TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
For the last 250 years or so, the rule has been, "When in doubt,
use Caslon." Oldstyle book fonts, like the Caslons, Garamonds, Goudy
Oldstyle, and Adobe Sabon, aren't as cold and mechanical as Times
Roman, and (in the opinion of many) are far more attractive and
elegant, without being too showy -- all are in common use as
the main fonts in books.
Intentionally using colorless, mechanical, soulless fonts like
Times Roman and Helvetica for technical manuals is, in my mind,
inappropriate. It emphasizes all the wrong things; it's like
dressing used car salesmen in loud plaids, or having a talking
Barbie that says, "Math is hard." Manuals are forbidding enough
as it is.
-- Robert
--
Robert Plamondon * Writer * robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (408) 321-8771
4271 North First Street, #106 * San Jose * California * 95134-1215
"Writing is like plumbing -- even people who know how to do it will
pay top dollar to keep their hands clean."
