Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Change Your Font

This post at Reka-Zsuzsanna Szanto's blog about changing fonts touches on an extremely sensitive subject. I've found that you can discuss nuclear war more easily with some people than the issue of fonts.

Verdana and Ariel fans are close relatives but there is a world of difference between the Times New Roman crowd and the Comic Sans crew. [The Trebuchet advocates may be the sophisticates of the neighborhood.]

5 comments:

Eclecticity said...

By some stroke of something I stumbled upon "Calibri" and I may never go back to Veranda. E.

Kurt Harden said...

Long live Baskerville Old Face

Jeff said...

Back in the day, when I was touching on typography in my first production job, text copy was usually done in Times Roman. Heads were usually Helvetica.

The reasoning was that the serif fonts - like Times Roman - were easier on the eyes and flowed better in body copy.

Helvetica was blocky and bold - good for signs and headings. Bad for displaying extensive copy.

I fell into Ariel (sans-serif)only because it was the default font in Outlook and it seems the tendency on the web is towards sans-serif fonts. Not sure why - other than it goes towards the "chunky" philosophy of reading type on a screen.

Open a book - any book - and you'll see a serif font. Open a web page, and you'll see a sans-serif font.

Some of it - I think - is just poor design and and lack of experience in the act of reading...

And the easy way out...

- Jeff

Unknown said...

oh Michael, you make me laugh... :)
Usually think, deeply, but this post, this certainly made laugh. Thank you.

PS: Took my surprise to see my surname quoted (it's usually just Reka)... so Nota Bene: 'Szanto' only for another 7 months, and if all goes well Mrs O'Connell afterwards. ;)

Michael Wade said...

Dear Reka,

You certainly posted on a major topic and then your comment brings major news, Mrs O'Connell (to be).

To quote an old Irish toast: May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future!

Michael