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Subject:Fonts for online From:"James M.Lockard" <norton -at- MCS -dot- NET> Date:Tue, 25 Jun 1996 06:34:00 +0100
Bryce Byfield writes,
"Tim Altom is right: whether serif or sans-serif fonts are easier to read seems
to be partly culturally determined. I've seen several European word processors
on different operating platforms whose defaults are san serif--usually
Helvetica."
Be that as it may, san serif--however it's pronounced--is the way to go for
online documents. Serif fonts simply don't display well on most screens.
For any study that suggests serif fonts are easier to read, another study
exists that "proves" san serif fonts are easier. Your font choice is only
one small piece of the readability pie. Readability also depends heavily on
the way you format the text on the page, the size of the type, etc.
Documents, not fonts, are readable or unreadable. The best thing to do is
pick a font and move on.
Let's.
FWIW,
James Lockard
norton -at- mcs -dot- net
Coffee, which makes the politician wise,
And see through all things with his half-shut eyes.
--Alexander Pope
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