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Dec 22 - Jan 12,2002 |
Extensis Suitcase 10
By Alessandro Cancian
Originally Published: 2002-05-12
Among several causes slowing down a computer, is the number of fonts that a machine has to load. The greater this number, the longer the wait. Some font managing applications are available on the market, and one of these is Suitcase from Extensis.
Now in its version 10 for Mac and 9 for Windows, Suitcase is an indispensable tool for people who need to use large numbers of fonts, such as graphic designers. Version 10 comes at a peculiar time for the Mac platform, when Apple is trying to have its users migrate to its new Unix-like OS called OS X. Even with the confusion created by the new OS in font management, Suitcase offers a pragmatic and intuitive approach that comes as a warm sunbeam. The Suitcase interface, and generally the program itself, is so easy to learn that you probably won't even need to look at the manual. Now, it's not that the software is immune from problems, on the contrary.
Even if the installation process automatically supplies applications such as QuarkXpress with plug-ins for auto-activation of the fonts, using the applications in Classic mode, i.e. emulating OS 9, the workflow isn't smooth enought to the point that one needs to use the old operation system instead of the new. Among other things, Suitcase still lacks a plug-in for the auto-activation of the other side of layout, i.e. Adobe In-design, to great detriment of users of that application. The Suitcase features include the ability of handling duplicate fonts or determining whether some fonts are corrupted and therefore unusable. Unfortunately the new version does not come with a program such as Fonts Doctor, included in previous versions, that can analyze your fonts without the need to install them in Suitcase.
With all its defects, Suitcase is a must, especially for those who decide to migrate to OS X, but some small improvements would be necessary.
For further information visit: www.extensis.com
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