Reminiscent of the smokestack industries of the first half of the 20th Century.
Faktos began as a custom headline I needed for a newspaper layout about the old Silverton, Colorado, narrow-gauge railroad. I gradually expanded it into an entire font, then released it as shareware on various pre-Internet, dial-up services, like CompuServe and Delphi, in 1991. In the upper left corner of this page, my logo is a version of the icon I used for the original font file.
When Internet use exploded in the late 1990s, pirated versions of Faktos began appearing on dozens of free download sites. I started seeing the typeface used everywhere, from movie trailers to plantar wart removal cartons.
For example, 7-Eleven used Faktos as its primary typeface in a nationwide ad campaign several years ago. While it was running, I visited a local store and suggested to the clerk that I get a free grape Slurpee as payment. As expected, I had no more luck with that approach than I did in sending their corporate headquarters a bill. I did manage to sneak out with an empty cup, though.
I recently updated Faktos to current OpenType and TrueType standards. I'll tweak the looks, design a few more ligatures, and add some alternate glyphs as time permits. I'll also add complete support for Central European characters and diacritical marks (remember, this was my first typeface design). I'll make them available here as free (copyrighted but still free-to-use) downloads as I finish these improvements.
Before downloading Faktos, read the End User License Agreement (EULA) below. Downloading Faktos constitutes your acceptance of this agreement. If you use Faktos online, please consider linking back to this website (https:maylett.net). Doing so isn't strictly necessary, but I'd appreciate it. Thank you!
Faktos EULA
Faktos, Version 1.5 • Copyright © 1991–2020 by Cory Maylett Design LLC. All rights reserved.
By downloading and opening the compressed font files, you expressly agree to be bound by the terms of this End User License Agreement (EULA). This EULA forms a legal, binding contract between you and Cory Maylett Design LLC. If you do not accept the terms of this EULA, do not download the files.
Cory Maylett Design LLC is the legal owner of Faktos (THE FONT) and the software code that makes up THE FONT.
Faktos version 1.5 is available for personal and commercial use at no charge. You MAY embed a character set from Faktos in PDFs for the sole purpose of printing your work.
However, you MAY NOT redistribute THE FONT to others. You MAY NOT create and/or distribute derivative fonts from Faktos or its underlying code. You MAY NOT make THE FONT available for download over the Internet or host it on any server where others may access it. You MAY NOT upload THE FONT to publicly accessible servers, including websites. You expressly agree not to sell, rent, lease, sublicense, give, lend or further distribute THE FONT or derivative fonts created from the underlying Faktos font software.
Cory Maylett Design LLC disclaims all warranties, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. Cory Maylett Design LLC does not warrant that THE FONT is error-free or without defects. Under no circumstances shall Cory Maylett Design LLC be liable to you or any other party for any special, consequential, or incidental damages, including lost profits or business interruption as a result of the use of THE FONT.
Faktos is legally available only from Cory Maylett Design LLC at http://maylett.net. You may, of course, create links to http://maylett.net where the font may be legally downloaded.
You expressly agree that this agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Utah, USA and without respect to conflict of law provisions of any other jurisdiction. You expressly submit to the jurisdiction of the State of Utah and federal courts in the USA.