Comments on: sIFR or Standard Fonts? http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts A behind-the-scenes look at selling dropsend.com Wed, 8 Oct 2008 10:17:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: GrafxExtreme http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-6552 Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:42:32 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-6552 As a graphic designer I don't run into too many clients who have a problem with typefaces. For me, it's a matter of educating the client. Helping them to understand that most of their visitors wouldn't know Arial from Verdana. I understand why they want something different. They want something that will capture their visitor's eye. But I explain to them that the graphics I produce will capture the visitors attention. And, if necessary, I can use a different typeface in the header using Photoshop and it will look good no matter what browser their visitor is using. The website graphics don't have too be fancy and neither does the typeface. It's about the content not the images. GrafxExtreme.com As a graphic designer I don’t run into too many clients who have a problem with typefaces. For me, it’s a matter of educating the client. Helping them to understand that most of their visitors wouldn’t know Arial from Verdana.

I understand why they want something different. They want something that will capture their visitor’s eye. But I explain to them that the graphics I produce will capture the visitors attention. And, if necessary, I can use a different typeface in the header using Photoshop and it will look good no matter what browser their visitor is using. The website graphics don’t have too be fancy and neither does the typeface. It’s about the content not the images.

GrafxExtreme.com

]]> by: Mathew http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-264 Fri, 26 May 2006 04:07:34 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-264 <blockquote>but yeah, on-the-fly text zooming? It’s not done very often.</blockquote> Maybe - but the times when it is done are probably the times when it is needed the most.

but yeah, on-the-fly text zooming? It’s not done very often.

Maybe - but the times when it is done are probably the times when it is needed the most.

]]> by: Colin http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-244 Wed, 24 May 2006 10:40:02 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-244 I agree with Sean Johnson's assessment of the importance of type-face choices. I too have experienced times in web design where a certain font just ices the cake but has to be put aside. sIFR to the rescue, in most cases. Also, I haven't read anything on this yet, but what, if any, are the drawbacks to using the desired font in the font-family declaration (font-family: 'Futura Medium',Arial,sans-serif;) anyway? If the user has it, lucky them! (or maybe it's not that easy...) I agree with Sean Johnson’s assessment of the importance of type-face choices. I too have experienced times in web design where a certain font just ices the cake but has to be put aside. sIFR to the rescue, in most cases.

Also, I haven’t read anything on this yet, but what, if any, are the drawbacks to using the desired font in the font-family declaration (font-family: ‘Futura Medium’,Arial,sans-serif;) anyway? If the user has it, lucky them! (or maybe it’s not that easy…)

]]> by: Mark Wubben http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-243 Wed, 24 May 2006 09:00:15 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-243 I'm intend on making sIFR 3 scalable. The alpha release [1] already zooms along in Opera, actually. [1]: http://novemberborn.net/sifr3/alpha I’m intend on making sIFR 3 scalable. The alpha release [1] already zooms along in Opera, actually.

[1]: http://novemberborn.net/sifr3/alpha

]]> by: Mike D. http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-240 Wed, 24 May 2006 01:57:14 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-240 Yep, I'm all for making the choice either TO use sIFR, or to NOT use sIFR. Not a big deal either way. But like others have mentioned above, most people who try to pile on about it have either a) never really used it, b) don't understand it, c) make false assumptions about its benefits/drawbacks, or d) all of the above. To me, the best case *not* to use it is actually the simplest: "I'm just fine with browser text." That is totally legitimate to me. Ryan: sIFR is really only meant to be used sparingly on titles/headlines. Even if a user has a habit of invoking dynamic text zooming, it probably has more to do with the body copy than the titles. Yep, I’m all for making the choice either TO use sIFR, or to NOT use sIFR. Not a big deal either way. But like others have mentioned above, most people who try to pile on about it have either a) never really used it, b) don’t understand it, c) make false assumptions about its benefits/drawbacks, or d) all of the above. To me, the best case *not* to use it is actually the simplest: “I’m just fine with browser text.” That is totally legitimate to me.

Ryan: sIFR is really only meant to be used sparingly on titles/headlines. Even if a user has a habit of invoking dynamic text zooming, it probably has more to do with the body copy than the titles.

]]> by: Andy Hume http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-237 Tue, 23 May 2006 19:52:48 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-237 If you want your custom typeface, sIFR is a good way to go. The real question is, do you actually need your custom typeface? Oh, and to the ignorant, misinformed, blinkered, sIFR haters: Yes, sIFR is a hack - but you don't think creating images server side is a hack? Or even image replacement in general? Tables for layout? Using a text/html MIME type to server XHTML? I could go on, but I know you're <strong>still</strong> not listening. If you want your custom typeface, sIFR is a good way to go.

