RE: How to decide which font to use for website

["Jeanne A. E. DeVoto" <jaed -at- jaedworks -dot- com>]

At 7:48 AM -0800 11/4/99, Jason Willebeek-LeMair wrote:
>[users setting fonts in web browsers]
>Okay.  I have heard this argument before, and bought in to it.  But I
>have to wonder--how many users actually set their font preference in
>their browsers?  How many even know it is possible?

The rule of thumb about a year ago was 10% or so who actually did it. (My
guess is that several times that number know it's possible but don't
bother.)

However, the fraction, whatever it is, who do change the font are likely to
be the people who really care about what font the running text is in -
either because they have strong opinions about readability or because
there's an accessibility problem they need to have handled (such as poor
vision). This group is composed of exactly the people who are most likely
to be put out by having the font choice changed.

This is not to say "never do it", but I think it does require some
justification based on usability of the page, over and above "We like this
font better" or "This is our official corporate font".

>Evidently she had better things to do than twiddle the font preferences
>in the browser.  And I had better things to do than flaunt my nerdiness
>like a peacock in heat.

Some women like nerds. ;-)

--
jeanne a. e. devoto ~ jaed -at- jaedworks -dot- com
http://www.jaedworks.com
Wake up and smell the grzxkplqvr, earth being.