This is a real and true email exchange I had with a colleague this afternoon. We have a choose a new font for all our documentation. Let’s listen in…
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 11:51 AM
To: PB
Subject: Fun with Fonts
Sans serif fonts (all in 11 pt):
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
[FONT='Myriad Pro','sans-serif']The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. [/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.[/FONT]
My thoughts:
Calibri looks okay; it’s nice and tidy and quite close to Myriad Pro.
Verdana’s too large and would take up too much space.
Still really like Arial.
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 11:57 AM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Yeah…. Well I’m easy going….
Verdana is more masculine while Colibri more feminine?
Then we know which font we should respectively use… J
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:05 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
More masculine, you think? Hmmm, not sure about that one. A fine font, in and of itself, but it’s definitely a lot biggerin comparison, and (I think) would take up too much space.
Caro
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:07 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Yeah that’s what makes it more masculine – it takes too much space, but are we short of space? Nah – small is beautiful but size does matter – taking lots of space is a statement, a corporative one in some ways – we want all the space… J don’t we?
(At this point he pings me on the MSN to ask why I haven’t responded to his last email. He works in the cubicle right next to mind. When he rubs his eyeball too loud, I hear him.)
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:32 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Well, I need space because of WebHelp. Topics need to fit the screen. Also, I prefer, in procedures, that lines don’t scroll if they don’t have to. Therefore, I like the “shorter” font.
There you go.
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:33 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
One could argue that small fonts are more difficult to read…
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:34 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
People can change the size of the font on screen if they need to. The font isn’t “smaller”, it’s all 11 pt, just not as proportionately wide.
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:36 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
True. But most users don t know or don’t take the time to adjust the font size and first impression is crucial –
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:38 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
This kind of thing just goes in circles. And you wonder why I stopped responding three responses ago. J
We can voice our opinions and let the “powers that be” decide, yes?
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:39 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
OK. Sorry
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:40 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
It’s good to have opinions. J
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:50 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Generally speaking yes.
God love him, he’s a nice guy, but this drove me nuts. Is it me or is it him? Was I too hard on him?
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 11:51 AM
To: PB
Subject: Fun with Fonts
Sans serif fonts (all in 11 pt):
The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
[FONT='Myriad Pro','sans-serif']The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. [/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.[/FONT]
My thoughts:
Calibri looks okay; it’s nice and tidy and quite close to Myriad Pro.
Verdana’s too large and would take up too much space.
Still really like Arial.
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 11:57 AM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Yeah…. Well I’m easy going….
Verdana is more masculine while Colibri more feminine?
Then we know which font we should respectively use… J
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:05 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
More masculine, you think? Hmmm, not sure about that one. A fine font, in and of itself, but it’s definitely a lot biggerin comparison, and (I think) would take up too much space.
Caro
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:07 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Yeah that’s what makes it more masculine – it takes too much space, but are we short of space? Nah – small is beautiful but size does matter – taking lots of space is a statement, a corporative one in some ways – we want all the space… J don’t we?
(At this point he pings me on the MSN to ask why I haven’t responded to his last email. He works in the cubicle right next to mind. When he rubs his eyeball too loud, I hear him.)
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:32 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Well, I need space because of WebHelp. Topics need to fit the screen. Also, I prefer, in procedures, that lines don’t scroll if they don’t have to. Therefore, I like the “shorter” font.
There you go.
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:33 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
One could argue that small fonts are more difficult to read…
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:34 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
People can change the size of the font on screen if they need to. The font isn’t “smaller”, it’s all 11 pt, just not as proportionately wide.
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:36 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
True. But most users don t know or don’t take the time to adjust the font size and first impression is crucial –
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:38 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
This kind of thing just goes in circles. And you wonder why I stopped responding three responses ago. J
We can voice our opinions and let the “powers that be” decide, yes?
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:39 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
OK. Sorry
From: CaroGirl
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:40 PM
To: PB
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
It’s good to have opinions. J
From: PB
Sent: August 29, 2008 12:50 PM
To: CaroGirl
Subject: RE: Fun with Fonts
Generally speaking yes.
God love him, he’s a nice guy, but this drove me nuts. Is it me or is it him? Was I too hard on him?
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