Helvetica

[MONSTERBOY]

I need helvetica, all versions of it. It's a free font, correct? Where do I get it.
Thanks,
MB

[FFF]

Nope, it's not free and it actually costs a lot of $. Mac computers come with a couple of versions of Helvetica, but this is a very large family (51 styles!) and you can purchase it here:

Helvetica Font

[MONSTERBOY]

holy cow.
with all respect FFF, I cant understand why a font like Helvetica would cost so much money! I do understand why specialized fonts like yours cost money, but not Helvetica---it's one of those basic types like Arial or Verdana....wierd. At anyrate I'm not so sure that anyone will buy it, costing so much. Who owns/has created universal fonts like Helvetica anyway? Arent they really old, embedded in history?

MB

[FFF]

Well, fonts take a considerably amount of work to be created. Pixel fonts take a long time and regular fonts take even longer. Helvetica is embedded on Mac systems (just a few versions) in the same way that Arial is embedded on PC.

You can always find a free font to suit your needs. The reason why you probably want Helvetica is that it's a really beautiful font, and it took a long time to develop it and because of that, there's a high price to be paid.

You can learn more about Helvetica's creator here

You can purchase fonts in packages to get a cheaper price, too. Adobe sells Fontfolio which I believe includes Helvetica and a great collection of other fonts, still, it costs thousands of dollars. Studios usually can afford a large collection of fonts. For smaller companies or individuals, it's better to buy a few fonts at a time to suit each project. Believe me, people buy these fonts all the time, same as they buy other stuff.

[MONSTERBOY]

Thanks for the information. I read about the creator of Helvetica and it brings alot more meaning into why a font would cost so much. It is really interesting. Thanks again, appreciate you help.

MB

[FFF]

You're welcome!