Cariadings font now available, bring a wallet

Somewhere in the list of features ‘cut‘ from Longhorn lies Cariadings – a decorative font that was suppose to ship with Longhorn as the next-generation dingbats. Probably because it’s only a font, and a font you can’t read either, no one really paid any attention to its sudden disappearance compared to whatever that WinFS thing was. Except me of course.

Cariadings

Microsoft ClearType CollectionBesides the trademark and patents, all other evidence of Cariadings, the little if any, has been destroyed. Which strikes me as extremely odd since now it appears that Ascender, a company which develops and licenses typefaces has started selling Cariadings together with the rest of the Microsoft ClearType Font Collection. Why didn’t Microsoft ship Cariadings with Windows Vista? Who knows and it’s obviously not going to change.

Designed by Microsoft’s Geraldine Wade, “Cariadings is a decorative symbol font based on simple lines, symmetry and reference to nature. The images are intended as typographic ornaments that can be used as watermarks, border enhancements or icons.”

For $20, you can now buy license Cariadings to get in on a piece of the ornaments and symbols action. The license allows you to use it on up to 5 computers, yeah, like that’s stopped anyone. No details on whether or not this is a royalty-free license – allowing creatives to use the fonts in their work without paying for per eye-ball royalties, potential buyers will have to contact Ascender themselves.

If you’re in a spending mood, you can also buy the entire ClearType collection for $299 if you really love fonts, and I mean really love fonts. Cause I heard, although just an unconfirmed rumor, you can find them in the “C:\Windows\Fonts\” folder. Keep it quiet, just a secret between us okay?

Thanks to Simon from the Microsoft Typography team for the heads up.

6 insightful thoughts

  1. > Cause I heard, although just an unconfirmed rumor, you can find them in the “C:\Windows\Fonts\” folder.

    Long, you need to come out from that Microsoft bubble from time to time – there are operating systems other than Windows. I’m sure most Linux and Mac users would be more than willing to license the fonts if they need them for a design or pre-press job, rather than download them from some shady warez site.

    The Ascender EULA allows pretty much everything a designer might need to do, including embedding in PDFs etc.,

  2. Wow Long, you dig up the most original content in the entire world. …Some of the oddest too.

  3. Ascender Corp is primarily targeting non-Windows/Office users who want legal access to these great fonts. As you pointed out Cariadings did not make it into Windows Vista or Office 2007, and that is why we are happy to be offering it to users seeking out a fresh dingbats font.

  4. If you’d like a FREE licenced copy of the six fonts (Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Consolas, Constantia, and Corbel. Sorry it does NOT include Cariadings), install Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 2007. This can only be used to install the fonts on your Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; Windows Server 2003; Windows Vista; or Windows XP machine. “You may not copy, install or use the fonts on other devices”, so purchase licensed fonts from Ascender Corp. if you plan on using the fonts on any other machine other than the above mentioned supported Windows machines. If you still want Cariadings, $20.00 seems like a small price to pay as you just saved $279.00!

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