A student license for FontLab Studio 5 is just $250, right? And a student license for TypeTool is just $99… even cheaper. Way cheaper than a lot of the other hardware/software we tend to buy…

Cody
I’m afraid I can’t go along with the idea of software pre-requisites for undergrad design programs :(

I knew PageMaker, some Quark and some Photoshop before I went to design school in the late 90s, but it didn’t really put me at any advantage over the students who had less exposure. Furthermore, I were I was studying, we had painting majors who before they started, had never painted! But they had one thing… they had drive. That’s what really matters. The night before a big deadline’ll teach you whatever software skills you don’t know, as long as you are driven enough. This was my experience, at least…

I agree, actually–after rereading what I posted, I find that I didn’t quite express my full train of thought . I wish my freshman year had been about the basics of typography, layout, etc, and the software, that we’re getting now in our sophomore year. As it’s set up now, it’s certainly not bad. I can’t help but feel like it would have been to everyone’s advantage if the program were set up differently–at the very least making sure all freshman are given some level of familiarity across Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver, & even AutoCAD before we’re separated into the different programs.

I was fine with PS and fumbling with Illy before my first year started, and now can say I’m competent across the first three…and now that I’m on Giftmas Break, I’ll be trying to get some basic Flash/Dreamweaver skills before I get back into studio.

One thing that would be nice to have along with our CS3 bundle: FontLab (or one of the other two big font creation apps). Sigh. A boy can dream.

Typejunkie
A little messy and playful, qualities I don’t particularly associate with good typography.
There has to be a method to the madness of playful and busy type. Otherwise it just looks all over the place and unorganized. Really great post, I completely agree.

Johno
I think I just think like John D. Berry. I have done exactly the same thing many many times. Looks like I will have to check his blog out.

Browsing through a local bookstore yesterday, I kept picking up interesting-looking new books and opening them, only to put them down again when I saw the inside typography. An uninviting text page can put off any reader; it’s just that as a typographer and a book designer, I can tell exactly what it is that puts me off.

TypoJunkie
Why the intended move back to packaging?

I “read” the UK version and decided to buy it. As I bought it from Leslie’s website, the controversial cover came in the mail (to my shock). Overall, I think it’s a good book (content–wise), but not so good typographically speaking. A little messy and playful, qualities I don’t particularly associate with good typography. And I do feel it tries to speak to everyone, instead of targeting one sector of the design public, and although I don’t particularly think this is bad, I wish he had picked his audience more specifically.

Oh, and I’m a graphic designer specialized in packaging, although I went typographical/type designer for two years during my recently–finished MA. Right now I’m trying to get back to packaging, but I’m finding it a bit hard after the MA experience.

Cheers,

Dave Mac

G3 Creative Scotland