Myths about Helvetica and Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)

For many years professional graphic designers are used to replace the Helvetica system fonts on the Mac OS with a Type1 version. But with Leopard this seems to be impossible. Whenever you delete the fonts, they will be reinstalled after you reboot the system and you will get a lot of annoying font conflicts.

I looked at several weblogs talking about this issue and they all make a lot of strange statements. So time to shed some light on this subject.

Myth 1: It is necessary to replace the system’s Helvetica if you want to make professional printouts.

No! All system fonts on Mac OS X are “professional fonts”. In the early 90’s TrueType fonts could be a problem for some Raster Image Processors, but those days are long gone. Nowadays it really doesn’t matter if you use a font based on TrueType or PostScript outlines.

Myth 2: You need to buy Helvetica LT Std.

One weblog, that was quoted all over the internet, claimed you need to buy Helvetica LT Std. Because it has a different font family name, you will not get any font conflicts. That’s true, but why should you buy a font you already have? In fact, the “Std” means you will only get a limited character set with this font, whereas Apple’s Helvetica supports a large number of languages.

The only reason for deleting the Helvetica fonts built into Leopard is if you need more styles. It wouldn’t be a good idea to mix some Helvetica TrueType styles from Apple with other PostScript styles from a different Foundry.

Myth 3: You cannot delete the system’s Helvetica in Leopard.

Actually, you can! Just open this folder:

System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/
Versions/A/Frameworks/ATS.framework/Versions/A/Resources/ProtectedFonts/

This is the folder Leopard uses to reinstall the fonts. If you delete them here and in the system folder (system/library/fonts), the fonts will not be reinstalled. Warning: Mac OS X needs Helvetica! If you delete the Helvetica dfonts, make sure to install your own Helvetica. It needs to have the name “Helvetica” as font family name. No other name (like “Helvetica LT” or “Helvetica Neue”) will be a proper replacement.

German version:

Seit vielen Jahren ist es für Grafikdesigner üblich, die am Mac vorinstallierte TrueType-Helvetica durch eine entsprechende PostScript-Variante zu ersetzen. Mit Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) ist dies nun scheinbar nicht mehr möglich. Nach dem Löschen der Helvetica wird sie beim nächsten Systemstart automatisch reaktiviert. Hat man bereits eine Ersatzschrift installiert, kommt es zu unzähligen Fehlermeldungen über Font-Konflikte.Das Problem wird von vielen Webseite angesprochen, allerdings sind die Thesen und Vorschläge dazu meist ziemlich fragwürdig. Zeit, mit einigen Mythen zu diesem Thema aufzuräumen!

Mythos 1: Für’s professionelle Grafikdesign müssen die TrueType-Schriften von Mac OS X ersetzt werden.

Alle Systemschriften von Mac OS X sind »professionelle Schriften«. Die Zeiten, in denen TrueType-Fonts noch Probleme in der Druckvorstufe gemacht haben sind lange vorbei. Heute spielt es überhaupt keine Rolle mehr, ob man Fonts auf Basis von TrueType- oder PostScript-Outline wählt.

Mythos 2: Man muss die Helvetica LT Std kaufen.

Ein Weblog, der unzählige Male zitiert wurde, erklärt, die einzige Möglichkeit das Problem zu lösen sei, die Helvetica LT Std zu kaufen. Da diese einen anderen Familiennamen besitzt, gibt es auch keine Fontkonflikte. Das ist natürlich richtig, aber warum sollte man einen Font kaufen, den man bereits besitzt? Hinzu kommt, dass der Zusatz »Std« schon darauf hindeutet, dass hier nur ein beschränkter Zeichensatz verfügbar ist. Apples Helvetica hingegen, unterstützt bereits von Hause aus deutlich mehr Sprachen.

Ein guter Grund, die System-Helvetica komplett zu ersetzen wäre allenfalls, wenn man weitere Schriftschnitte benötigt. Denn es ist kaum zu empfehlen, die TrueType-basierten Schnitte von Apple, mit PostScript-basierten Schnitten eines anderen Herstellers zu kombinieren.

