Monthly Archives: December 2010
Last chance to get a free year of WebINK
December 30th, 2010 by Jim Kidwell
If you’ve been planning to upgrade to Suitcase Fusion 3 as your font manager for a while, but have been putting it off, purchase and register Suitcase by the end of 2010 and get a FREE YEAR of WebINK web fonts for your site.
We know that the remaining time on this offer is very short (measured in hours at this point), so if you want this offer, you’ll need to hop on it very soon.
For full promotional details, how to get your free year and so forth see the Extensis site.
v9.5.3 update available for Portfolio Server 9.5 and Portfolio Studio
December 20th, 2010 by Edward Smith
Today we released a free v9.5.3 update for Portfolio Server 9.5 and Portfolio Studio users. The new version includes:
- Server administration shortcut: A desktop shortcut that will open a new browser window and load the Portfolio Server administration application. The shortcut will continue to work correctly even if you change the port that the administration application uses.
- Server improvements: Improved thumbnail and preview generation and metadata handling.
- Web client improvements: Added download progress, option to delete all items, metadata display, previewing, and handling offline files.
The 9.5.3 update is available for all components including the Server and Desktop Client, as well as the NetPublish and NetMediaMAX add-ons for Portfolio Server 9.5.
Don’t use Portfolio as your digital asset management system? Request a free 30 day trial serial code for Portfolio Server 9.5 (for workgroups and the enterprise) or Portfolio Studio (for small teams).
Download the v9.5.3 update and release notes
Extensis Toasts the Holidays at Clark Lewis Restaurant
December 15th, 2010 by Jennifer Grebil
This past Saturday was the annual Extensis holiday party, which was held at ClarkLewis Restaurant in the industrial area of inner Southeast Portland. ClarkLewis offers farm fresh organic meat and produce from local farmers in the Portland Metro area.
The menu at ClarkLewis is seasonal and always changing, but whichever the season, you can always count on ClarkLewis to offer authentic Northwestern Cuisine with an exotic fusion that will titillate your taste buds.
On the menu was several squash infused dishes and though I never thought myself to be a big squash fan, the squash pasta was absolutely yummy. Aside from the food menu, the cocktails were fantastic. Sizzling hot rum with butternut squash (it was actually quiet delicious), gin with spanked rosemary (spanking release the oils in the herb) as well as an abundance of fantastic wines from our very own Oregon Willamette Valley.
Overall, the best part about the evening was the company. Extensis is a great bunch.
Wisibility: WebINK solves the web font problem
December 14th, 2010 by Chantal Webb
NOTE: We’ve also included a French localization of this post for your convenience.
Wisibility is a website dedicated to the training of people working in the creative industry. They review and explain how to use graphs softwares such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash.
After testing WebINK – our cloud based font rental service – Mr. Legrand believes that it is a real solution to definitely sort out the problem of limited webfonts on the web. The current standard fonts supported by the browsers clearly restrain the creativity of the webdesigners. One very useful advantage is to have a full “all in one” package when using Suitcase Fusion 3 and WebINK. There is no need to be a programmer as it is a very easy service to use. The comparison of fonts is quick and you can have an instant look at the result with the font preview. Full compatibility with Adobe Creative Suite 5 is a real bonus. Extensis’ typographical pedigree gives it access to many font foundries and new fonts are being added all the time.
Obviously the arrival of CSS3 with the new “@font-face” feature changes the situation. It allows the display of any fonts on the web through a simple hosting on a server and a link to the font without using java-script or flash like most other current solutions. According to Mr Legrand, Suitcase Fusion 3 is the best solution to manage fonts efficiently! Professional font management is so essential for creative teams’ workflow. His review states that WebINK is a fantastic tool for webdesigners. He is so convinced by WebINK that he is currently redesigning his website so that it is fully powered by WebINK. We are delighted to receive such positive feedback in France.
En Français:
Wisibility est un site dédié à la formation aux métiers de l’image. Vous y trouverez différentes ressources gratuites et payantes vous aidant à maîtriser les logiciels graphiques tels que Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash.
Apres avoir testé notre WebINK – notre service basé sur un nuage de serveurs – Mr Legrand pense que c’est une vraie solution pour régler définitivement les problèmes de polices “limitées” sur le web. Les polices standards supportées par les navigateurs brident clairement la créativité des webdesigners. Ce qui l’intéresse dans son flux de production c’est d’avoir une sorte de “tout en un” en utilisant Suitcase Fusion 3 et WebINK. En plus de cela il trouve que le service est très simple, et qu’il n’y a pas besoin d’être un codeur hors pair. La comparaison des fonts similaires est rapide et vous avez un aperçu immédiat du résultat des fonts choisies. Le fait que tout soit parfaitement intégrable dans la CS5 est un vrai bonus. En plus, Extensis, de par son expérience dans ces métiers liés à la typographie, travaille avec toutes les plus grandes fonderies et de nouvelles polices sont constamment ajoutées.
Évidemment, l’arrivée des CSS3 avec la nouvelle propriété “@font-face” a clairement changé la donne. Celle-ci permet de gérer l’affichage de n’importe quelle police sur le web via un simple hébergement sur un serveur et un lien vers cette police, le tout, sans utiliser de java-script ou de flash comme le faisait la plupart des solutions existantes`.
