Editing Core fonts for the Web

{{short description|Fonts supplied by Microsoft for canonical web use}}
{{Infobox project
| abbreviation = 
| name = Core fonts for the Web
| logo = Microsoft logo (1987).svg
| logo_size = 150px
| image =
| caption = 
| mission_statement = 
| commercial = 
| type = 
| products = Packaged [[TrueType]] fonts: {{plain list|
* [[Andalé Mono]]
* [[Arial]]
* [[Arial Black]]
* [[Comic Sans|Comic Sans MS]]
* [[Courier New]]
* [[Georgia (typeface)|Georgia]]
* [[Impact (typeface)|Impact]]
* [[Times New Roman]]
* [[Trebuchet MS]]
* [[Verdana]]
* [[Webdings]]
}} 
| location = 
| country = [[Microsoft]]
| owner = 
| founder = 
| primeminister = 
| key_people =
| established = 1996
| disestablished = 2002
| funding = 
| budget = 
| current_status = Defunct
| website = {{web archive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020124085641/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/default.htm|title=TrueType core fonts for the Web}}
}}

'''Core fonts for the Web''' was a project started by [[Microsoft]] in 1996 to create a standard pack of [[fonts]] for the [[World Wide Web]]. It included the [[proprietary software|proprietary]] fonts [[Andalé Mono]], [[Arial]], [[Arial Black]], [[Comic Sans|Comic Sans MS]], [[Courier New]], [[Georgia (typeface)|Georgia]], [[Impact (typeface)|Impact]], [[Times New Roman]], [[Trebuchet MS]], [[Verdana]] and [[Webdings]], all of them in [[TrueType]] font format packaged in executable files (".exe") for [[Microsoft Windows]] and in [[BinHex]]ed [[StuffIt|Stuff-It]] archives (".sit.hqx") for Macintosh. These packages were published as [[freeware]] under a proprietary license imposing some restrictions on distribution.<ref name="eula">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/eula.htm |title = TrueType core fonts for the Web EULA | author=Microsoft |website = [[Microsoft]] |date=2001-12-28 |accessdate=2010-04-13 | archivedate = 2009-12-08 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20091208063245/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/eula.htm}}</ref>

Microsoft terminated the project in 2002,<ref name= "extremetech">{{cite web |url = http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/51746-microsoft-withdraws-free-web-fonts | title=Microsoft Withdraws Free Web Fonts |author=Mark Hachman |publisher=ExtremeTech |date=2002-08-14 |accessdate=2010-04-13}}</ref><ref name="ms-faq8">{{cite web |url= http://www.microsoft.com/typography/faq/faq8.htm | title = TrueType core fonts for the Web FAQ |author=Microsoft | website = [[Microsoft]] |date=2002-07-25 |accessdate=2010-04-13 | archivedate = 2002-01-24 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20020124073322/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/faq/faq8.htm }}</ref> but because of the license terms, the distributed files are still legally available from some third-party websites. Updated versions of the fonts produced since 2002 have not been published as freeware and are usually available only after purchasing a license or as a part of some commercial products.<ref name="apple-infoweek">{{cite web | url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/201202879 |title=Microsoft, Apple Strike Font Agreement |author=Paul McDougall |date=2007-08-03 |accessdate=2011-06-25}}</ref><ref name="apple-techspot">{{cite web | url=http://www.techspot.com/news/26438-microsoft-and-apple-extend-font-licensing-agreement.html |title=Microsoft and Apple extend font licensing agreement |author=Jose Vilches |date=2007-08-03 |accessdate=2011-06-25}}</ref>

==Overview==
The fonts were licensed to Microsoft by [[Monotype Corporation]] or designed for Microsoft by Microsoft's own font designers or external designers.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} The fonts were designed to:
* Be highly legible on screen;
* Offer a wide range of typographic "timbres" within a small number of typefaces; and
* Support extensive internationalisation.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

