- fit the character of
your site,
- are easy to read on a
computer screen, and
- are widely available
across many browsers and operating systems.
There are basically two
types of fonts: serif and sans serif. Serif fonts are those that have fine
cross-lines at the extremities of the letter. Sans serif ("sans" being the
French word for "without") are fonts that don't have serifs. The most common
serif font is probably Times New Roman. Arial is an example of a common sans
serif font.
Let's go briefly through
the most popular font types and evaluate their availability, readibility and
character:
Arial:
Times
New Roman:
Verdana:
- Availability.- A widely
available sans serif font, Verdana was first shipped with Internet Explorer
version 3, when the exponential growth of the Internet demanded a new font that
was easy to read on the screen.
- Readability On Screen.-
Exceptional. It's wide body makes it the clearest font for on-screen reading,
even at small sizes.
- Character.- Modern,
friendly and professional.
Georgia:
- Avaliability.- Good. It
is a serif font introduced by Microsoft with Internet Explorer version 4, when
the need for a serif font which much better readability than Times New Roman
became evident.
- Readibility On Screen.-
Very good. It is the best serif font for on-line reading, since it was
specifically designed for that purpose.
- Character.- Modern,
friendly and professional.
Microsoft has also
popularized two more fonts: Comic Sans Serif and Trebuchet.
Comic Sans Serif was
launched with Internet Explorer verion 3 and mimics the hand writing used in
comics. It is easy to read and is informal and friendly, but it is not
considered appropriate for more serious, professional sites.
Trebuchet is another sans
serif font, similar to Arial but with more character, although it can be
difficult to read in small sizes.
Finally, we can mention
Courier New, a serif font that was widely popular with old, mechanical
typewriters, and that is now used only to present simulated computer code (if
you need to present snipets of sample HTML code in your web pages, this is the
font to use.)
Therefore, from a
usability perspective, the clear winner is Verdana. If you are inclined to use a
serif font, Georgia is the best option. Arial remains a good option for specific
parts of text, like headlines and titles, where a different font must be used
and you can use larger sizes.
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