hat, wird ein Gespür für die richtige Verwendung von Schriften entwickeln können. Kenntnisse in Schriftklassifikation sind hier sehr hilfreich. Grundsätzlich kann man Schriften in kunsthistorisch begründete Schrift-Stile und formal definierte Schriftarten einteilen. Es gibt also antike Schriften, mittelalterliche Schriften, Schriften der Renaissance, Schriften des Barock, klassizistische Schriften. Die Moderne lässt sich in klassische Moderne, Jugendstil und Art Deco, Postmoderne und noch viele Stile mehr unterteilen. Die wichtigsten Schriftarten sind: Antiqua: "Lateinische Buchstaben" mit wechselnden Strichstärken und Serifen als Abschluss Serifenlose: Klassische Serifenlose in Anlehnung an die Antiqua und Moderne Serifenlose ohne historisches Vorbild Gebrochene Schriften: Gotisch, Fraktur, Schwabacher, Bastarda Handgeschriebene Schriften: dazu gehören persönliche Handschriften, Pinselschriften, Kinderschriften, Schönschreibschriften, aber auch handgezeichnete Schriften, malerische Schriften Alle diese Schriftarten gibt es nun natürlich in mehr oder weniger deutlich ausgeprägten Stilen; also zum Beispiel eine typisch klassizistische Schreibschrift (Commercial Script von URW) oder eine Renaissance-Antiqua (ingoFont Charpentier Renaissance Pro). Bei der Wahl einer Schrift schwingt also ein kunsthistorischer und geschichtlicher Bezug mit, der beim Einsatz von Schrift beachtet werden sollte. A font has to fit. This is the basis for the career ambition of countless graphic artists and typographers. And that’s also how ingoFonts began: with the consideration of creating a font which fits exactly to a specific purpose. Whether a font is the right one is much less a matter of taste but more a matter of topic and historical coherency. Only those who know how a certain font came into being will be able to develop a feeling for the correct application of that particular font. Knowledge of font classifications is very helpful here. Basically, fonts can be divided into styles based on art-historical and formally defined types. There are antique fonts, medieval fonts, fonts of the Renaissance, transitional fonts, classicistic fonts. The modern are subdivided into classic modern, Jugendstil and art deco, post-modern and many more styles. The most important font types are: Roman: "Latin letters" with alternating stroke thicknesses and ending with serifs Sans serif: classical sans serif in the style of the Roman and modern sans serif without a historical standard Black letter typefaces: Gothic, Fraktur, Schwabacher, bastard Handwritten fonts: these include personal handwriting, brush scripts, children’s scripts, calligraphy, and also hand drawn fonts, picturesque fonts Naturally, all of these font types exist in more or less distinct styles; for example a typically classic handwriting form (Commercial Script from URW) or a Renaissance-antique (ingoFont Charpentier Renaissance Pro). In the selection of a font, art-historical and historical reference is resonated and should be taken into consideration when applying the font.
How can I recognize a font?	The characteristics necessary for classification can be recognized by typical details such as the form of the serifs, the relation of the thick and thin strokes, the angle of inclination within the small o, the proportions of the letters, especially the capitals.