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Subject:Re: Serif vs. sans serif? From:Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 21 Jun 2001 11:28:07 -0700
"Hart, Geoff" wrote:
> typeface choice is a highly subjective thing,
On the level that most technical writers and designers operate on,
you're right. However, if by "subjective" you mean "a matter of personal
preference," I have to say that the matter is a little more complicated.
For one thing, fonts have a connotative history that affects how are
they are perceived. Black letter fonts are reminiscent of the Nazis. San
serif or geometric fonts still have an avant-garde feel. Because of
Apple, Garamond is a popular choice for technical manuals. An informed
choice of fonts requires an awareness of such histories. For example, I
personally like Optima, but I'd think twice of using it in documentation
because in the past it's been a favorite of perfume ads, and at least
some readers would find it subtly odd or even off-putting.
More importantly, experienced typographers can point to very definite
structural elements that make a font preferable for one use or the
other. For instance, if looking for a font that was readable in 8
points, a typographer might look for (among other things) a large
x-height, and well-rounded bowls (the curves in letters like "b" and
"d"). Similarly, for on-line legibility, a typographer would look for
very regular strokes in the letters. Since these are all elements that
can be identified and their relative merits can be discussed, a choice
made after considering them probably can't be called subjective. True, a
point might come after discussing the construction of different fonts
when which one to use would be a matter of personal preference. However,
before that point was reached, many other fonts could be discarded for
objective reasons as unsuitable for the context.
--
Bruce Byfield 604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com
"Fool's luck can only take you so far ... after that you have to get out
and walk."
=Tom Holt, "Olympiad"
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