Type 1 support dropped for Java-based apps in OS X??

We recently installed an application which is written in Java, and had problems
getitng it to correctly recognized out installed fonts. The developer responded
that Java 1.5 for Mac no longer supports Type 1 fonts at all. The developer says
Apple "may be dropping support for Type 1 fonts altogether in some future
system release... This is all because Adobe no longer supports Type 1
fonts."

I'm confused. Can someone tell me if this information is accurate? We have the
Adobe Font Folio licensed for use on a lot of Macs, and hadn't been planning to
start all over with OpenType fonts, so this is a real problem for us. I suppose
Adobe only *sells* OpenType fonts now, so is that what they mean by saying
"Adobe no longer supports Type 1 fonts"? And is it correct that Apple
doesn't support Type 1 fonts in Java 1.5?

E,

I've got a bunch of Type 1 fonts on my Mac; some of them date back to the late
1980s and early 1990s. (Aside from a few issues with some multiple masters
fonts), I have no problems with these under Mac OS X 10.4.x. I intend to use my
extensive library of fonts until I no longer can.

It is true that Adobe has not created Type 1 fonts since 1999 -- virtually all
of their development has been directed towards OpenType fonts. It is true that
at some point in the future, Type 1 support will go by the boards. But it isn't
now and it isn't something that's likely to happen in the immediate future.

That said, I can't say how that affects Java 1.5 apps under OS X 10.4.x (maybe
you could name a few I might try). However, it is possible that the writer of
the application deliberately blocked use of anything but OpenType fonts.

Not sure if this is terribly helpful, though! <g>

Neil,

Thanks for the reply. I know Type 1 support is solid under Mac OS X 10.4.x. in
general, as we use exclusively Type 1 fonts (generally removing the fonts Apple
provides and applicaitons install on their own) with a wide range of
applications.

Unfortunately, the application we have that's written in Java is a very narrow
vertical market product (it's a newspaper ad order entry/billing system) which
requires a custom Oracle database to run at all -- so it's nothing you can try
out. I don't think the company which developed the app would have any reason to
intentionally block support of Type 1 fonts, which worked fine in a previous
version that used Java 1.3, but like you, I did a few searches on this subject
and came up empty. I was hoping someone here might have some solid info or be
able to point me to the right place.

Thanks again for the reply, though. I wasn't sure if many people found their way
to this particular forum any more!

I cannot comment about Java, but I have seen several publishers in 
recent years not support Type 1 fonts. From what I could tell it was 
both laziness and a lack of knowledge. This has been going on for more 
than 5 years. I have been told by some publishers that TT is Windows 
oriented font solution and that PS is Mac and/or DTP only and they need 
only support TT which works on both Mac and PCs. Of course, I tried to 
point out that they do not know what they were talking about. I was NOT 
successful at turning most of them around.

Mike, 

      they do not know what they were talking about




And that lack of knowledge or willingness to learn is perhaps one of the most
exasperating things to come across. You can yell at a vendor for his stupidity
-- but if the guy is your client...

Hey, what are those TT guys gonna do about OpenType? <g>