# We're not allowed to use fonts other than the default? When did this happen? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 6, 2006, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476 "2006-10-06T07:18:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/1 "2006-10-06T07:18:14Z")
**jtnewsom** , a guest, starts [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=391060) using Comic Sans MS. In post #21, **fetus** requests, “Can you please not screw around with the font in the future? Thanks.” Okay, first of all, **fetus** , what’s your problem? A, no else complained, B, way to welcome a guest, C, snippy much? and D, unless **jtnewsom** has access to a time machine, I don’t see how he can screw around with fonts in the **future**. Beyond that, I don’t see how he was “screwing around” at all. So he used a font other than the default. He still only used one font. It’s not like he switched from font to font throughout the post. Really, if someone wants to take on the extra effort of using a different font, why should anyone else be bothered? The only particularly annoying fonts are Fixedsys and system, and even they could be alleviated by increasing the size. Plus, if people chose a font and used it consistently, that would make their posts stand out, and that could decrease some of the friction on the boards. “I didn’t say that; the other poster did. He uses Palatino Linotype, remember? And I use Arial.” I can understand if **fetus** was really bugged by the use of an unfamiliar font, but even then, it would have been more appropriate for GD if he’d said, “Hey, **jt** , just so you know, around here we stick to the default font.” But beyond that, I’m still not convinced that there’s anything **wrong** with choosing one’s own font. Why do we have a pull-down menu with twenty different fonts if we’re not supposed to use them? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/2 "2006-10-06T07:39:48Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] Why do we have a pull-down menu with twenty different fonts if we’re not supposed to use them? [/QUOTE] Because Jerry hasn’t gotten around to disabling that feature yet? ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/3 "2006-10-06T07:58:45Z")
[QUOTE=Jerry] senD me $20\*\*,000\*\* Or the Fonts GET iT! [/QUOTE] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/4 "2006-10-06T10:30:26Z")
Errrr… the reason I didn’t ask the OPr to avoid playing with the font is because **fetus** already had and I didn’t want to bang on the guest… Maybe he could have phrased it more delicatedly, but I can’t see that it’s wrong to ask people to leave the font be. I’ve got a coworker who writes every email in kino and when I leave this job (it’s good for three years tops) or he does, I’m sending him one in Windings 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/5 "2006-10-06T10:48:58Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] D, unless **jtnewsom** has access to a time machine, I don’t see how he can screw around with fonts in the **future**. [/QUOTE] It means from this point on. Think of it as an idiom, if that helps. If someone asked you to go to the movies with him next Saturday would you ask to see his time machine? Would you say “Don’t be silly. Next Saturday is in the future. Nobody can do anything in the future.” ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/6 "2006-10-06T11:08:02Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Okay, first of all, fetus, what’s your problem? A, no else complained, B, way to welcome a guest, C, snippy much? and D, unless jtnewsom has access to a time machine, I don’t see how he can screw around with fonts in the future. My first pitting. My problem is I personally find it annoying. I didn’t mean to sound like The Law or anything. No rule against it, it’s just irritating. No more, no less. I’m not going to ask for him to be banned if he keeps using Comic Sans MS, or anything. I could’ve been a little less snippy, I will concede. After reading your OP, I apologized in the original thread. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/7 "2006-10-06T11:57:29Z")
Why do I suspect that I’m being subtly mocked? :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/8 "2006-10-06T12:15:10Z")
Whoa! Look, there’s left field! ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/9 "2006-10-06T12:21:26Z")
[Ban Comic Sans!](http://www.bancomicsans.com/) And that is all I have to say about that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/10 "2006-10-06T13:50:38Z")
I’m going to post all my threads in webdings from now on ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/11 "2006-10-06T13:54:45Z")
You know, I think **fetus** asked very nicely and continued on to answer the question, too. It wasn’t a drive-by posting. As to the font thing, I don’t think we want people posting willy-nilly across the boards in whatever font they like. One of the reasons this board is so good is we don’t worry about the appearance of our posts, we don’t care if they look pretty so long as they have content. Or we try anyway. And **fetus** just told the newbie a custom around here, without being mean or snarky, so I don’t see the big deal. And I like consistent fonts, it’s easy on the eyes. Occasional changes are nice, at least in MPSIMS, but I’d find it weird anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/12 "2006-10-06T13:55:41Z")
[QUOTE=if6was9] 😃 [/QUOTE] Best laugh so far today. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/13 "2006-10-06T14:07:31Z")
Changing fonts don’t much bother me, as long as the size=3 thing was an aberration. Some threads should not be able to be read over my shoulder. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/14 "2006-10-06T14:07:50Z")
Where do you get “we’re not allowed…” from a request posted by a non-mod? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/15 "2006-10-06T14:39:22Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Why do I suspect that I’m being subtly mocked? [/quote] If you think we’re doing it subtly, we’re doing it wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/16 "2006-10-06T14:51:38Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] Where do you get “we’re not allowed…” from a request posted by a non-mod? [/QUOTE] No kidding. It wasn’t until **fetus** replied that I realized he wasn’t one. So, is **fetus** a Junior Mod 1st Class, so his admonishments carry weight? Hey! You with the no line breaks between paragraphs! Please avoid doing that in the future; it makes your posts hard to read. Hey! You people who put two spaces after a period. Quit it; it annoys the ex-typesetters in the audience. Hey! You people who use the 😕 smiley. Please avoid that; it upsets the feng shui. I manage not to feel terribly deterred by **fetus** ’s statement of personal preference. Here’s what you do with a broken sister. It’s been on my mind lately. His words shouldn’t have this much impact. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/17 "2006-10-06T14:59:37Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] If you think we’re doing it subtly, we’re doing it wrong. [/QUOTE] Let me share my sig line with this Thread, ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/18 "2006-10-06T15:07:10Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] My first pitting. My problem is I personally find it annoying. I didn’t mean to sound like The Law or anything. No rule against it, it’s just irritating. No more, no less. I’m not going to ask for him to be banned if he keeps using Comic Sans MS, or anything. I could’ve been a little less snippy, I will concede. After reading your OP, I apologized in the original thread. [/QUOTE] Good apology ([here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7843829&postcount=40)), and I think, with that said, no further pitting of **fetus** is required. As for his original comment, it did sound too snippy and hostile to say to a newbie, but I agree with the sentiment behind it. That thread’s OP came across (presumably unintentionally) as shouting, or waving ones arms for attention—similar in annoyance value to posting in ALL CAPS, or all boldface, or all purple, or something. If everyone did it, the boards would look messy, crappy, and harder to read, while if only a few did it, they’d be needlessly calling attention to themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/19 "2006-10-06T15:08:46Z")
Eh, fair enough. And **Contrapuntal** , I know what an idiom is, for frack’s sake. It just struck me while I was composing the OP. Don’t tell me that I’m the only person who’s ever seized on that phrasing. Co-worker: Where’s my bloody phone? Other co-worker: If you have a **bloody** phone, shouldn’t your first call be to the cops? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476/20 "2006-10-06T15:16:59Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Why do I suspect that I’m being subtly mocked? :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: :dubious: [/QUOTE] Because you’re paranoid? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-not-allowed-to-use-fonts-other-than-the-default-when-did-this-happen/375476.md?page=2)