Mythos 3: Die System-Helvetica unter Mac OS X lässt sich nicht löschen.

Doch, es geht! Die Fonts, die Mac OS X zum Neuinstallieren der Fonts benutzt befinden sich in diesem Verzeichnis:

System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/
Versions/A/Frameworks/ATS.framework/Versions/A/Resources/ProtectedFonts/

Werden sie hier und im Systemfontverzeichnis (system/library/fonts) gelöscht, dann werden die Fonts auch nach dem Neustart des Systems nicht mehr neu installiert. Aber Vorsicht: Mac OS X braucht die Helvetica! Werden die Fonts wie hier gezeigt entfernt, muss sofort eine Ersatz-Helvetica installiert werden und sie muss den Familiennamen »Helvetica« haben. »Helvetica Neue« oder »Helvetica LT« reicht als Ersatz nicht aus!

About this entry

You’re currently reading “Myths about Helvetica and Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard),” an entry on Ralf Herrmann’s Typography Weblog

Published:: 01.31.08 / 8pm

Category:: English, Mac OS X, fonts

Chris

02.01.08 / 1am

You may also want to point out that the system “Helvetica” and “Helvetica LT Std” are both licensed directly from Linotype AG. They’re the same curves, basically.

Helvetica LT Std is a slightly updated design. For instance, the inch/tick punctuation mark is now completely rectangular, some kerning pairs have been adjusted (particularly those involving the apostrophe), and there are some additional kerning pairs, but the downside of those additional kerning pairs is that text justification no longer looks exactly the same as it does with the Helvetica stored on a PostScript 2 or 3 printer. The Helvetica that ships with the OS is the same version of Helvetica licensed for use on PostScript 2/3 printers. Also, the baseline of Helvetica LT Std is shifted upwards by about 2 points for a reason I don’t completely understand.

However, basically, either face is good. They’re both real, Linotype-licensed Helvetica, not knockoffs.

Watson

Is there any support/evidence behind the idea that Apple is moving to Helvetica as the system font or Mac OS X, replacing Lucida Grande? It’s already the system font on the iPhone and iPod touch, and it’s popping up in more places in Mac OS X.

Chris Christner

02.01.08 / 2am

Interesting article and timely. We just deleted Apple’s Helvetica from a new iMac because Quark 6.5 wouldn’t print properly. Loaded the Adobe PS version of Helvetica and all problems disappeared.

chotty

02.01.08 / 3am

Great article.
However, Helvetica Fractions (Fra) left in System fonts can cause garbled text in dialogue boxes, email & websites in Safari.

Andrew Vit

02.01.08 / 5am

The problem I have with the OS versions of Helvetica is that they’re incomplete versions of both Helvetica and Helvetica Neue. (The supplied Helvetica Neue also looks terrible on-screen at some sizes by the way.) We wouldn’t need to replace these fonts if they were at least complete sets, but because they’re locked into the system it’s more trouble to fix than necessary.
Why couldn’t they just stick with “Helvetica” for system use, leaving “Neue” for us designers to install a more complete version without conflict?

Damjan Mozetič

02.01.08 / 8am

That was an interesting read. Thanks for tip n.3, it was most useful.

ralfherrmann

We just deleted Apple’s Helvetica from a new iMac because Quark 6.5 wouldn’t print properly.

That’s because Quark 6 is also a 90’s thing. It can’t handle Unicode fonts properly, which is a shame! Those problems should be gone in Quark 7.

The problem I have with the OS versions of Helvetica is that they’re incomplete versions of both Helvetica and Helvetica Neue.

I guess, Linotype didn’t want to give away the whole families. If you need complete sets, it’s a valid reason to replace the system Helveticas.

Marc LaFoy

02.01.08 / 3pm

Agreeing with Andrew over here too - unless you’re prepared to install all 18 million Neue variations, please leave it out of the System…

Patrick

02.01.08 / 4pm

Did you just say “wan’t” in Myth 1?

