[scribus] Need Arial, Times New Roman Font "equivalents" to look/print nice in PDF

[John Culleton]

On Monday 21 February 2011 19:49:32 John Brown wrote:
> On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:05:20 -0500, John Culleton wrote:
> > On Monday 21 February 2011 14:25:37 John Brown wrote:
> > > On John Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:17:59 -0500,
> > >
> > > John Culleton wrote:
> > > > On Monday 21 February 2011 12:52:35 Rob Oakes wrote:
> > > > > Hi Drw,
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I personally don't care for either Arial or Times New
> > > > > Roman. I think they are significantly overused.
> > >
> > > [snip]
> > >
> > > > > Cheers,
> > > > >
> > > > > Rob Oakes
> > > >
> > > > I agree.
> > >
> > > [snip]
> > >
> > > > Second, because Times is the default for
> > > > MSWord it is easily recognizable as the product of an amateur
> > > > typographer. So I suggest something outside the Microsoft
> > > > Windows collection, such as Bitstream Charter, Minion, Adobe
> > > > Garamond or Sabon.
> > > > --
> > > > John Culleton
> > >
> > > That is a reason not to use a font? Because the commoners use
> > > it?
> > >
> > > I would think that the work of an amateur typographer will look
> > > amateurish whichever font he uses. Similarly, I would expect
> > > the work of the professional to look professional regardless.
> > >
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Alias John Brown.
> >
> > Well its a tough world out there. When you submit to a prepub
> > reviewer you don't want to give them an extra reason for denying
> > a review.
>
> [snip]
>
> > In Bringhurst I find the passage:
> > "When the only font available is Cheltenham or Times Roman the
> > typographer must make the most of its virtues...but there is
> > nothing to be gained by pretending that Times Roman is Bembo..."
> >
> > And Felici says simply:
> >
> > "Times is probably used inappropriately more than any other
> > typeface today."
> >
> > Felici also shows a passage set in TR followed by the same
> > passage set in Sabon showing the advantage of the wider face. It
> > looks much less crowded.
> >
> > One more time. There are lots of better choices. It is not a
> > matter of being commoners, it is a matter of looking like
> > amateurs. The authorities, at least the ones on my shelf, seem to
> > agree.
> >
> > One nice font that I forgot to mention is Stone.
> >
> >
> > --
> > John Culleton
>
> Well, since they don't come more common than I, who can't tell the
> difference between Arial and Helvetica, I will take your word for
> it.
>
> A few questions:
>
> 1) Why did the word-processing world settle upon these pitiful,
> hopeless fonts Arial and Times New Roman? I suppose the others did
> it because Microsoft did, but why did Microsoft choose these fonts?
>
> 2) Suppose Microsoft decided that for Office 2015, the default font
> will be one of those that you like. Would it still find favour with
> Felici, Bringhurst and Company, or would its excellent technical
> and artistic qualities suddenly become not so good?
>
> Regards,
> Alias John Brown.
>
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Felici at least has nothing against big commercial companies, since 
his book is published by Adobe.  As for why Microsoft chose Times New 
Roman for their flagship font I have no idea. I also have no idea why 
IBM pushed Displaywrite as a word processor or  tried to convert all 
their customers from COBOL and FORTRAN to PL/I. I cannot explain why 
Vista was so bad or why Windows 7 is apparently so good. The decision 
making of large organizations is often good but just as often 
atrocious.  I have worked for some large organizations and executive 
hubris is epidemic in all of them.

I use free fonts wherever it makes sense to do so. But I don't think 
and investment of 25  or even 50 dollars in a font and its Italic 
version is a bad move. After all they don't wear out. 
-- 
John Culleton
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