Extensis Universal Type Server Offers a Modern Approach to Centralized Font
Management
New corporate solution delivers for cross-platform workgroups.
PORTLAND, OR, June 11, 2008 – Extensis, a brand of Celartem Inc., today
announced availability of Universal Type Server, its next generation
server-based font management solution for both Macintosh and Windows
environments. Universal Type Server will ship on June 18, 2008. Extensis
will begin taking pre-orders for the product immediately.
Universal Type Server is a new breed of font management solution. More than
just a “distribution” system, it is a true client/server solution that
genuinely manages fonts and font metadata such as licenses,
classifications, foundries and keywords, allowing users to collaborate in
shared environments. Using granular and role-based permissions, Universal
Type Server manages font licenses and compliancy by ensuring that users
have access to only the fonts they are licensed to use, and that rogue
fonts cannot be added to the system. Automatic font classification and font
family grouping, dynamic smart sets and shared sets, all ensure a high
level of productivity and usability.
“We listened to our users and they told us what they really needed from a
font management solution,” said Brian Berson, General Manager at Extensis.
“They asked for centrally managed fonts in a controlled but easy to
implement environment. Universal Type Server delivers web- and Flex-based
tools; a usable, modern interface; and reliable, open SQL-based
architecture. Universal Type Server is an extremely capable and powerful
solution that is also easy and fun to use.”
Designed to meet the needs of IT environments, Universal Type Server
leverages a modern Java-based server architecture built on top of
industry-proven open source technologies. This enables Universal Type
Server to deliver stability, scalability, and speed while requiring very
low overhead. Due to its services-oriented architecture, administrators can
manage the server and users from anywhere via the web-based administration
interface, and package-based installers distribute the client software from
a central location, allowing IT administrators to deploy and manage the
entire solution without ever needing to visit a client workstation.
Active-Directory import and automated backup are just a few more of the
features that contribute to making Universal Type Server extremely
IT-friendly.
“Font management is vital and necessary in our business and the
introduction of Universal Type Server has been one of the most anticipated
software launches in the publishing industry,” said Ed Haynes, Customer
Support Manager of Future Publishing in the U.K. “We have been working with
the pre-release version of Universal Type Server for the past few months
and are convinced it will provide a solid foundation for centralised font
management whilst offering easy-to-use functionality for our creative
staff.”
Universal Type Server allows users to forget about font management and
focus on their work- uninterrupted. The client provides an offline mode for
mobile users who are not connected to the network but need access to fonts
while on the road. The Universal Type Client includes a modern SQL-based
architecture that runs as a background application, delivering fast font
handling, even when the client application is not open. Through the new
state-of-the-art modern user-interface, end users have access to
unprecedented font previews, immediate font activation / deactivation, and
superior metadata handling and searching capabilities.
Also included in the product are all new auto-activation plug-ins which
automatically turn fonts on and off within the professional creative
applications users leverage every day including: Adobe InDesign and
Illustrator and QuarkXPress. Auto-activation operates in the background and
provides creative professionals with the ability to seamlessly work in
their chosen applications while automatically activating the exact fonts.
Universal Type Client eliminates font conflicts and silent substitutions
with Extensis’ proprietary Font Sense font matching capabilities. The
patented Font Sense technology creates a unique ID for each font – like
font fingerprinting- to ensure font consistency as documents move from
design, to editing/review, to production.
Product Configuration
Universal Type Server is available in two different versions: Universal
Type Server Professional for larger departments and corporations and
Universal Type Server Lite for small environments up to 10 users.
Universal Type Server Professional – Developed for mid-size to large
corporate workgroups. It allows for the ability to purchase an unlimited
number of concurrent client connections. The built-in controls allow an
Administrator to create an environment as open and flexible or as
locked-down and controlled as necessary.
Universal Type Server Lite – Designed to be robust yet affordable, this
edition allows customers to use a maximum of 10 concurrent client
connections. The Lite edition is ideal for smaller creative workgroups or
design firms that need access to shared fonts but may have little or no IT
support.