Suitcase Fusion 3 selon Mr Legrand reste pour lui la meilleure solution pour gérer correctement ses Fonts ! La bonne gestion des polices de caractères pour les créatifs est indispensable dans le flux de travail. Sa revue explique que WebINK est un outil fantastique pour les webdesigners. Il est tellement convaincu de l’efficacité de WebINK qu’il est en train de préparer son site web pour qu’il soit entièrement généré par WebINK. Nous sommes très satisfaits de recevoir de telles réactions positives en France.
“What is Digital Asset Management?” article in i.Business Magazine
December 10th, 2010 by Edward Smith
i.Business Magazine, a new Apple-related business publication, has just released their premiere issue featuring an article I wrote on digital asset management.
About i.Business:
The only Apple-related business magazine. We focus on vertical markets such as Retail, CAD, Real Estate, Legal, Manufacturing, Shipping & Transportation, Scientific Computing, Medical, Automotive, Manufacturers, Accounting/Finance, Print & Graphics and Security & Surveillance. Our content focuses on a solution-based approach to productivity, workflow management and tips & tricks. Magazine articles are contributed from a plethora of industry experts with years of experience.
You can preview the first issue of i.Business magazine and my article on Zinio
Suitcase Fusion 3 v14.0.5 update now available
December 8th, 2010 by Jim Kidwell
Today we released an update to the most popular font management application, Suitcase Fusion 3. This new version includes the following enhancements:
- The ability to add fonts directly to a set while adding them to Suitcase Fusion 3.
- You can now add keywords to web fonts in the WebINK library, making them easier to locate and sort for future projects.
- Tweaked a few things about the interface to make it easier to use.
- Fixed an auto-activation issue with PSB files (basically a special format for really big Photoshop files).
- Other minor fixed issues.
Download Suitcase Fusion 3 v14.0.5 from the Extensis Website.
To download using Check for Updates in Suitcase Fusion 3:
- Launch Suitcase Fusion 3.
- Choose Suitcase Fusion 3 > Check for Updates (Mac) or Tools > Check for Updates (Win).
- Download and install the update.
Full Release Notes for this release are available here:
WebINK Brings Live Web Fonts to CreativePro.com
December 7th, 2010 by Jim Kidwell
We’re happy to announce that the leading creative professional portal CreativePro.com has choosen the WebINK web font service to deliver perfect typography on their site. A respected online resource for the creative community, CreativePro has selected Cora Web from the WebINK® web font service to present the highest quality typography on their website.
Terri Stone, editor in chief of CreativePro.com said that “Ensuring that our Web site is progressive is critical to meeting our community’s expectations. WebINK allows us to continue to push the boundaries of design and deliver the same quality typography as seen in print. We believe this is the future of Web design.”
CreativePro.com has selected ‘Cora Web’ designed by Bart Blubaugh and published by TypeTogether for use on CreativePro.com. TypeTogether is one of the type foundries whose has provided high quality web fonts that are now available through WebINK.
“We are honored to have our typefaces selected by such a leading source in the design community,” said José Scaglione, co-founder of TypeTogether. “Our main interest is finding innovative and stylish solutions to old problems for the professional market of text typefaces. With WebINK, designers now have easy access to these latest innovations and can present cutting-edge Web designs.”
You can get started using web fonts like CreativePro.com by signing up for a WebINK account. New users automatically receive the first 30 days free of charge.
Script: Extracting font metadata from Suitcase Fusion 3
December 6th, 2010 by Jim Kidwell
Today we published a script that generates a report of the font metadata in your Suitcase Fusion 3 database, and places it in a CSV file.
The script was developed to help organizations assess all of the fonts in use on their workflow, when they may have one or more copies of Suitcase Fusion 3 running in their workgroup. This can be especially handy if you are looking to become more aware of your organization’s font compliance.
This script has been used to assess fonts in workflows to ensure that all of the proper fonts were appropriately licensed when moving to a server-based font solution, such as Universal Type Server.
The CSV file that is generated by the script can be opened by any common spreadsheet applications, including Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice.org, etc. and then used for font file analysis.
Download the script, including full instructions for use here.
NOTE: This script was developed for use with Suitcase Fusion 3 on Mac OS X only. The script was developed purely as a convenience to our users, and its use is not supported by our technical support team. Even so, we hope that you’ll find it useful.
Interested in web fonts? Here’s how to try WebINK fonts for FREE
December 3rd, 2010 by Jim Kidwell
If you’re at all connected to web design these days, you’ve probably at least heard about how web fonts are changing the face of web design. Well, now is your chance to get started using web fonts without any cost to you.
There are two ways that you can get started using FREE web fonts from WebINK.
The first way is to just sign up for a WebINK account today. You automatically get 30 days to use as many web fonts as you like on as many sites without restriction. It’s really easy to do, go here for a quick overview.
The second way is to purchase Suitcase Fusion 3 by December 31, 2010 and you’ll get ONE FREE YEAR of WebINK web font rental. This is deal gives you a monthly credit for standard price tier fonts at the personal usage level. Your WebINK account will be automatically credited $1.99 per month for a full 12 months. (Does not apply for VLA or Academic licenses of Suitcase Fusion 3.)
If you’ve been waiting to give it a shot, check it out today!
Extensis office remodel – progress continues
December 2nd, 2010 by Jim Kidwell
Our office remodel continues. We’ve now got some new walls up, we just need to get them painted and some new carpet laid down. Pretty exciting for those of us who have walked these halls for over seven years looking at the same drab browns and greens!
The entryway is coming along nicely.
A new door that no longer looks directly into the bathroom!
More new walls create a new meeting space.
And a few final touches to create much needed office space.
