Re: Online fonts and sizes -- more

[Stan Schwartz <stanz -at- cam -dot- org>]

This is just a tad more on this subject. I have some time to call 
attention to one of the chinks in this study.

Have another look at the samples. Notice that each of the typefaces 
changes to another face as it increases in size. Comic in 10 pt. is a 
different typeface in 12 pt. and again another one in 14 pt. The same 
goes for all of the fonts (sizes) in all of the faces. The families 
do not contain the same faces at different sizes. They change with 
the size. Ergo, they shouldn't be compared. A type series is the same 
face at different sizes.

To borrow an analogy, at 10 pt. you are comparing apples and oranges. 
At 12 pt. pears and banannas are being compared. At 14 pt. the apples 
and oranges have become melons and squash but they are still being 
called apples and oranges.

In effect, by increasing the screen size for each of the faces, the 
resolution is increased for the larger sizes to afford greater detail 
to render the face more faithfully onscreen. A better study would 
take all of the faces in whatever sizes are desired, mix em up, 
assign each an arbitrary number and compare all of them for what they 
are. The results would be no surprise. Big detailed type is... (pick 
any positive attribute description) than small low-res type.

Factors that affect readability, usability, and legibility are 
interrelated and careful experiments must be designed taking this 
into account before any conclusions can be drawn as to their 
effectiveness. Typographic proficiency is a balancing act with all 
these factors of size and space. None can be taken in isolation.

Above is only one of many traits that were extracted by SURL for 
examination in ignorance of the interplay of the individual factors 
under test.

	s

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