These design goals and the fonts' broad availability made some of them extremely popular with web designers. However, these proprietary fonts (or some of them) are not distributed with some modern operating systems by default (e.g. in [[Android (operating system)|Android]], [[Ubuntu (operating system)|Ubuntu]], [[FreeBSD]], [[OpenBSD]], [[OpenSolaris]] or some [[Symbian]] versions)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/fonts/ |title=Software Packages in "lucid", Subsection fonts |accessdate=2010-07-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/x11/ |title=Software Packages in "lucid", Subsection x11 |accessdate=2010-07-02}}</ref> and they are substituted by other fonts (e.g. by [[free software]] fonts, such as [[Liberation fonts]], [[Ghostscript fonts]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.codestyle.org/css/font-family/sampler-UnixResults.shtml |title=Linux and Unix family font survey results |accessdate=2011-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629121917/http://www.codestyle.org/css/font-family/sampler-UnixResults.shtml |archive-date=2011-06-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Droid (font)|Droid fonts]], [[DejaVu fonts]] and others). All of these fonts{{Which|date=April 2023}} in their latest versions are installed by default in the latest versions of [[Mac OS X]] (i.e. Mac OS X 10.4 and newer), but older versions of Mac OS X did not install some of them by default (e.g. Andalé Mono, Impact) and even older versions of Mac OS also did not include many of them (e.g. Arial).<ref name="apple-infoweek" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.earthlink.net/~bobbau/platforms/MacArialFonts/ |title=Improving Appearance of Arial Font on the Macintosh |author=Bob Baumel |quote=One of the most widely specified fonts is Arial, a basic sans-serif font which is always present on Windows systems, but only sometimes on Macintosh computers, and hardly ever on UNIX systems. |date=1999-10-27 |accessdate=2010-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615072320/http://home.earthlink.net/~bobbau/platforms/MacArialFonts/ |archive-date=2011-06-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2444?viewlocale=en_US |title=Mac OS X 10.3: Fonts list |date=2008-07-24 |accessdate=2010-12-05}}</ref> Some of these fonts are also not installed by default in [[iOS (Apple)|iOS]] (i.e. Andalé Mono, Comic Sans MS, Arial Black, Webdings).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://developer.apple.com/fonts/system-fonts/ |title=System Fonts |accessdate=2024-01-28}}</ref>

While the project has formally ended, the benefits of using broadly available fonts remain: to increase the likelihood that content will be displayed in the chosen font, or in a [[metric-compatible]] alternative. Eventually, modern [[Web browser]]s added support for embedding [[web fonts]] (especially the [[Web Open Font Format]]) over the course of the 2010s, allowing the real-time downloading and display of fonts that the Web designer specified. Thus the "core fonts for the Web" became [[technologically obsolete]], since the package was never licensed for Web embedding and a majority of websites as of 2020 use embedded Web fonts instead.<ref>Richard Fink (2016-09-06)[https://alistapart.com/article/webfonts-on-the-prairie Webfonts on the Prairie], Alist Apart</ref>

==Later history and licensing==
The project was terminated in August 2002, allegedly because of frequent [[end user licence agreement|EULA]] violations. A Microsoft spokesman declared in 2002 that "Microsoft has also found that the downloads were being abused—repackaged, modified and shipped with commercial products in violation of the EULA." "Most users who wanted the fonts have downloaded them already."<ref name= "extremetech" /><ref>{{cite web |url= http://typographica.org/000270.php  |title=Microsoft Cuts the Line to Web Core Fonts |author=Jesse Burgheimer |date=2002-08-13 |accessdate = 2010-04-13 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080111153435/http://typographica.org/000270.php |archivedate = 2008-01-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://typographica.org/000270.php|title=Microsoft Cuts the Line to Web Core Fonts|date=2002-08-13|accessdate=2008-08-04 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080313020525/http://typographica.org/000270.php |archivedate = March 13, 2008}}</ref> However, that same EULA allows redistribution if the packages are kept in their original format (.exe or .sit.hqx) and original filenames (e.g. times32.exe) and not used to [[value added|add value]] to commercial products.<ref name="eula" /><ref name="eula-corefonts">{{cite web |url=http://corefonts.sourceforge.net/eula.htm |title=Core fonts for the Web – End-user license agreement |author=Microsoft | accessdate=2010-04-13}}</ref> As a result, these packages are still available for download on third-party websites under the terms of the original web fonts end user license agreement.

