...Once they get copied or decompressed on the PC the damage has already been done and no conversion program will be able to help you. ...
...While Macs can natively use PC fonts, the opposite isn't true and you're opening yourself up for all sorts of trouble by trying to convert the font data. Fonts are more complicated than that and anyone who tells you differently is probably trying to sell you something.
Even with a font conversion program your still looking at all sorts of potential kerning and spacing issues. If I were the client and heard that my fonts were being mangled like this I'd run to another vendor.
Legality of the conversion aside, the font you create is now going to be completely unique, but will be named the same as the common font you converted it from. Try getting a few of those mixed together with a real version of the font from the original vendor and and see what it does to your system and future jobs. And what happens when these fonts get sent back to the client or moved to another machine for a reprint? It's like a freaking virus.
Shawn
Shawn,
I appreciate your comments and I'm sure they are accurate for the vast majority of companies using fonts as part of their workflow.
In our situation, we are a specialty packaging operation, we don't generate typesetting work to export to other vendors or designers. We generate typesetting primarily from databases of text for our inside production.
When a client or their designer provides their own typesetting in final form and/or we don't have the font, and they can't provide a version that we can use:
1.) We ask them to convert the fonts to outlines.
2.) If they cannot/do not, we ask them to purchase the font in a useable version if it exists.
3.) If they cannot/do not, we offer to convert their font if possible, and we can rename and renumber it uniquely with off the shelf font conversion software as we don't intend for it to be used as a design tool. While we can customize/override kerning and spacing, our clients very, very rarely request it.
4.) The client or designer reviews/approves proofs of our work.
5.) We produce and ship the finished packaging pieces.
6.) We get paid for the quality and service we performed.
In summary:
The client is given options and they pick the best one for them, in their particular situation.
Practically speaking, there are no magic buttons, only choices and corresponding consequences. We aren't in a position to demand that Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, etc.
do everything the same (eliminate our choices), we are often, however, in a position to give our clients choices so that they can achieve their desired consequences.
If packaging was easy, then our clients wouldn't need us.