Pricing and Availability
Universal Type Server will ship on June 18th. Extensis will begin taking
pre-orders for the product immediately.
The Windows client for Universal Type Server will be released in Summer 2008.
Universal Type Server Professional is available at an estimated retail
price of US $1,800.00 for the Server plus $165.00 per Client Connection.
Universal Type Server Professional and associated clients include a
one-year Annual Service Agreement.
Universal Type Server Lite sells for an estimated retail price of US $1,395
and includes 10 Client Connections.
Font Reserve Server and Suitcase Server customers, under a current Annual
Service Agreement, will receive both the server and clients for free.
Customers with Font Reserve Server version 1.5 (and higher) or Suitcase
Server 11.0.4 (and higher) without an Annual Service Agreement are eligible
for upgrade pricing.
Universal Type Server is currently available in English, French, and
German. For information on where to purchase the Universal Type Server
family of products visit (http://www.typeserver.com)
System Requirements
Universal Type Server will support Mac OS X v10.4, 10.4 Server, 10.5 or
10.5 Server; G5 or faster processor; 1 GB RAM; 250 MB Hard Drive space +
space for fonts; Safari 2.0 or Firefox 2.0 or higher; Adobe Flash Player 9
or higher.
Universal Type Server will also support Windows 2000 Server SP4, Server
2003 SP2, or XP Professional SP2 (32-bit versions only) P4 or faster
processor; 1GB of RAM; 250 MB of hard disk space + space for fonts;
Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 2.0 or higher; Adobe Flash Player 9 or
higher, Adobe Reader 7 or higher (to read PDF documentation).
Universal Type Client for Macintosh will support Mac OS X v.10.4 or 10.5;
50 MB of hard disk space + space for fonts; 256 MB RAM; Safari 2.0 or
Firefox 2.0 or higher.
About Font Sense
Extensis’ patented Font Sense technology offers users the ability to
automatically activate the exact versions of fonts used in a document when
that document is opened. Unlike basic auto-activation, Font Sense works
seamlessly to allow for a deep level of font analysis instead of simply
selecting and activating the first font with the same PostScript or font
menu name. Font Sense avoids silent font substitution, incorrect glyphs,
text re-flows, and layout issues, resulting in greater efficiency and
automated workflows.
About Universal Type Server
Design, print and publishing businesses face many challenges managing their
font workflows for consistency, compliance and efficiency. Universal Type
Server is the next-generation, client/server font management solution that
handles all font-related issues for all types of creative workflows.
Small-to-medium sized workgroups-even those with little-to-no IT
support-now have a powerful, yet cost-effective, server solution that
delivers efficient, easy-to-deploy, easy to maintain font management.
Larger corporate environments now have a robust, stable and high performing
solution that hits the mark with both font administrators and creative
users. Macintosh and Windows systems are fully supported both on the
administrator- and client-side.
About Extensis
Extensis is a software developer that allows creative professionals,
workgroups and corporations to streamline their workflow and securely
manage their digital assets and fonts. Extensis’ award-winning corporate
and desktop products are used by hundreds of Fortune 5000 companies and
include Universal Type Server, for server-based font management, Suitcase
for single-user font management and the Portfolio suite for digital asset
management. Extensis was founded in 1993 and is based in Portland, Oregon,
and the United Kingdom. Extensis is a division of Celartem Inc., which is
wholly owned by Celartem Technology Inc., (Hercules: 4330). For additional
information, visit (http://www.extensis.com) or call 1-800-796-9798.
About Celartem
Celartem Technology Inc. develops and sells innovative technologies for
storage, access and distribution of rich media content. Celartem has
developed technology in the areas of digital image compression, scalable
image viewing and secure content distribution and management. Celartem is
listed on the Osaka Securities Exchange, Hercules:4330. Established in
1996, Celartem is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and has a wholly owned
subsidiary, Celartem Inc. with headquarters in Seattle.