It's been a while since I first read the "Elements of Typographic Style". I recall that I found odd to associate the initials m, d, p to the typefaces throughout history, while Bringhurst was introducing them to me. And then I understood the term fo(u)nt : the source of the drawing, of the contour, the expression of a specific letter shape. However, we are only looking at physical part of it. It's true that typography has changed and that our computer screens are a "rough and bad quality paper", as Spiekermann said, when answering a question I asked. But when we are thinking of typography these days, and quite for some time already the project, the faculty, the questions and problems related to drawing shapes of the letters leave its fount, and live beyond it. What I mean is that we need to distinguish the duality of typeface design. It's true that today we only speak in digital terms, but the quantic mechanics of typography remain the "leaded" ones.
It's hard for me to treat font and typeface as synonyms, because it removes the project and the art of the shapes and transform it into bezier curves and points. What about the personality? What about the character and carism? When we talk about Univers..., do we see the accomplishment of the purpose, or do we see a box of tiny volumes of lead?
What do you think about this? Shall we call it typeface, or font?
A good answer : "The confusion over correct nomenclature continues to muddy since even us "experts" blurr the definitions as time wears on.
Instead of getting too granular in definitions, let's consider the broader picture:
A type design is to a type designer like a song is to a composer.
A song can be sung at different octives, by various performers and cadence but essentially what you HEAR is the same song.
A type design (expressed in letterform or individual typeface) is what you SEE... printed in books, on the TV or computer screen, adhered on the sides of trucks, cut or sandblasted in stone.
A font is to a typeface like recorded media is to music or song.
You can listen to the same "performance" of Al Jolson singing Swanee from old films, shellac and vinyl records, audio tape, eight-track or cassette, video tape, CD, DVD, Blueray, online or downloadable digital, and whatever the future will bring.
Similar to the arguments by musicians and audiophiles -- designers, typophiles will debate the loss or gains of a type design when "rendered" by different font technologies.
But alas, I fear most people use the term "font" to everything type related".
