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iOS doesn’t use a custom font, it uses Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, and Avenir. There’s no reason other OSes can’t just adopt an existing font to use system-wide.

iOS doesn’t use a custom font, it uses Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, and Avenir. There’s no reason other OSes can’t just adopt an existing font to use system-wide. For instance, Futura is still up for grabs. Another font that isn’t used anymore, but which was custom designed for a WebOS, is Font Bureau’s Prelude. I like that one a lot better than the choices all of the other platforms have made: http://palmwebos.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/webos-font-prelude.jpg http://palmwebos.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/webos-font-p...

l33tfr4gg3r 13y ago
Using an existing font for the sake of using it is << creating a new font and open sourcing it. More choice is good (especially with something like fonts) and open sourcing it is just icing on the cake. Everyone wins. PS: Thanks for the tip on Futura, I had not heard of it before.
- Samuel_Michon 13y ago
  I understand how creating a ‘new’ font and open sourcing it makes sense for Ubuntu and Firefox, where lots of unpaid workers need to share assets. I don’t see how it would benefit companies like Apple and Microsoft. Back in the early 80s, Apple commissioned a custom version of ITC Garamond to suit its needs better. Bitstream named it ’Apple Garamond’. As with many proprietary corporate fonts, that font was never released or open sourced, in large part because it was an integral to Apple’s brand identity.
graue 13y ago
Not to my taste — looks really stodgy and conservative to me.
- Samuel_Michon 13y ago
  Well, WebOS was created in 2008, so that may have something to do with it. IMO, the font itself could easily work in a more modern, flatter UI.
  - graue 13y ago
    I mean the font, not the overall design. While I admit I can't rule out the possibility that the design on the left side of the image unconsciously influenced my reaction, I tried hard to only look at the font.

l33tfr4gg3r 13y ago

Using an existing font for the sake of using it is << creating a new font and open sourcing it. More choice is good (especially with something like fonts) and open sourcing it is just icing on the cake. Everyone wins. PS: Thanks for the tip on Futura, I had not heard of it before.

Samuel_Michon 13y ago
I understand how creating a ‘new’ font and open sourcing it makes sense for Ubuntu and Firefox, where lots of unpaid workers need to share assets. I don’t see how it would benefit companies like Apple and Microsoft. Back in the early 80s, Apple commissioned a custom version of ITC Garamond to suit its needs better. Bitstream named it ’Apple Garamond’. As with many proprietary corporate fonts, that font was never released or open sourced, in large part because it was an integral to Apple’s brand identity.

graue 13y ago

Not to my taste — looks really stodgy and conservative to me.

Samuel_Michon 13y ago
Well, WebOS was created in 2008, so that may have something to do with it. IMO, the font itself could easily work in a more modern, flatter UI.
- graue 13y ago
  I mean the font, not the overall design. While I admit I can't rule out the possibility that the design on the left side of the image unconsciously influenced my reaction, I tried hard to only look at the font.