Welcome to the net's premier rock 'n' roll font!
I created Kashmir in 1992, while monitoring the college computer labs. The computing service managers encouraged us to become proficient in new pieces of software during quiet periods after we had placated all the users, and I chose to teach myself how to use Fontographer -- this font was the result.
My typographical tribute to Led Zeppelin was modeled after the typeface on the cover of the "Houses Of The Holy" album. It includes the classic four runes instead of silly characters like "@". The package includes both outline and bitmap fonts, and is absolutely free.
The Macintosh package is a binhex of a self-extracting archive. (Binhex is a method of converting binary programs into text, so that they can be sent over the net.) Your browser may automatically convert and extract this data for you. If not, you will see a page containing 87KB of gibberish -- to install Kashmir manually, save that page as text, and convert the resulting file back into a binary using a program like StuffIt Expander, Compact Pro or BinHex 4.0. This archive includes PostScript Type 1 and AFM files, as well as a TrueType version of the font, and four bitmap sizes that I have tweaked into legibility for the smaller point sizes.
Kashmir was converted to IBM TrueType by Adam Albright, with Matt Hill acting as an intermediary -- I authorized the port, but was not otherwise involved. My ability to troubleshoot and provide support for IBM users borders on nonexistent. (I detest Windows, and avoid contact with it whenever possible.) Everything I know about using this font on a Windows machine is on this page.
The self-extracting archive is about twice the size, but can be uncompressed simply by executing it. The ZIP file is smaller, but you need a program like WinZip to convert it.
According to Kevin Stenson, it contains two files: readme.txt and kashmir.ttf, where ".ttf" is the extension Windows uses for "true type font." He says: "Once they have the file unzipped, go to the Fonts folder and choose "Install New Font" from the File menu, then hunt down the folder they unzipped the file to using the dialog-box that appears. Make sure the "Copy fonts to Fonts folder" option is checked, so that after the font is installed the zip and extracted files may be deleted. Click "OK" and the font should be as functional as any other on their system."
This font contains a number of non-standard characters. The most noticeable of these are the four runes from the untitled album (Zoso, etc.), which have been assigned to the `, ~, @ and % keys.
Kashmir also has several characters to make the type fit together better. The vowels are underlined (just like on the album), and the bottom lines of some characters segue into the line under the vowels. Getting the vowels to segue into each other requires a bit of trickery: there is another complete set of vowels in the typeface with extended underlines. To get them on the Macintosh, type option-e (for extend) and then the vowel. In addition, there are two versions of capital F and P. Lower case letters will fit under the overhang if you use the versions assigned to option-p and option-f. (The location of these characters may be different for Windows users.)
As far as screen use goes, the 18 point version is the nicest -- 12 and 14 point look very condensed and the lines in 24 point are a bit too narrow for my tastes. The printer font, being TrueType, looks good at any size.
Note that e-mail messages only contain a tag specifying which font to use, and do not contain the font itself. If you use Kashmir in an e-mail message, and the recipient does not have Kashmir installed, their computer will use another font as a substitute. If you want your messages to appear in Kashmir on other computers, you'll need to install the font on the receiving computer as well.
This font is FREE! There are no strings attached. You may distribute Kashmir, as long as you do not receive payment for the font and keep the "Read Me" file as part of the distribution package. My only request is that web page authors who wish to distribute Kashmir include a link to this page, rather than the actual font files, so that users will be sure to get the most recent versions. Anyone wishing to distribute this font as part of a commercial package should contact me at the address listed below. Feel free to make changes to the font, as long as you send me a copy. Remember that I am not legally responsible for anything bad that happens to you, even if it involves my font. Despite my current affiliation with Cognitive Arts, they are in no way responsible for this project, as development of Kashmir was complete before my hiring.
I would love to hear your comments. Even a brief note like "neat font" would make my day, so please make the effort to write. I can be reached at bdavies@cognitivearts.com. Please remember that I am not able to provide technical support for Windows users.
It's sort of a joke, though it's both obscure and dated at this point. The original set of bitmap fonts on the Macintosh were all named after cities (I still have New York, Chicago, Monaco and Geneva installed). When Apple started producing outline fonts, they named them whatever they wanted, and eventually Apple released outline versions of the original bitmap fonts, making the whole city/not city naming convention pretty much meaningless. Anyway, the first version of Kashmir was bitmap only, so with tongue in cheek, I honored the anachronistic naming convention. Since Led Zeppelin hasn't done any songs named after cities, I went with the next best thing -- a disputed geopolitical region.
Plus, I liked the sound of it.
