Comments on: Cites & Insights: Opinions Desired

By: walt

walt — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:14:48 +0000

Given the range of comments, and given one reason I suspect some people prefer Constantia--that is, Berkeley Book is a little light for on-screen PDF reading--I've added a third option. Please see this post.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:42:40 +0000

I prefer the Berkeley Book. The Constantia just seems busy to me somehow; not sure how to describe it. With the Berkeley Book my eye seems to flow along the lines and from line to line just fine, while with the Constantia it doesn’t quite know where to focus and move to. No doubt I would get used to it with more exposure over time.

Same goes for non-lining numbers. Even though I see them frequently in the assorted genres and books from other countries that I read I don’t generally care for them.

Either way, Walt, I will still read Cites & Insights if you write it. Wish I had the money to sponsor you.

By: walt

walt — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:43:05 +0000

Actually, the boldness is part of my problem–to me, it’s a little dark on the page. But that may be me. (There’s the option of using Berkeley instead of Berkeley Book, which would be darker than Berkeley Book but a little lighter than Constantia…but there, I think I like the letterforms of Constantia a little better. Berkeley is a lining typeface, to be sure…)

By: walt

walt — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:39:38 +0000

Thanks. I’ll keep collecting opinions. Barbara: Interesting, because the Berkeley “4″ is pretty much typical of lining typefaces, that is, ones where all numbers are the same height and sit directly on the baseline. I find that, once you’ve seen non-lining typefaces, numbers in lining ones look a little odd–but, now, seeing Jason’s note, it’s clear that others disagree. (And, looking at what I’d consider semi-standard typefaces on my system, only Georgia and MS Reference Serif, of sans and serif typefaces, are non-lining. Well, and Venetian BT, if that’s a standard case.)

By: Jason Griffey

Jason Griffey — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:35:44 +0000

I find Constantina easier to read…the increased boldness is quite nice. I’ll disagree, though, with Barbara, about the descenders on the numerals. They disjoint my reading a bit….not enough to make me stop, but I do find the 9s and the 3s a bit much.

By: Barbara Fister

Barbara Fister — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:27:04 +0000

I’m leaning toward Constantia too – I prefer the way the number 4 hangs down, whereas in Berkeley it looks as if it has short suspenders holding it up too high. Kind of an Erkel effect.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:04:28 +0000

I think I like the Constantia better, but both versions are very readable, so I would still read C&I either way.