The easiest solution is to use the @font-face method. If you include the Microsoft only format(.EOT) it will work in ANY browser.

Check out some of these articles on font replacement.

http://www.zeldman.com/2009/12/02/bulletproof-font-face/ http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/12/01/how-to-support-internet-explorer-and-still-be-cutting-edge/ http://www.jonnyhaynes.com/2009/10/font-face-the-time-is-now/

You can use this tool from Microsoft to convert your font to a .EOT(The format need for IE)

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/WEFT.mspx

The @font-face method doesn t require Javascript or Flash, like the previously mentioned sIFR and Cufon techniques, so is more accessible by all.

It s totally SEO friendly and scalable.

I would try cufon. The typeface would not be "protected." But it would require quite a bit of technical effort to convert the Cufon generated typeface back to a Truetype or Opentype face.

The method I would recommend is scalable inman flash replacement (sIFR), which you can find information on here: http://www.mikeindustries.com/blog/sifr/

The other technique that is common, but I have never used personally, is php Image replacement. Both require use of scripts, so they won t work with people who use noscript and I know sIFR won t work with Ad Block Plus, but like you said, a large percentage of your market it will work just fine and looks fantastic.

Two options (aside from SIFR and Cufon as others have noted):

Specify a custom font via CSS:

http://www.456bereastreet.com/archive/200710/the_resurrection_of_downloadable_web_fonts/

http://www.richinstyle.com/guides/fontface2.html#src

Create static images:

As you have noted create images for each header using the custom font - this would also present a hurdle to anyone who wants to copy the font. (Of course, they could always trace a font from the graphics containing the font and easily create a TTF from it).

The main strike against is this question is the following:

"I d like to be really sure nobody can use the font on their own web sites or download a copy"

Really? Without using static images/flash/SIFR/Cufon, a user will need to download a copy of a font to their computer in order to render the font in their web browser. Once you give a copy to the user you can t really expect to control whether they use it on their own web site. Again, it s trivial to copy a font from a static image and create a TTF for the whole world to copy - see sites like http://www.dafont.com/ for examples of famous fonts copied (as an example, the Tranformers font: http://www.dafont.com/search.php?psize=m&q=transformers)

@Font-Face works great for me. There is a generator here where you can upload your font, and then it will provide you with all the formats & code you ll need: http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fontface/generator