# Best/Worst Fonts **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 3, 2000, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887 "2000-09-03T20:03:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/1 "2000-09-03T20:03:22Z")
The blathering going on in the BBQ Pit about Comic Sans MS inspired this thread. BEST: Mishawaka Trajan Chicago Palatine Geneva ITC Anna WORST: Bookman Comic Sans MS Eurostile Zapf Chancery Avant Garde ITC Galliard Anything designed by some ecstasy-addled cyberbaby as he furiously scribbled what he could remember of the alphabet on an Arby’s napkin before granting it a nonsensical name (“Rhoda’s Cervix”) and uploading it to his free font site where YOU are visitor #6. ---
**Author:** ![Greener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Greener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greener)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/2 "2000-09-03T20:20:11Z")
My list would be nearly all the reverse of yours. Go figure, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/3 "2000-09-03T21:00:36Z")
I thought this thread was about that poster, daniel something, that always used annoying sized bold fonts in his posts. God I hated that… ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/4 "2000-09-03T21:06:52Z")
daniel p bostaph was his name. He’s now Bosda D’Trichor, or something. Daniel. What does your new name mean, anyway? –Tim ---
**Author:** ![Welfy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e56c9b/32.png) [@Welfy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Welfy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/5 "2000-09-03T21:18:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Greener \* > \*\*My list would be nearly all the reverse of yours. > Go figure, huh? \*\* That makes two of us. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/6 "2000-09-03T23:02:00Z")
My favorite font is Goudy. Goudy Goudy Goudy. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/7 "2000-09-03T23:05:15Z")
Arial. Am I boring, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/8 "2000-09-03T23:09:46Z")
Yeah, that’s him Homer. Thank god he doesn’t do that anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/9 "2000-09-03T23:10:45Z")
I have my browser and mIRC client set to display in Arial, which I find easiest on the eyes for extended viewing, although I wouldn’t print with it. I seem to recall hearing that sans serif fonts are easiest on screens and serif fonts are easier to read on paper. I don’t have many favorites or hated fonts, although out of the 150+ fonts on my computer, I probably use a mighty four of them on a regular basis. Anything cutsie or “wacky” is right out the window for me though and anyone who thinks I’m going to break my eyes reading their website in “Old West” or “Comic Book” or some other such crap is going to find me long gone before the graphics are done loading. I’m not overly fond of Comic Sans MS, but it doesn’t inspire me to fits of rage either. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2000, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/10 "2000-09-03T23:56:03Z")
Ah, finally, a thread that speaks to me! 🙂 Best: Stanyan Stone Informal Jimbo Papyrus Garamond Condensed Optima University Barmeno Bold Ellington Duc de Berry Carpenter Fobia Worst: Anything, overused. ---
**Author:** ![Jello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@Jello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jello)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/11 "2000-09-04T00:26:43Z")
I like Cosmic Two. I hate Courier. Those are my only two strong opinions, fontwise. ---
**Author:** ![Angie\_Gailbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@Angie\_Gailbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angie_Gailbird)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/12 "2000-09-04T00:41:00Z")
Footlight MT Light. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/13 "2000-09-04T00:45:58Z")
Westminster all the way. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/14 "2000-09-04T01:02:50Z")
I don’t think there’s any font that can’t look ugly if misused. OTOH, you’d be hard pressed to find a good use for some of the amateur designed fonts you find on the web, though I suppose there might be a case. My favorites are: Sans serif: Optima (aka Optimum or Zaph Humanist) Serif: Souvenir (I finally found a free version!) Display: Black Chancery, Bertram, Broadway, and Comic Sans My least favorite are: Times Roman Note that these are for desktop publishing. When using fonts for the web, you are stuck with Times Roman or Ariel if you want everyone to see it. ---
**Author:** ![henbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4af34b/32.png) [@henbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/henbin)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2000, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-worst-fonts/31887/15 "2000-09-04T01:16:26Z")
My favorite font is **Agatha** , the one with long trailing lines that was used on Murder She Wrote opening credits.