WOFF (Web Open Font Format) is a type of font format using in web page and being recommended as a standardize by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). Despite there are other like truetype and opentype font WOFF is not a new font format but According the wikiedia, the WOFF is uses as a wrapper (container) to contain sfnt-base font which also include font ike (truetype, opentype font format).
More detail about WOFF on W3C @ http://www.w3.org/TR/WOFF/
Advantage of using WOFF
Base the article from Mozilla development: http://hacks.mozilla.org/2009/10/woff/M
Main different to other raw font format.
1. Compression over the HTTP
Base on the article itself. “It is compressed, which means that you will typically see much smaller download sizes compared with raw TrueType or OpenType fonts.” As WOFF is using as wrapper it allows the filesize to be compression up to 40% of its original size using the WOFF encoding tool.
2.” It contains information that allows you to see where the font came from – without DRM or labeling for a specific domain – which means it has support from a large number of font creators and font foundries.” Unless other font it would has DRM encode on, *not very sure abit this part -but what is think was if there is DRM encode on people will have to purchase the font itself in order to uses it. Whereas if it is open (WOFF) without the DRM people can easily view where and who is the credit or create from this set and where to find it. In term more people will using it.
Disadvantage of WOFF
Not every browser will support WOFF, browser like internet explorer lag of the support. Not until recently update to internet explorer 8 RTW, 9 and Mozilla Firefox 3.6 to included WOFF support. This is to follow up on the W3C standardization.
Interesting Facts…..
Information of using of #font-face on different browsers especially internet explorer and the implementation codes.
Read on: http://paulirish.com/2009/bulletproof-font-face-implementation-syntax/
Site using of WOFF.
http://www.fontfont.com/ or http://openfontlibrary.org/ or http://www.fontsquirrel.com/.
There sites area from purchase of font or opensource where you can find WOFF font being used.
