How are non-standard fonts embedded in this page?

Factual Questions
1

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=1160240

2

Sorry–hit “Submit” too soon.

How are non-standard fonts implemented in the the headline and subhead on that page?

3

Luke, use the source:


                <h2 class="replace_feature">Report: Mysterious Disease Is Flu Strain</h2>

                <div style="height: 1px; overflow: hidden"><span></span></div>
                
                <h3 class="replace_feature">Researchers Report Mysterious Respiratory Disease Is Flu Strain That Jumped From Horses to Dogs</h3><div style="height: 10px; overflow: hidden"><span></span></div>     
<script language="Javascript" type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
if (sIFR != null && sIFR.replaceElement != null) {
sIFR.replaceElement("h2.replace_feature","/flash/futura.swf","#002D6F", null, null, null, null, null, null, null);
sIFR.replaceElement("h3.replace_feature","/flash/futurabold.swf","#6F8FC0", null, null, null, null, null, null, null);
}
//]]>
</script>

It appears the standard fonts are replaced by Flash fonts via Javascript.

4

Thanks. I looked at the source, but it was a maddening labyrinth of chaos and I was having difficulty penetrating it. I was unaware of this so-called “Flash method” although I suspected that Flash had something to do with it. I wonder why this isn’t in use more.

5

Not everybody has Flash installed, for one.

Personally, I think this use is beyond absurd. Why invoke bolt-on technology that’s not on every computer out there and download more files at people when they could just use Arial?

6

I agree with you in principle, but the small number of standard fonts that we can safely use in HTML files feels very limiting. It seems nice to be able to use other fonts without having to create graphic files of the text.

7

The fonts are usually a function of the client. Almost everyone has Times New Roman and Arial or some reasonable facsimile, which is why those are the most-often used fonts. The Flash method requires that the fonts be downloaded from the server. This may be a problem if you’re on dialup or don’t have Flash installed. However, I’ll note that the page is written elegantly enough that the browser will fall back to Helvetica or Arial if it doesn’t find Flash.