Fonts in Web Use

It’s important to pick the right fonts for every web site, as some fonts are more difficult to read than others, and some are infrequently recognized by user’s computers. This web site on Web Safe Fonts goes into more detail:

“There are basically two types of fonts: serif and sans serif. Serif fonts are those that have fine cross-lines at the extremities of the letter. Sans serif (”sans” being the French word for “without”) are fonts that don’t have serifs. The most common serif font is probably Times New Roman. Arial is an example of a common sans serif font.

Let’s go briefly through the most popular font types and evaluate their availability, readibility and character:

Arial*:

• Availability: Thoroughly available. It is probably the most common sans serif font. It is the default font for Windows, and it first shipped as a standard font with Windows 3.1.
• Readability On Screen: Not the worse but definetely not the best, especially at small sizes, when it becomes too narrow and the spacing between characters too small.
• Character: Has a streamlined, modern look but is also plain and boring.

*For Mac users, the equivalent of Arial is Helvetica.”

The full article is available through the Internet Digest. It includes more information about the other popular fonts such as Times New Roman (Times for Mac), Verdana, Georgia, and Comic Sans. It finishes with a summary comparison.