Matthew

Andrew and Marc have it right, and you identified the issue in item 2 of your article. It is about having a complete set of styles. I’ve fixed my installation as described above, but it’s silly to have to go digging in the system folder like that.

Jimmi

02.01.08 / 5pm

I just wanna know why the hell Apple is going with Helvetica?

Both Myriad and Lucida Sans are *much* more legible thanks to their open counters and friendly humanist lettershapes.

Helvetica’s closed counters and rigid, uniform design makes it a poor choice for longer runs of text, and it’s even worse for screen use.

Thomas Phinney

02.02.08 / 2am

Chris wrote: “the downside of those additional kerning pairs is that text justification no longer looks exactly the same as it does with the Helvetica stored on a PostScript 2 or 3 printer. The Helvetica that ships with the OS is the same version of Helvetica licensed for use on PostScript 2/3 printers. Also, the baseline of Helvetica LT Std is shifted upwards by about 2 points for a reason I don’t completely understand.”

I hate to point this out, but the fonts built into the printer don’t have ANY kerning. Kerning is done entirely on the application side. So any adjustments to kerning wouldn’t affect the printer font. Besides which, Adobe added the extra kerning as part of the revisions for PostScript 3 in 1997 - those changes were done on the Type 1 side before moving to OpenType.

Finally, the baseline is the baseline, and doesn’t/can’t shift. If you are seeing a different baseline between two different fonts on the same line, that’s is almost certainly an issue with the particular application you’re using. If you mean that with a given document, using only the OpenType font, the first baseline is about two points lower and subsequent baselines are the same, that must have something to do with how that particular application is calculating the initial baseline position. I’d wonder what application(s) you’re seeing that in, and whether the difference exists between the Type 1 and the OpenType CFF version or not.

Cheers,

Miguel Soler

02.06.08 / 11am

About Helvetica Neue in Mac OS X.
How to activate all Helvetica Neue family with no system conflicts ? (I mean Helvetica Nue Roman, Helvetica Nue Medium and Helvetica Nue Heavy)
Another problem, How have to replace in my old archives that use Helvetica Neue?
I agree. We dont need Helvetica Neue in system fonts. Please, Steve. DELETE!

02.06.08 / 3pm

How to activate all Helvetica Neue family with no system conflicts ?

Same procedure. Remove all the Helvetica Neue fonts in the libraries, remove the Helvetica Neue from the ProtectedFonts library (if you’re on Leopard) and install your replacement.

02.07.08 / 11am

What I would like to do is remove Helvetica Neu from system font library and use my complete Helvetica Neue on font explorer. But system rebuild its helvetica every time I try to delete.

The system will stop reinstalling Helvetica and Helvetica Neue once you delete them in
System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/
Versions/A/Frameworks/ATS.framework/Versions/A/Resources/ProtectedFonts/

It works! Thank you Ralf. I love Helvetica Neue and I love you. Fantastic blog. I’ll recomend.

02.08.08 / 1am

The above comments contain legitimate complaints about the fonts installed in Mac OS X. They really aren’t professional quality sets–but that’s OK, because the default OS installation isn’t made to suit professionals with high expectations and specific needs.

What it seems these people have forgot is that Apple doesn’t sell its computers to graphics professionals. The vast majority of Apple’s customers will _never_ buy a typeface in their lives. In fact, if Apple didn’t include licensed copies of fonts with their OS, there wouldn’t be Helvetica, Times or Garamond in the hands of the general public at all. Those not paid to design would be forced to use cheaper font clones like Arial.

Apple does well to include these great fonts with its computers. It may well be inconvenient for publishing experts to have to replace fonts in the uncharted backwaters of their systems. These people should keep in mind, however, that managing fonts is their job, and that they shouldn’t complain about Apple making an effort to provide the masses with fonts vastly better than the ones its competitors ship. Even if the fonts don’t represent a complete typeface for every possible character, the do put the power of high-quality fonts in the hands of consumers.

