# Why sans serif fonts suck **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2011, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842 "2011-12-20T13:42:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/1 "2011-12-20T13:42:19Z")
The capital I and lowercase l look identical. This makes, for example, Kim Jong Il look like Kim Jong the second on many web pages. If illuminate, illiterate, or illustrate start a sentence, it looks like they start with three lowercase l’s. I find this annoying. This is why sans serif fonts suck. Opinionated rant over. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/2 "2011-12-20T13:46:39Z")
My mother gave me a book on a topic which interests me, but I haven’t been able to make myself read it yet because it’s printed in a sans serif font. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/3 "2011-12-20T14:03:37Z")
The you should love the movie [Helvetica](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0847817/). ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/4 "2011-12-20T14:29:57Z")
It can be a problem, but really it almost never is. I’ve been seeing Kim’s name all over the board the past several days, and never felt confused. Of course that could be because message text shows up as Trebuchet and has a little curved footer on the l. Your font may vary. Serif type sucks because the serifs clog up on some monitors, and those weird g’s and a’s are just too complex to display cleanly at small sizes. (Kidding. The are no bad type faces, just inappropriate ones. Although admittedly some fonts are only appropriate for conveying the idea of ugly and incompetent.) ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/5 "2011-12-20T16:42:28Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > The capital I and lowercase l look identical. This makes, for example, Kim Jong Il look like Kim Jong the second on many web pages. If illuminate, illiterate, or illustrate start a sentence, it looks like they start with three lowercase l’s. I find this annoying. > > This is why sans serif fonts suck. Opinionated rant over. I agree. San serif fonts will be first up against the wall when [del] the revolution comes [/del] I am ruler of the world. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/6 "2011-12-20T16:52:03Z")
And let us not forget the number “1,” which means that in some typefaces, there are three letters that can be confused. And that’s not counting the cap “O” and the zero. This is why graphic designers (should) take courses in typography, so they’re able to avoid fonts that can be problematic. Fonts were never intended to be interchangeable. Yes, there are bad fonts. But much more common is a good font in the wrong hands. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/7 "2011-12-20T17:03:52Z")
I am in a mixed marriage: **Mr. Mallard** worships at the altar of Gill Sans. We get along well in 99% of our lives, but we don’t set type together. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/8 "2011-12-20T17:58:20Z")
Funny, I was just grousing about this the other day, since the font used on Twitter makes upper case I and lower case L look identical. I ended up typing “Kim Jong-iL.” ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/9 "2011-12-20T18:11:47Z")
Is there a font that’s only mostly sans-serif, except where it relieves ambiguity? I like the clean look of Arial, but it would be nice if a capital i had the little bars on top and bottom, and a number 1 had the little hook on top. And maybe a slash in the number zero to differentiate it from the letter O. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/10 "2011-12-20T18:16:50Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Is there a font that’s only mostly sans-serif, except where it relieves ambiguity? I like the clean look of Arial, but it would be nice if a capital i had the little bars on top and bottom, and a number 1 had the little hook on top. And maybe a slash in the number zero to differentiate it from the letter O. Tahoma? I / l / 1 are all distinct, and the O is noticeably fatter than 0. Yet it is otherwise sans-serif. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/11 "2011-12-20T21:01:05Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > It can be a problem, but really it almost never is. I’ve been seeing Kim’s name all over the board the past several days, and never felt confused. Clearly you’re an exception, as at least one of the [Republican candidates for president](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/8967703/Rick-Perry-in-Kim-Jong-the-Second-gaffe.html) was quite confused. What’s even more hilarious is that George W. made exactly the same gaffe during his campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/12 "2011-12-20T21:05:41Z")
[Bodoni](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ITCBodoni.png) is a fine serif font. Not that I’m biased or anything. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/13 "2011-12-20T21:17:07Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > (Kidding. The are no bad type faces, just inappropriate ones. Although admittedly some fonts are only appropriate for conveying the idea of ugly and incompetent.) There are bad typefaces. Really really bad ones. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/14 "2011-12-21T01:44:20Z")
Eye agree. Eye work with a software app where Lots of variabLes begin with the Letter ELL, written in a Language that is case-insensitive. Eye initiated a tradition at the company of using CapitaL ELL instead of Lower-case eLL for aLL of these, which everyone eLse at the company picked up on. In the city of BakersfieLd, CA., the downtown streets have Letters for names. But the street in between H and J is caLLed [EYE Street](http://photovalet.com/data/comps/CSC/CSCD01_070.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/15 "2011-12-21T04:45:46Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Is there a font that’s only mostly sans-serif, except where it relieves ambiguity? I like the clean look of Arial, but it would be nice if a capital i had the little bars on top and bottom, and a number 1 had the little hook on top. And maybe a slash in the number zero to differentiate it from the letter O. Sure. [Base Nine and Twelve](http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/emigre/base-9-and-12/) is the first example I could think of off the top of my head. Moreover, as **Baal Houtham** mentioned, lots of designers have gotten in the habit of incorporating a finial onto the lowercase “l” [DIN](http://new.myfonts.com/fonts/ef/dinmittel/) is a good example. Regarding whether there are bad fonts or not, of course there are. The first one I tried designing in my Typography 1 class SUCKED (and I feel like I’m a halfway decent typographer). ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/16 "2011-12-21T05:15:06Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > There are bad typefaces. Really really bad ones. I disagree. The problem with Comic Sans is its inappropriate application and overuse, and not the font itself, which is perfectly decent and well made. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/17 "2011-12-21T21:37:28Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > This is why sans serif fonts suck. You missed a word. That should have been, “This is why SOME sans serif fonts suck.” Not all of them are poorly-designed, as several other people have already pointed out. I would also be happy to introduce you to some serif fonts that suck, if you’d like. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/18 "2011-12-21T21:42:15Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > There are bad typefaces. Really really bad ones. Hi f **riedo**. My comment was a joke, but also true. At least as true as the OP’s comment that “san serif fonts suck.” If I wanted to illustrate an article about how some type designers don’t understand character spacing or visual flow or consistency of weight and attitude then the perfect headline font could well be what you might call a “bad” font. It would be exactly the right font. However, a font can certainly be bad in that it doesn’t match the apparent ambitions of the designer, and has extremely limited applicability. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/19 "2011-12-21T22:08:03Z")
[REALLY BAD pun] So instead of Kim Jong-iL, he’s now Kim Jong-Ded? [/REALLY BAD pun] ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842/20 "2011-12-21T22:13:51Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > The capital I and lowercase l look identical. This makes, for example, Kim Jong Il look like Kim Jong the second on many web pages. If illuminate, illiterate, or illustrate start a sentence, it looks like they start with three lowercase l’s. I find this annoying. > > This is why sans serif fonts suck. Opinionated rant over. When would you ever use illuminate, illiterate, or illustrate to start a sentence? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-sans-serif-fonts-suck/606842.md?page=2)