[iChelle]

What is the difference between these two? I have both on this PC at work...

[siMac]

*Drum roll...*

One's made by ITC, the other isn't! Tada!

Off topic, what's the difference between Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola?

[iChelle]

lol, that's it? geez. ok thanks. heh.

[himself]

The ITC version has a modified x-height compared to whatever other version you have. From what I understand, ITC modifies all of their fonts to have the same x-height to cap-height proportions.

[jamiep]

The ITC cut is a nicer cut for Franklin Gothic, in my opinion. It also has available matching Compressed, condensed and extra compressed weights that are made by the same foundry — the largest selection for Franklin Gothic that I've seen.

I'm normally not a fan of the ITC cuts (too "early-eightys-advertising-esque" for me...) except for ITC Franklin Gothic. ITC Century isn't bad either, but the kerning is fairly horendous.

[siMac]

Originally posted by jamiep:
the kerning is fairly horendous.

Have you tried letting the Creative Suite kern for you?

[PiperH]

There's a "Franklin Gothic" set of Adobe postscript fonts, containing three variants, which is really only suitable for display and is faithful to the original metal fonts from Stephenson Blake (I think).

The ITC set is newer and is a full family made suitable for text and display. Its somewhat cleaner looking without the quirks of the original.

Me, I still like the original cut though its not always so handy. Bye.

[PiperH]

"... faithful to the original metal fonts from Stephenson Blake (I think) "

... not that anyone will be interested in this correction, but I just can't let such disinformation lie there. Sorry, don't know what came over me, it wasn't Stephenson Blake but, yanks, you'll prefer this, it was the splendid ATF who produced Franklin Gothic, designed by Morris Fuller Benton.

MF Benton was one of typography's greats, though he should have been publicly rebuked and placed naked in village stocks for designing Hobo, a font which I'm proud to say I've never touched, even in the first year of design college.

Wikipedia on American Type Founders:
http://www.answers.com/topic/american-type-founders

[OwlBoy]

I was always under the impression if a font was from ITC, it was complete in most every way, and was of the highest quality.

-Owl

[MaxPower]

Originally posted by PiperH:
MF Benton was one of typography's greats, though he should have been publicly rebuked and placed naked in village stocks for designing Hobo, a font which I'm proud to say I've never touched, even in the first year of design college.

This brings back memories. I also avoided Hobo, but was sucked down the 'if its from David Carson, the it is automatically better!' path. Such a dark part of my past.

I do remember during one of my early design classes, this girl got eviscerated by the teacher for using Braggodocio on some project as copy font. Good times.

[himself]

Originally posted by OwlBoy:
I was always under the impression if a font was from ITC, it was complete in most every way, and was of the highest quality.

-Owl

ITC is a mixed bag. Some are good, some are bad. Don't expect any ITC fonts to be faithful to the originals, though.