 |
 Chinese Computing Help Desk |
|
Survey:
Third-Party
Chinese Fonts, Input Methods & Tools for Microsoft Windows
Third-Party Fonts Third-Party IMs and Tools Encoding Standards
Many vendors provide Chinese fonts, input methods and utilities that go far beyond the limited set of fonts and basic features included with Western versions of Windows XP.
Below is an informal survey current as of mid-2005, focusing on packages that add fonts and functionality. At this time I am not doing a survey of Chinese dictionaries, language learning or other applications. (I am also intentionally not covering Chinese handwriting or speech input accessories, as the purpose of this site is to provide support for setting up display and keyboard input.)
If you are just a casual user I recommend you start with a basic font package, like one of the USD $50 packages from DynaComware. There are also additional input methods, vast font libraries, applications to add sophisticated Chinese publishing features, and other utilities for advanced users.
This survey has not been checked for accuracy. I am not a professional. I do not own or sell all of these products. I am just an intrepid end-user like yourself. Please double-check system requirements, features, availability and support before spending any money.
Third-Party Chinese Fonts
- Adobe
- Arphic
- Avector
- China Dragon
- Chinese Plus
- Chinese Star
- DynaComware
- Founder
- Hanyi
- Huaxia
- Monotype
- TwinBridge
Adobe Publishing Collection - Simplified Chinese
Adobe Publishing Collection - Traditional Chinese
« Fonts indexWell over one thousand US dollars each, but Adobe is the standard for Postscript fonts. WARNING: This package is no longer produced by Adobe, and Adobe never officially sold or supported these for anything but the Chinese versions of Windows. Big companies are like that. Make sure you understand the requirements of this package, or buy it from someone who knows how to support you.
« Fonts indexThe Arphic Unifonts packages include TrueType fonts for English, Chinese, Japanese or Korean versions of Windows XP, each including almost 100 traditional fonts in "Big 5" encoding (see Encoding Standards) and 12 simplified fonts in Big 5 and GB2312 encoding.
Most Arphic Unifonts packages include at least a couple of GB18030 or "Unicode" font sets in each package. Arphic is committed to the new standard and they are migrating all their packages to 100% GB18030. Some of the older packages include rare Taiwan and Hong Kong encodings, and many Arphic packages include several fonts for Japanese, Korean and European languages.
The developers claim that these TrueType fonts work with Adobe Acrobat and other Adobe applications where you might otherwise expect problems. Last time I checked, the average full Unifont package was about US $200.
Arphic Office Unifonts is a lower-priced subset of the full Unifont packages. Although obviously targeted at users of Microsoft Office, this package also supports the major Adobe applications, including Acrobat. These sets always include the same proportion of traditional vs. simplified Chinese fonts, and often one or two other Japanese, Korean or European fonts. The latest packages include at least two GB18030 font sets, and one "Unicode" package focuses on that standard exclusively. Depending on the size and publishing date, these "Office" packages go for US $70 to US $150 each.
« Fonts indexThe Avector Traditional Chinese 44 AV TrueType Supreme package of 44 beautiful fonts includes all the basics and more, in fact more than you may need unless you're a professional. Only traditional fonts, only in Big 5 encoding. I last saw it priced at approximately US $350.
« Fonts indexThe China Dragon 70 Traditional Chinese TrueType package includes 30 traditional and 20 simplified fonts. All are in Big 5, including the simplified fonts. This beautiful collection is clearly for professional publishers working only in Big 5. Last seen at approximately US $300.
« Fonts indexChinese Plus, from Kingsoft, is an input method and utility package that also includes thirty traditional and simplified TrueType fonts licensed from Founder. (A seperate font package from Founder is listed in this section, below). See the Input Methods and Tools section for more information on Chinese Plus application packages.
« Fonts indexChinese Star, from Beijing Chinese Star Cyber Technology Ltd., is an input method and utility package that also comes with sixteen TrueType fonts in both traditional and simplified versions. See the Input Methods and Tools section for more information on Chinese Star application packages.