Marc

02.18.08 / 11pm

What it seems these people have forgot is that Apple doesn’t sell its computers to graphics professionals.

What planet are you living on?

It may well be inconvenient for publishing experts to have to replace fonts in the uncharted backwaters of their systems. These people should keep in mind, however, that managing fonts is their job, and that they shouldn’t complain about Apple making an effort to provide the masses with fonts vastly better than the ones its competitors ship.

You’re damn right it’s inconvenient. publishing experts are in the business of ‘publishing’, not dealing with the headache of conflicting fonts because Apple has decided to include an extremely widely used version in the system.

If, as you seem to imply, most people don’t even know what a font is, they should have just changed their system version to ‘Helvetica APPL” and us graphics professionals (the apparent minority of Mac users) could install Helvetica Neue CE Ultralight to our hearts content.

sioux

04.22.08 / 12am

The average consumer doesn’t know one font from the next, but the average Mac user usually does. Every new OS has it’s issues, but this one could of been avoided. It reminds me of my iBook keyboard. Why do my keys rub off? Because someone AT APPLE did not do their due diligence, and used an inferior process on one of the most used component. Why does my beautifully designed document cause me to cry out in anguish? Because someone at Apple took the low road.

04.30.08 / 12am

The past few days spent reading and attempting to fix this annoying Neue system font issue. I have left the Helvetica.dfont in the protected fonts folder, deleted/removed all HelveticaNeue.dfont from machine and activated my own set of Neue (T1) fonts thru Suitcase. This resulted in mail and iCAL displaying some weird character baseline shifts, esp. Mail (header area of emails To: Subject: fields)
Reinstalled the Helvetica.dfont into protected and library locations: not the Neue version. This has fixed the Mail app screen display. Looks like iCAL uses HelveticaNeue Bold from the results. Adobe version of HelveticaNeue T1 I am using shifts the baseline up on the Bold version used by iCAL. Not so much as to be illegible, and I can prob live with it. Still, all in all a large pain in the rear. A full set of Neue.dfont would have been appreciated on this new OS!!

cus

05.01.08 / 2am

I dispute some of the “myths” in this article or the comments section, or even on other forums dealing with this topic.
Myth 1: It doesn’t matter if you use a TrueType or Postscript font!
Try telling that to real world production environments. In Australia the majority of publishers refuse to accept advertisements supplied in PDF format if they have TrueType fonts embedded in them. This information is published in the mechanical specifications of the publishers and goes as far as to only allow Postscript fonts - no mention of OpenType being acceptable for the RIPs.
Myth 2: Apple don’t sell Macs to graphic professionals!
As already noted by others’ here, on what planet was this observation made? Let’s face it, there is a good argument to be made that Apple may not even exist today if not for the support of graphic and design professionals in the late 80s/early 90s. At one stage in those “dark ages”, Apple had 10-12% market share of all personal computers, largely driven by sales to the design industry. Design-based applications drove advances in those early year’s - the likes of Adobe, Macromedia, Aldus Corporation, etcetera, and even some games designers such as Bungie (a Mac-only games pioneer).
If not for that support back then Apple could well have folded long before it had the chance to be popular with the masses.
Myth 3: Just buy the new OpenType set of Helvetica Neue fonts and stick those into Leopard to make it work as it has been designed!
Great, so in order to make my $150 upgrade of the Apple operating system OS X Leopard work as it has been designed and still allow graphics professionals to have unhindered use of their Helvetica font family, I will need to spend $1,500 buying the complete OpenType Helvetica Neue font family to replace the Postscript font family I already have paid for and own. Doesn’t seem to make sound financial sense.
Actually sounds more like a Microsoft Windows kind of solution!

05.02.08 / 12am

Helvetica madness… have resorted to re-installing the HelveticaNeue.dfont that came with Leopard for system font usage - as the iCAL font issue was looking ugly. Back to square one really with 2 versions of HelveticaNeue - deactivating the correspondingly / conflicting named fonts of my own HelveticaNeue set…