Nice and @font-face compatible commercial fonts

Here's some @font-face usage information for the uninitiated: http://www.giordanopiazza.com/blog/web-design/custom-fonts-e...

How often is @font-face really used? Doesn't @font-face usage usually cause an incorrect default font to be used before the actual font is fully loaded?

Also check out http://www.fontsquirrel.com/ for free fonts for commercial use.

I vaguely recall an article from a font developer with a bit of legal expertise complaining that using fonts on a website doesn't need a licence, because of some loophole or other in the wording of a specific law.

Does that ring any bells with anyone? I suspect it might be partly crap memory and partly wishful thinking...