« Fonts indexDynaComware (combining the brands DynaFont and DynaLab, and in Chinese known as Hua Kang), offers some fonts via individual download for as little as US $25, and also provides some combination packages that are worth looking at.
The Dynafont TrueType 28 package (AZ 28) is supposed to be targeted at North American users, and the cost is only about US $50. It certainly has useful features for teachers. The package contains traditional and simplified characters, plus fonts with pinyin and zhuyin (bopomofo) "ruby" characters next to the hanzi characters. 28 fonts total: 18 traditional fonts and 7 simplified fonts (including one in the GB18030 encoding standard), plus pinyin-over-traditional, pinyin-over-simplified, and zhuyin-alongside-traditional ruby fonts.
Last time I checked, the TrueType 28 package was distributed by PenPower. It contains mostly traditional fonts but also rounds out XP's basic set of simplified fonts with Kai, Yuan and Wei Bei in both GB2312 and Big 5 encoding, plus Fangsong in GB18030 (for a total of seven simplified fonts). Many Windows 2000 or XP users may want to add the next package below for the larger simplified character sets.
The Dynafont Simplified Chinese TrueType GB18030 package contains only four simplified fonts but they are the basic set that should be on everyone's system: Song, Kai, Fangsong and Hei, all in the latest GB18030 encoding, a great update for Windows 2000 or XP. The cost is around US $70. See the Dynacomware site.
Then there's the massive OpenType 127 package, for around US $200(!). OpenType 127 is distributed by PenPower.
Dynacomware offers more packages of simplified and traditional Chinese TrueType and OpenType fonts, ranging from 30 to over 300 fonts. There are more pinyin/zhuyin sets, calligraphic fonts, even a set of self-generating screen fonts for the Web. Prices range from US $80 to over US $300 per set. I do not have a price for the self-generating Web screen fonts (WebPro Studio) at this time.
« Fonts indexFounder (Fang Zheng) is a major vendor of publishing solutions in the PRC. I've found one Founder font package for sale in the US, with over 50 traditional and 50 simplified TrueType fonts, including all the basics plus a wide range of professional fonts as well, in GB encoding for approximately US $120. (Some Founder fonts are also included in the Chinese Plus package listed under Third-Party Input Methods and Tools .)
« Fonts indexHanyi offers several unique fonts for only US $15 via download, and also offers a package of over 50 traditional and 50 simplified TrueType fonts in for approximately US $120. These are all in GB encoding, and many are truly beautiful and creative.
The boxed set includes basic Song and Hei plus their own versions of all the rest. The package is hard to resist, although I'm not certain when I'd use the font with the snow on top. Take a look.
« Fonts indexI don't know much about this company, and I have not personally reviewed their fonts, but I should point out that their packages may be a very good value.
The Huaxia Classical Chinese Fonts package actually includes the basic Song, Hei, Kai and Fangsong, as well as Wei Bei and other popular fonts. You have to get much further into the collection, especially the second of the two packages, before you begin to feel particularly "classical".
Approximately US $50 for the first set of 42 fonts and US $90 for the second set which contains 128 fonts. In Big 5, GB and Unicode.
« Fonts indexMonotype focuses primarily on the Macintosh platform, but I have found one US $500 package for Windows containing 24 simplified and 18 traditional fonts, all in GB encoding. All the basics and a range of professional publishing fonts as well. But why $500? Monotype has a good reputation I know, but maybe I need some education because I can't see a $500 difference here.
« Fonts indexTwinBridge offers a US $20 package of fonts for users of their Chinese Partner and CJK Partner products that adds two pinyin fonts (one pinyin alone and one pinyin-over-characters), as well as Yuan, Kai, Fangsong and Hei fonts in GBK encoding that add a lot of characters and nicely round out your standard set. This is in addition to the 49 TrueType fonts that are included with their Partner packages. See the Input Methods and Tools section for more information on TwinBridge.
« Intro Next page: IMs & Tools » Last page: Encoding Standards »»
| Copyright © 2005 PinyinJoe.com. All Rights Reserved. |
| "Microsoft", "Windows", "Vista" and any other trademarks on this site are the sole property of their respective owners. |