Microsoft's New Fonts

[snkTab]

Interesting. Who does Microsoft copy for fonts? I'm a bit font ignorant, which brings me to my next question.

Well I don't see in the future any new revolutionary new fonts. Adobe has a really great portfolio, especially in fonts that translate well from screen to paper. Best case scenario would be for Microsoft to offer these fonts on Longhorn, however, since each font cost hundreds of dollars this isn't an option. Also, these are professional fonts. Also noted, is that the font in question from adobe are made in huge sets that are actually several fonts rather than having one font and letting the software do the work. Here's a small sample of Cahparral fonts you would get with the opentype library

Chaparral Pro Bold
Chaparral Pro Bold Caption
Chaparral Pro Bold Display
Chaparral Pro Bold Italic
Chaparral Pro Bold Italic Caption
Chaparral Pro Bold Italic Display
Chaparral Pro Bold Italic Subhead
Chaparral Pro Bold Subhead
Chaparral Pro Caption
Chaparral Pro Display
Chaparral Pro Italic
Chaparral Pro Italic Caption
Chaparral Pro Italic Display
Chaparral Pro Italic Subhead
Chaparral Pro Light
Chaparral Pro Light Caption
Chaparral Pro Light Display
Chaparral Pro Light Italic
Chaparral Pro Light Italic Caption
Chaparral Pro Light Italic Display
Chaparral Pro Light Italic Subhead
Chaparral Pro Light Subhead
Chaparral Pro Regular
Chaparral Pro SemiBold
Chaparral Pro SemiBold Caption
Chaparral Pro SemiBold Display
Chaparral Pro SemiBold Italic
Chaparral Pro SemiBold Italic Caption
Chaparral Pro SemiBold Italic Display
Chaparral Pro SemiBold Italic Subhead
Chaparral Pro SemiBold Subhead
Chaparral Pro Subhead

That shown, I think Myriad actually has more than 100 variations. Now it seems that Microsoft has contracted designers to make some fonts that are quite simliar to adobes professional series, but without the cost.

 

[MontyZ]

This is not to say you can't use serif fonts for heading text and make it look good. Apple did a few years ago with it's "Apple Garamond" typeface, before it switched to the sans-serif typeface it uses now. It's usually better to mix the two, so, if you use serif for headings, use sans-serif for body text and vice-versa. WHICH serif or sans-serif typeface you use is the tricky part, because some work better for different functions.

 

[Blue Velvet]

A nice big 48-72pt serif can look very nice as a head, particularly in magazine spreads.

Rules are made to be broken... to a point.

 

[snkTab]

I agree, rules for fonts are more generalized than most things. I doubt that if you asked anyone who had just read a novel that they would actually remember what the letters looked like, did they have serifs or not?

When it comes down to it, it's the font and the medium that really determine how it will look.

And when it really comes down to it. 99% of your audience doesn't care

 

[7on]

I agree, rules for fonts are more generalized than most things. I doubt that if you asked anyone who had just read a novel that they would actually remember what the letters looked like, did they have serifs or not?

When it comes down to it, it's the font and the medium that really determine how it will look.

And when it really comes down to it. 99% of your audience doesn't care

Shhhhhhhhhh don't let those companies who hire us designers find out that the audience don't care ;P

 

[MontyZ]

And when it really comes down to it. 99% of your audience doesn't care

They only care when they don't like it.