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Subject:Re: Font readability? From:Linda Anderson <lindaa -at- PC-SERV1 -dot- EMTEK -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 7 Apr 1995 12:59:51 -0700
Karen,
I agree that sans serif is very clean looking. However, a few years ago we
switched from Helvetica to Times New Roman because (and for the life
of me I can't remember where this material came from) several of us in the
department read about different studies that showed that serif fonts are
actually easier on the reader's eye because the serif leads the reader's
eye along the line.
In fact, if I remember correctly, I think we also changed from justified
paragraphs about the same time. I know all the responses we got from users
of our product were very favorable concerning the change in the layout.
Linda
In hearing, there is wisdom. In speaking, repentance.
Confucius
EMTEK Health Care Systems
Tempe, Arizona
USA
On Fri, 7 Apr 1995, Karen Davis PSP team 03 505 wrote:
> Okay, here's a question for you usability types. An engineer
> in our company is trying to make us change the font we use
> from a sans serif to a serif type. He claims that serif is
> more readable. Does anyone have some data (studies, hard
> evidence) to back one style or the other? This is a large
> company, and we are resistant to allowing one group
> to deviate from or try to change our standards.
> We're getting conflicting responses from the writers in our
> group, but my first response is to leave our documentation
> in sans serif. It's clean, modern looking, and Interleaf
> handles most kerning issues well, making it very easy to read.
