Server Font Manager

[pontifex]

I run a small lab for a student newspaper. I don’t have a great deal of experience with the Mac culture or philosophy, but I do know Unix.

Recently I’ve been charged with finding a font management solution that will work for a server-based repository of fonts. I’ve done some research and it seems that the vast majority of such font management programs are based upon the assumption that the user in question will only want to manage fonts on their own computer.

This is of little use to me. Ideally I’d like to be able to do this with a minimum amount of money spent, since the budget for the newspaper is tight.

I realize that there may be no better solution (that doesn’t cost several thousand dollars) than Font Book. I’d like to hear your thoughts and see if I can’t do something to solve this problem.

--Pontifex

 

[Natobasso]

There's a free option you can load on all individual computers, but fonts have to be local: http://www.linotype.com/fontexplorer

A server font solution by Extensis is probably what you need:
http://www.extensis.com/en/products/font_management/product_information.jsp?id=1010

The much more expensive Extensis Font Reserve Enterprise edition:
http://www.extensis.com/en/products/font_management/product_information.jsp?id=prod160011

 

[itsasony]

Font Reserve Server. We use it.

I absolutely hate Suitcase for the damage it allows people to do by renumbering the fonts.

The hybrid of Font Reserve and Suitcase combined is now called Suitcase Fusion. There may be a Suitcase Fusion Server in the future?

 

[Natobasso]

Ah, you didn't say you already had a system in place...

From reports from another designer friend of mine last year, Suitcase Fusion leaves a lot to be desired. Did you look at Font Reserve Enterprise Edition link I posted?

Bottom line: You're probably not going to get the power and stability and server features you need very cheaply (for less thann $2000 anyway).

 

[pontifex]

Extensis seems to be one of the only, if not the only, viable solutions. I had my eye on it, but I was hoping there would be a cheaper solution. =/

Ok, I'll draw up a budget. Thanks for our input.

 

[Natobasso]

If you want to spend exactly $0 (minus your time, of course) create a fonts folder on your server that each user has to copy to their machine, then have them download FontExplorer and load just that folder of fonts.

 

[slowfranklin]

Extensis seems to be one of the only, if not the only, viable solutions.

*
Nope. There is Fontagent Server from Insidersoftware. For a comparison of the client apps:
arstechnica.com

HTH

-Ralph

 

[Natobasso]

Great article.

 

[FlashMac]

I'm currently testing Font Agent Pro Server and Client from insidersoftware. We can't afford a suitcase server and the necessary client licenses, while FAP is quite lot cheaper.

The client itself actually seems better than Suitcase, and the functionality on the server is fine too. Not sure we are going to use it as a re-install is the advised procedure when a problem occurs - which isn't practical when you have to re-import all the fonts, and an average user here has over 10,000. early days yet though.