Web Fonts Recommendations

[Makosuke]

I'm figuring that @font-face has gotten to the point that it's actually something I can use on a production site, but thought I'd ask a couple of questions to see if I'm confused.

First, assuming I can find a free, re-distributable font that I like, getting it running in most browsers would consist of embedding a TT/OT version of it with @font-face, then for IE building an EOT version with MS's silly tool and linking that version in an IE stylesheet.

Is this correct, or am I missing some step/requirement in here? I realize it won't work in earlier FF and Safari builds, but so be it--better than sIFR or graphics.


My second question (perhaps better suited to the design forum) is whether anybody knows of attractive, freely-distributable ultra light-weight fonts. In particular, I'm looking for something similar to, and as attractive as, Helvetica Neue UltraLight. Optima is another nice non-free one, though it's somewhat heavier. I've been browsing my way through creamundo.com, but so far only a couple I've seen look ok (Geo Sans Light and Sansumi Ultralight), and they're both not quite what I was looking for.

Thanks for any advice/suggestions!

 

[angelwatt]

This article over at A List Apart on using font types on the web may be of interest to you.

 

[werther]

Quicksand is a pretty nice free font with a variety of weights.

Quicksand

 

[Makosuke]

Thanks for the link, angelwatt--I'd already read that article, and it's very useful (of course, pretty much everything from ALA is).

Werther: Quicksand looks like almost exactly what I was looking for. For that matter, that Font Squirrel website looks to be an awesome resource, both for the fonts and the @font-face generator. Pretty much a free version of Typekit, as far as I can tell.