Should all ebooks be in Comic Sans?

AprilHare · 05-30-2011, 06:41 AM

This article suggests that books in slightly harder to read fonts such as Comic Sans allow readers to remember more details than crisp fonts such as Arial.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...30/3230891.htm
The question posed was: should all ebooks be in Comic Sans?

AprilHare · 05-30-2011, 06:51 AM

You'd think they weren't being serious, but the studies imply readers remember more this way. It does look rather silly though, and typographers would have our heads on a stick..

Shimarenda · 05-30-2011, 08:13 AM

With my reading speed, I'm not sure I need another impediment to finishing a book.

elcreative · 05-30-2011, 08:15 AM

Arrrgghh... another shock, horror, the eReaders'll get you article though I suspect this one is influenced by the source being upside down...

DixieGal · 05-30-2011, 08:33 AM

I want to remember the story instead of the typeface.

teadonkey · 05-30-2011, 08:53 AM

I don't think so at all. Maybe using a crazy font could help people study information, but when it comes to just reading for fun... is it really that necessary to remember ever detail?

jersysman · 05-30-2011, 11:05 AM

I use that font for my emails at work, but there is no way that I would want it to be used for a book. More than one page of it, I get a headache. I had heard that it did get people's attention though and that is why I use it for correspondence. But, give me just a plain font for reading.

DMB · 05-30-2011, 11:12 AM

It hurts my eyes. I would simply give up on trying to read a whole book in it.

ETA I think this is nonsense:

Quote:

Jonah Lehrer is a neuroscience writer and a contributing editor to Wired Magazine. He fears that e-readers, with their crisp fonts and clear display, could make our brains lazy.

"I do worry that it will become so easy for the brain to read on an e-reader that we may actually start to see a decrease in what we remember and take away from a book," Mr Lehrer told ABC Radio National.

"This is all just speculation, but what really interests me is this surprising link between the difficulty of reading and what we actually remember from it."

I haven't noticed that e-books have clearer display than any but the cheapest pulp fiction. A lot of more expensive dt books have beautiful layout and typography. There are plenty of gripes here at MR about poorly produced ebooks peppered with typos.

OtterBooks · 05-30-2011, 11:27 AM

comic sans is an abomination.

Miss Understood · 05-30-2011, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AprilHare

This article suggests that books in slightly harder to read fonts such as Comic Sans allow readers to remember more details than crisp fonts such as Arial.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...30/3230891.htm
The question posed was: should all ebooks be in Comic Sans?

Maybe it's me, but I find Comic Sans easier to read.

Jellby · 05-30-2011, 11:47 AM

No, it should be up to the user to choose the font.

jersysman · 05-30-2011, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miss Understood

Maybe it's me, but I find Comic Sans easier to read.

In short bursts it is okay to read. But, I find that when there is more than one page of it, it starts to wear on me and that is when I start to get a headache. Plus the larger that font is, the more difficult it is to read.

theducks · 05-30-2011, 12:03 PM

The publisher should always be free to shoot themselves (and their Author) in the foot with a poor choice of font.

With DT versions, the book would never make it to the cash-wrap station if I saw a font I found less pleasant to read. With e-versions, it is not always possible to see a sample of the work (IMHO a sale stopper).

That said.
I like (readable) font variety

rogue_librarian · 05-30-2011, 12:18 PM

The good thing about ebooks (as opposed to pbooks) is that I get to choose the font, size and the rest of it. You want Comic Sans? Be my guest, I'll certainly use something more sensible.

Aladyleyna · 05-30-2011, 12:18 PM

Honestly, I hate hard to read fonts, because I end up spending more time trying to decipher the words than understand what is going on.

And I prefer Times New Roman. It's my favourite font.

View Poll Results: Should all ebooks be in Comic Sans?
Yes, it would be more useful to remember what you read	7	6.42%
No, it isn't necessary	17	15.60%
Don't be ridiculous! Of course not!	85	77.98%
Voters: 109. You may not vote on this poll

05-30-2011, 06:41 AM	#1
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	Should all ebooks be in Comic Sans? This article suggests that books in slightly harder to read fonts such as Comic Sans allow readers to remember more details than crisp fonts such as Arial. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...30/3230891.htm The question posed was: should all ebooks be in Comic Sans? Last edited by AprilHare; 05-30-2011 at 06:43 AM.

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05-30-2011, 06:51 AM	#2
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	You'd think they weren't being serious, but the studies imply readers remember more this way. It does look rather silly though, and typographers would have our heads on a stick..

05-30-2011, 08:13 AM	#3
Shimarenda Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 68186 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Athens, Georgia Device: Kindle 3, Nook Tablet	With my reading speed, I'm not sure I need another impediment to finishing a book.

05-30-2011, 08:15 AM	#4
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	Arrrgghh... another shock, horror, the eReaders'll get you article though I suspect this one is influenced by the source being upside down...

05-30-2011, 08:33 AM	#5
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I want to remember the story instead of the typeface.

05-30-2011, 08:53 AM	#6
teadonkey Zealot Posts: 132 Karma: 2179008 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3 WiFi	I don't think so at all. Maybe using a crazy font could help people study information, but when it comes to just reading for fun... is it really that necessary to remember ever detail?

05-30-2011, 11:05 AM	#7
jersysman Wizard Posts: 1,747 Karma: 3761220 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Pennsylvania Device: T1 Red, Kindle Fire, Kindle PW, PW2, Nook HD+, Kobo Mini, Aura HD	I use that font for my emails at work, but there is no way that I would want it to be used for a book. More than one page of it, I get a headache. I had heard that it did get people's attention though and that is why I use it for correspondence. But, give me just a plain font for reading.

05-30-2011, 11:27 AM	#9
OtterBooks Wizard Posts: 1,262 Karma: 2979086 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 4, iPad Mini/Retina	comic sans is an abomination.

05-30-2011, 11:47 AM	#11
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	No, it should be up to the user to choose the font.

05-30-2011, 12:03 PM	#13
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,897 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	The publisher should always be free to shoot themselves (and their Author) in the foot with a poor choice of font. With DT versions, the book would never make it to the cash-wrap station if I saw a font I found less pleasant to read. With e-versions, it is not always possible to see a sample of the work (IMHO a sale stopper). That said. I like (readable) font variety

05-30-2011, 12:18 PM	#14
rogue_librarian Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 4269175 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Europe Device: Pocketbook Basic 613	The good thing about ebooks (as opposed to pbooks) is that I get to choose the font, size and the rest of it. You want Comic Sans? Be my guest, I'll certainly use something more sensible.

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05-30-2011, 12:18 PM	#15
Aladyleyna Zealot Posts: 138 Karma: 24624 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Singapore Device: iPad 1	Honestly, I hate hard to read fonts, because I end up spending more time trying to decipher the words than understand what is going on. And I prefer Times New Roman. It's my favourite font.