BBC: Do Typefaces Really Matter?

kjk · 07-21-2010, 02:06 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10689931

Quote:

To most people, typefaces are pretty insignificant. Yet to their devotees, they are the most important feature of text, giving subliminal messages that can either entice or revolt readers, says Tom de Castella.

I love a good typeface when I read. And, I remember not being able to get thru William Gibson's "Virtual Light", in part because of the typeface he chose for the hardcover book.

LDBoblo · 07-21-2010, 10:03 PM

There are always questions about whether quality tools really matter, whether those tools are musical instruments, eating utensils, stationery, computer peripherals, or just about anything that the layperson doesn't really give a damn about.

You'll always get people who are obsessed, and you'll get people who are apathetic.

I for one thought the choice of Papyrus or Papyrus Neue for Avatar's subtitles was lazy. I thought the Ikea switch to Verdana wasn't a great idea. Did I get inebriated, shouting and soiling myself in livid response? No (though I'm sure some folks did). Some design moves are bad, but most of them are survivable. Hell, we survived Geocities and Tripod websites in the 1990s. We survived the real world in the 1980s. So far, we've survived ebooks. The first Kindle managed to be successful, despite its horrid design.

But our ability to tolerate incompetence and mediocrity should not suggest that quality doesn't matter...at least in my opinion.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Does size matter?	paul1403	Which one should I buy?	7	10-06-2009 06:56 PM
Chinese novel typefaces	LDBoblo	Workshop	20	09-23-2009 08:06 PM
Does the format matter?	GA Russell	Astak EZReader	15	09-06-2009 03:20 PM
Does Size Matter?	BurBunny	Amazon Kindle	28	02-22-2009 09:44 AM
A matter of understanding	kaas	Kindle Formats	3	02-03-2009 07:41 AM

07-21-2010, 10:03 PM	#2
LDBoblo Wizard Posts: 1,385 Karma: 16056 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Asia Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Sony PRS-505	There are always questions about whether quality tools really matter, whether those tools are musical instruments, eating utensils, stationery, computer peripherals, or just about anything that the layperson doesn't really give a damn about. You'll always get people who are obsessed, and you'll get people who are apathetic. I for one thought the choice of Papyrus or Papyrus Neue for Avatar's subtitles was lazy. I thought the Ikea switch to Verdana wasn't a great idea. Did I get inebriated, shouting and soiling myself in livid response? No (though I'm sure some folks did). Some design moves are bad, but most of them are survivable. Hell, we survived Geocities and Tripod websites in the 1990s. We survived the real world in the 1980s. So far, we've survived ebooks. The first Kindle managed to be successful, despite its horrid design. But our ability to tolerate incompetence and mediocrity should not suggest that quality doesn't matter...at least in my opinion.

Advert