The real question is, do you actually need your custom typeface?

Oh, and to the ignorant, misinformed, blinkered, sIFR haters:

Yes, sIFR is a hack - but you don’t think creating images server side is a hack? Or even image replacement in general? Tables for layout? Using a text/html MIME type to server XHTML?

I could go on, but I know you’re still not listening.

]]> by: sj http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-236 Tue, 23 May 2006 19:37:48 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-236 There's a fallacy in claiming that users don't care about fonts. It may not be something they explicitly state (or even something that lands on their radar) but it's naive to shrug off font as nothing worth spending time on. Just as colors convey a certain emotion and help build a brand, fonts can either add or detract from the user experience. I recently worked on a project for the University of Alabama - the site was a winner with students in the mockup form, but the second round of feedback looking at the live site was less enthusiastic. The only difference between the two was the choice of font - we were using Franklin Gothic for the headers on the mockup but was Verdana on the live site. Users felt it lost a lot of its personality. I think web apps are the same - even though they are first and foremost exercises in functionality, they also have the opportunity if they choose to take it to make people 'feel' a certain way. There's a reason why people 'feel' a certain way when they interact with something made by Apple, why they get a 'feeling' when they look at a book cover by Seth Godin or a product homepage designed by 37s. There’s a fallacy in claiming that users don’t care about fonts. It may not be something they explicitly state (or even something that lands on their radar) but it’s naive to shrug off font as nothing worth spending time on. Just as colors convey a certain emotion and help build a brand, fonts can either add or detract from the user experience.

I recently worked on a project for the University of Alabama - the site was a winner with students in the mockup form, but the second round of feedback looking at the live site was less enthusiastic. The only difference between the two was the choice of font - we were using Franklin Gothic for the headers on the mockup but was Verdana on the live site. Users felt it lost a lot of its personality.

I think web apps are the same - even though they are first and foremost exercises in functionality, they also have the opportunity if they choose to take it to make people ‘feel’ a certain way. There’s a reason why people ‘feel’ a certain way when they interact with something made by Apple, why they get a ‘feeling’ when they look at a book cover by Seth Godin or a product homepage designed by 37s.

]]> by: Arik http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-234 Tue, 23 May 2006 18:57:23 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-234 I understand that. It's easy to realize that you're simply stating and making a choice in the way you'd like to use typefaces. Which is fine. But there seems to be a lot of people here that don't appear they've used sIFR for anything but a trial run or to play around with it. Some of the conclusions made about it (by other users) just seemed a bit fueled by assumptions and not real world usage. sIFR is just as fast as using regular typefaces when used responsibly. If you have a blog with no less than 60 posts on the homepage, then you probably shouldn't be using sIFR. But for a web app with not that many headings, it could work just as well. And again there are solutions for text-zooming. But I guess for production, its just not a real big concern and I respect that. I understand that. It’s easy to realize that you’re simply stating and making a choice in the way you’d like to use typefaces. Which is fine. But there seems to be a lot of people here that don’t appear they’ve used sIFR for anything but a trial run or to play around with it.

Some of the conclusions made about it (by other users) just seemed a bit fueled by assumptions and not real world usage. sIFR is just as fast as using regular typefaces when used responsibly.

If you have a blog with no less than 60 posts on the homepage, then you probably shouldn’t be using sIFR. But for a web app with not that many headings, it could work just as well. And again there are solutions for text-zooming. But I guess for production, its just not a real big concern and I respect that.

]]> by: Ryan Carson http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-233 Tue, 23 May 2006 16:59:26 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-233 <blockquote>on-the-fly text zooming? It’s not done very often.</blockquote> Hey Mike - nice to have you stop by! Hope things are rockin' with Newsvine. Regarding the above: I have to disagree with you. I regularly enlarge text when I'm reading on the web. I just find it easier on my eyes. If I'm 28 and I'm doing this, I surely can't be the only one. By the way, this post isn't meant to be a slam on sIFR at all. It's just not right for what we're doing.

on-the-fly text zooming? It’s not done very often.

Hey Mike - nice to have you stop by! Hope things are rockin’ with Newsvine.

Regarding the above: I have to disagree with you. I regularly enlarge text when I’m reading on the web. I just find it easier on my eyes. If I’m 28 and I’m doing this, I surely can’t be the only one.

By the way, this post isn’t meant to be a slam on sIFR at all. It’s just not right for what we’re doing.

]]> by: Hal! http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-231 Tue, 23 May 2006 16:00:19 +0000 http://www.barenakedapp.com/the-design/sifr-or-standard-fonts#comment-231 Word Tyler. I echo that. Simple is better. Word Tyler.

I echo that.

Simple is better.

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