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From: briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM (Brian D Diehm)
Newsgroups: comp.fonts
Subject: Re: Why is Courier ugly?
Message-ID: <1630@tekig7.MAP.TEK.COM>
Date: 22 Mar 91 18:17:45 GMT
References: <1991Mar15.225317.13890@ico.isc.com> <27E6EA46.1044@telly.on.ca> <1991Mar21.154413.19923@pmafire.inel.gov>
Sender: news@tekig7.MAP.TEK.COM
Reply-To: briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM (Brian D Diehm)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.
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In article <1991Mar21.154413.19923@pmafire.inel.gov> geoff@pmafire.inel.gov (Geoff Allen) writes:
>Taking comp.lang.postscript out of the distribution, since this doesn't
>really concern postscript....
>
>evan@telly.on.ca (Evan Leibovitch) writes:
>>Another problem is in the stroke weights. There's no variation, no thin
>>and thick lines, everything's the same. Boring. On a sans-serif type
>>like Avant Garde or Univers, you can get away with it, but only as a
>>display font -- would you ever want to read a book whose body type was set
>>in Avant Garde?
>
>As a matter of fact, I have recently been reading a book set in a
>sans-serif typeface.  The book itself is good, but it's very annoyong
>and hard to read.  I want to grab the publisher by the throat as I'm
>reading!  It strains the eyes to read it.  You don't realize how nice
>serifs are in helping to understand what you're reading until you have
>to do without them. 
>
>(This book is also set with lots of leading, so the page has lots of
>white space -- too much.  But that's another story. :^) )

Actually, what you are complaining about is poor typography rather than
sans serif typefaces.

Studies have shown that in the US serif faces are "easier" to read. However,
over recent decades the balance has been moving away from a serif preference
toward neutrality. In some European countries, notably scandanavia, there is
NO difference in comprehension or speed between the two styles, and even
a benefit to sans serif has been reported. The conclusion is inescapable:
this is a culturally-based characteristic.

The extreme response which you have shown in your sans serif reading response
is not necessarily typical. You have probably read many many pieces set in
sans serif faces without being aware of it at all. The fact that this raised
itself above your subconscious indicates there is a typographic problem with
the piece you mention. I can't tell for certain without looking at it, of
course.

I have found that sans serif faces are, in general, very susceptible to
becoming difficult to read when they are loosly track kerned - that is, spaced
out horizontally. In these cases, I think that serifs aid comprehension. On
the other hand, sans serif typefaces when tightly kerned are easily read. (As
with all rules of thumb, this one has exceptions.) Since you mention that the
book is loosely kerned, it indicates a stylistic attempt to make a "light"
page, and thus they may also have erred on the side of too much horizontal
space as well. Is this the case?

The final comment about all this is that designers need to remember that form
follows function. Remember the Bauhaus? (Neither do I, I was born too late!)
People do cutesy design and forget that readability is paramount. That's too
bad; cutesy (or dramatic, or elegant, or whimsical, or innovative) design CAN
be done within the constraints of legibility. When it isn't, as is apparently
the case with the book mentioned, I think it is fair game to take the designer
by the throat - well, figuratively, anyway.

The point of this long ramble is: don't assume the problems are due to the
lack of serifs; there are also plenty of other likely causes for your eye-
strain.

--
-Brian Diehm
Tektronix, Inc.                (503) 627-3437         briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM
P.O. Box 500, M/S 47-780
Beaverton, OR   97077                        (SDA - Standard Disclaimers Apply)