Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site utcsstat.UUCP Path: utzoo!utcsstat!utcsrgv!uw-beaver!laser-lovers From: laser-lovers@uw-beaver.UUCP (Dan Mills ) Newsgroups: tor.laser-lovers Subject: "we who think font design is something important" Message-ID: <1300@utcsstat.UUCP> Date: Thu, 20-Oct-83 06:54:51 EDT Article-I.D.: utcsstat.1300 Posted: Thu Oct 20 06:54:51 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 20-Oct-83 09:42:35 EDT Lines: 30 From uucp Thu Oct 20 06:36:27 1983 >From uw-beaver!root Thu Oct 20 06:10:31 1983 remote from utcsrgv Received: from SU-AI.ARPA by WASHINGTON.ARPA with TCP; Wed 19 Oct 83 22:36:33-PDT Date: 19 Oct 83 2233 PDT From: Dan Mills Subject: "we who think font design is something important" To: laser-lovers@WASHINGTON Laura, Yes, we are in the minority. Fortunately, that doesn't mean we are wrong. The goal of text typography is to be transparent, ie. to transmit the message with as little noise/interference as possible. If a READER's attention is drawn to the typography rather than the message (however slightly), the typography has failed in some way. A common hazard of becoming typographically aware is that one does more LOOKing than READing. Though I defend the significance of typographic quality, I would agree with your mother that to judge a book solely by its typography would be a mistake. - Dan ----- ps For the source of the first paragraph, I refer you to an essay by Beatrice Warde called "The Crystal Goblet or Printing Should Be Invisible". Ask me in a day or two and I can tell you where to find it.