The EULA referenced below also requires<ref>"Reproduction and Distribution. You may reproduce and distribute an unlimited number of copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT; provided that each copy shall be a true and complete copy, including all copyright and trademark notices, and shall be accompanied by a copy of this EULA.  Copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT may not be distributed for profit either on a standalone basis or included as part of your own product." -- The font EULA</ref> that a copy be applied to transferees. The EULA is therefore directly linked to: for example, on the documentation page for the SourceForge "corefonts" download package.<ref name="corefonts-sourceforge-net">{{cite web |url=http://corefonts.sourceforge.net |title=An easy way to install Microsoft's TrueType core fonts on linux |author=Noa Resare |accessdate=2011-01-02}}</ref> If a third party offering the fonts for download does not offer a copy of the EULA, the legal status of such a download is questionable.  However, a copy of the EULA is obtainable via the FAQ maintained on Microsoft's typography website and from some other third-party websites.<ref name="ms-faq8" /><ref name="eula" /><ref name="eula-corefonts" />

For [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]], the fonts are provided as self-extracting [[executable]]s (.exe); each includes an embedded [[cabinet (file format)|cabinet file]] that contains a font file in TrueType format (.ttf). For the Macintosh, the files are provided as [[BinHex]]ed [[StuffIt|Stuff-It]] archives (.sit.hqx).  It is forbidden to rename, edit or create any derivative works from the executables (e.g. arial32.exe) or archives (Arial.sit.hqx), other than subsetting when embedding them in documents.<ref name="eula" /><ref name="eula-corefonts" /> The fonts can be installed and used on non-Windows or non-Macintosh operating systems, as long as they are distributed in original form (original .exe files or .sit.hqx files) and with original name (e.g. arial32.exe). A cabinet file can be extracted in an end-user's system with appropriate software, if such software is available.

The latest font-versions that were available from Microsoft's ''Core fonts for the Web'' project were 2.x (e.g. 2.82 for Arial, Times New Roman and Courier New for MS Windows<ref name="fontpack-2002-08">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/default.htm  |title=TrueType core fonts for the Web |author=Microsoft |website=[[Microsoft]] |date=2001-12-26 |accessdate=2010-07-06 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20020802111427/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/default.htm |archivedate = 2002-08-02}}</ref>), published in 2000. Later versions (such as version 3 or version 5 with many new characters) were not available from this project. A Microsoft spokesman declared in 2002 that members of the open source community "will have to find different sources for updated fonts… Although the EULA did not restrict the fonts to just Windows and Mac OS they were only ever available as Windows .exe's and Mac archive files."<ref name= "extremetech" />

In [[Debian]] and [[Ubuntu]], the fonts are installable via a package named <code>ttf-mscorefonts-installer</code> in the <code>contrib</code> repo.<ref>[https://packages.debian.org/search?keywords=ttf-mscorefonts-installer Debian - Package Search Results - ttf-mscorefonts-installer<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[https://packages.ubuntu.com/search?keywords=ttf-mscorefonts-installer&searchon=names&suite=all&section=all Ubuntu – Package Search Results - ttf-mscorefonts-installer<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> This installer downloads the cabinet files and extracts them, providing an easy way for end-users to get the fonts installed in a Debian or Ubuntu environment.

Even though the fonts are available from some third-party web sites (such as an anonymous SourceForge project) and are included with Mac OS, [[Håkon Wium Lie]] (chief technical officer of [[Opera Software]]) cited the cancellation of the project as an example of Microsoft resisting [[interoperability]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/02/11/hakon_on_ms_interroperability/ |title=Opera to MS: Get real about interoperability, Mr Gates — Opera CTO Hakon Lie responds to Bill's clarion call |website=[[The Register]] |date=2005-02-11 |accessdate=2010-07-02}}</ref>

In July 2007, Apple announced that it had renewed its licensing agreement with Microsoft for the use of the latest versions of Microsoft Windows core fonts.<ref name="apple-infoweek" /><ref name="apple-techspot" /><ref name="apple-microsoft">{{cite web |author=Microsoft |date=2007-08-02 |title=Microsoft and Apple Extend Font Licensing Agreement |url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2007/aug07/08-02AppleFLPR.mspx |accessdate=2011-06-25 |website=[[Microsoft]] |quote=Microsoft Corp. and Apple announced they have renewed their font licensing agreement, giving Apple users ongoing use of the latest versions of Microsoft® Windows® core fonts}}</ref><ref>{{citation | url = http://mac.blorge.com/2007/08/02/mac-users-internet-experience-to-remain-seamless-thanks-to-microsoft/ | title = Mac users' Internet experience to remain "seamless" thanks to Microsoft | publisher = MAC.BLORGE | access-date = 2007-08-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928024359/http://mac.blorge.com/2007/08/02/mac-users-internet-experience-to-remain-seamless-thanks-to-microsoft/ | archive-date = 2007-09-28 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/macosx.aspx |title=Fonts supplied with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard |website=[[Microsoft]] |accessdate=2011-06-25}}</ref>{{Excessive citations inline|date=April 2023}}

