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font choice reveals political stance (was Re: sans serif fonts)
Subject:font choice reveals political stance (was Re: sans serif fonts) From:"Wilcox, John (WWC, Contractor)" <wilcoxj -at- WDNI -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 24 Jul 1997 03:28:00 -0700
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From: Alexia Prendergast
There's research showing that sans serif fonts are more readable,
and there's research showing that serif fonts are more readable.
We've started using Optima (which is a cross between a serif and
a sans serif), which works well online and in print.
-------------------------
My understanding is that the preference of serif v. sans serif is nearly
50/50, just as with the Democrat v. Republican vote in presidential
elections, or the vote on whether to tear down the Kingdome and build a
new stadium for the Seahawks. The popluace seems nearly equally divided
on so many issues. Now, I think the most important topic for techwr-l
today -- well, right up there with dress code, anyway -- is whether
research shows any correlation between font choice and political
alignment. Is it Democrats or Republicans that prefer sans serif, or is
that too general a classification? Do flat-taxers like Frugal Sans? Is
Clinton a Sterling character? Which would militia identify with --
Shrapnel or Patriot? Did Alexia's company choose a "neutral" font
because it's run by Swiss? Do Communist Chinese like Nixon Regular? If
you like Slate Informal does it indicate that have no particular agenda?
Where do you stand on the politicofont spectrum?
Regards,
John Wilcox, Documentation Specialist (whose Win95 Theme uses Comic
Sans)
Timberlands Information Services
Weyerhaeuser, WWC 2E2
Tacoma, WA 98477-0001 USA
253-924-7972 mailto:wilcoxj -at- wdni -dot- com
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