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What’s the Best Font for Web Writing?
I was brought up to believe that Times New Roman was THE font for printed manuals.
They’re was no ifs, buts, or maybes about this – Times New Roman and make it size 11.
But what’s the best font for writing on the web?
Look at the different fonts used on the CNN, Yahoo and Guardian sites. All similar, but different. Some use Serif and other Sans-Serif.
Serif are those with feet like Times Roman, while those without (i.e. sans) serif include Verdana, Arial and the like. We use Verdana on our www.klariti.com site, which I think is very readable. But ‘experts’ have told me that this is dated and not ‘user-friendly’. They suggested Garamond.
Best typeface ever
Probably the best typeface ever designed, according to The Guardian.
First released by the Berthold Type Foundry in 1896 in Germany, its popularity increased after it was developed in the 1950s under the direction of Günter Gerhard Lange with a wider range of weights and variants. Akzidenz influenced a whole range of other fonts including the infamous Max Miedinger’s Helvetica and Adrian Frutiger’s Univers – though neither of these has the detail and elegance of Akzidenz. Its strength derives from its neutrality and the fact that it doesn’t overdominate when used, allowing the designer more freedom and versatility.
Best fonts for online reading
A study by the Software Usability and Research Laboratory concluded that:
- The most legible fonts were Arial, Courier, and Verdana.
- At 10-point size, participants preferred Verdana. Times New Roman was the least preferred.
- At 12-point size, Arial was preferred and Times New Roman was the least preferred.
- The preferred font overall was Verdana, and Times New Roman was the least preferred.
What do you think?
Let me know of any sites you think are getting it right. And maybe some that are a nightmare to read.
