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Hm. As a user, when writing a document I put down the text first, using the default font and whatever font size feels comfortable for writing. Then in the polis

by sfink 6y ago

Hm. As a user, when writing a document I put down the text first, using the default font and whatever font size feels comfortable for writing. Then in the polishing step, I try out different fonts. My standard routine is to switch font, notice that it's now way "smaller" or "denser" (or the reverse) than before and adjust font size until it's roughly back to where it was. Some font switches don't visibly change the feel of the size that much, but most do. I guess what I'm saying is that as a user, whatever property is tied to "font size" is not working for me. I don't know if caps height would work better for me than font size does, but it could hardly work worse and the examples in the article make me think it may be substantially better. And I would like that outcome! I would like to be try out several different fonts without needing to adjust everything for each one. I'm sure font designers had some specific purpose or set of purposes in mind for their fonts, but I'm using it for my purpose and in practice the sizing mechanism just isn't right for me. We can achieve the same end result either way. You have two non-orthogonal variables you can adjust to get whatever you want. This article is arguing that one of those variables is the wrong control knob, and I'm inclined to agree.

artem247 6y ago
I agree that technically you can have two non-orthogonal values and would actual satisfy some of the problems of users when switching fonts. Like a checkbox 'preserve x-height when changing fonts' would make those changes less drastic. Yet the article argues that font size is broken, my point is that author does not understands it's intended usage. Fonts are a very specific instrument with a long tradition of knowledge associated with it, yet there is context of a more 'consumer' setting, like using a code editor, here maybe there is a clash between professional usage (designers should be fine that different fonts have different size) and more of personal usage. Fonts were not meant for personal usage generally, and there is a certain learning curve on how to use them correctly, but there is no 'interface' currently for a general type of user who just want the text to look good.

by sfink 6y ago

artem247 6y ago

I agree that technically you can have two non-orthogonal values and would actual satisfy some of the problems of users when switching fonts. Like a checkbox 'preserve x-height when changing fonts' would make those changes less drastic. Yet the article argues that font size is broken, my point is that author does not understands it's intended usage. Fonts are a very specific instrument with a long tradition of knowledge associated with it, yet there is context of a more 'consumer' setting, like using a code editor, here maybe there is a clash between professional usage (designers should be fine that different fonts have different size) and more of personal usage. Fonts were not meant for personal usage generally, and there is a certain learning curve on how to use them correctly, but there is no 'interface' currently for a general type of user who just want the text to look good.