Adobe, MS print OpenType spec

Adobe and Microsoft today announced availability of the OpenType Font Specification, a putative standard that ends the 'font wars' and embraces multiple platforms and the Internet.

The announcement brings to a close the kerfuffle started several years ago when Microsoft and Apple announced they would jointly develop the TrueType font format and TrueImage page description language as a challenge to Adobe's dominant Type 1 and PostScript.

According to Adobe, OpenType will make managing fonts easier and provide more formatting options including publishing on the Net where developers will be able to freely integrate font support into Web browsers and authoring tools.

The first OpenType typefaces are expected to be available early in 1998. Type giants like Agfa and Monotype are among key supporters.