==List of fonts and files==
The TrueType core fonts for the Web project included the following files under a proprietary license:<ref name="fontpack-2002-08" /><ref name="fontpack-1999">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/default.htm  |title=TrueType core fonts for the Web |author=Microsoft |website=[[Microsoft]] |date=1999-01-15 |accessdate=2010-07-06 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/19990117061153/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/default.htm |archivedate = 1999-01-17}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="100%"
|-
! File name
! Font name
! Variants
! Last version
! Copyright<ref name="ms-core">{{cite web |title=Microsoft Typography - Fonts - Core fonts for the Web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/web.aspx |accessdate=2011-06-24 |website=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref>
! Sample
|-
| arial32.exe 
| [[Arial]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="2" | regular, bold, italic, bold italic
| version 2.82
| rowspan="10" | Monotype
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Arial sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| Arial.sit.hqx 
| Arial for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.90
|-
| arialb32.exe 
| [[Arial Black]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="3" | black
| version 2.35
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Arial Black sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| ariblk.exe
| Arial Black for Windows 3.1 and 3.11
| version 2.20
|-
| ArialBlack.sit.hqx
| Arial Black for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.35
|-
| andale32.exe
| [[Andalé Mono]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="3" | regular
| version 2.00
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Andale Mono sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| andalemono.sit.hqx
| Andalé Mono for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.00
|-
| mtcom.exe
| Monotype.com for Windows 3.1 and 3.11<br />(later versions released as Andalé Mono)
| version 1.10
|-
| courie32.exe 
| [[Courier New]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="2" | regular, bold, italic, bold italic
| version 2.82
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Courier New sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| CourierNew.sit.hqx 
| Courier New for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.61
|-
| comic32.exe
| [[Comic Sans MS]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="3" | regular, bold
| version 2.10
| rowspan="6" | Microsoft
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Comic Sans sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| comic.exe
| Comic Sans MS for Windows 3.1 and 3.11
| version 1.20
|-
| ComicSans.sit.hqx
| Comic Sans MS for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.10
|-
| georgi32.exe
| [[Georgia (typeface)|Georgia]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="3" | regular, bold, italic, bold italic
| version 2.05
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Georgia sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| georgia.exe
| Georgia for Windows 3.1 and 3.11
| version 1.00
|-
| Georgia.sit.hqx
| Georgia for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.05
|-
| impact32.exe
| [[Impact (typeface)|Impact]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="3" | regular <br>''(font is actually black condensed)''
| version 2.35
| rowspan="5" | Monotype
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Impact sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| impact.exe
| Impact for Windows 3.1 and 3.11
| version 2.20
|-
| Impact.sit.hqx
| Impact for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.35
|-
| times32.exe
| [[Times New Roman]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="2" | regular, bold, italic, bold italic
| version 2.82
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Times New Roman sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| TimesNew.sit.hqx
| Times New Roman for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.91
|-
| trebuc32.exe
| [[Trebuchet MS]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="3" | regular, bold, italic, bold italic
| version 1.22
| rowspan="8" | Microsoft
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Trebuchet MS sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| trebuc.exe
| Trebuchet MS for Windows 3.1 and 3.11
| version 1.00
|-
| Trebuchet.sit.hqx
| Trebuchet MS for Apple Mac OS
| version 1.15
|-
| verdan32.exe
| [[Verdana]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="3" | regular, bold, italic, bold italic

| version 2.35
| rowspan="3" | [[File:Verdana sample.svg|200px|frameless]]
|-
| verdana.exe
| Verdana for Windows 3.1 and 3.11
| version 1.01
|-
| Verdana.sit.hqx
| Verdana for Apple Mac OS
| version 2.35
|-
| webdin32.exe
| [[Webdings]] for Windows 9x, NT and Windows 2000
| rowspan="2" | symbol
| version 1.03
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Webdings-big.png|150px|frameless]]
|-
| webdings.exe 
| Webdings for Windows 3.1 and 3.11
| version 1.01
|}
<!-- Gallery of font samples has been merged to the table -->

==See also==
*[[Liberation fonts]]
*[[Free software Unicode typefaces]]

== References ==

{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{web archive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020124085641/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/default.htm|title=Official website}}

[[Category:Digital typography]]
[[Category:Microsoft Windows multimedia technology]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 1996]]