programming and human factors
by Jeff Atwood
You may be familiar with the font Comic Sans MS:
Over the last 5 years, my wife and I noticed that this annoying font is inordinately popular "in the wild" -- we've seen it in the strangest places. Enough so that it has become a running joke whenever we see it.
We may be weird, but we're not alone: there's a Ban Comic Sans website.
Like the tone of a spoken voice, the characteristics of a typeface convey meaning. The design of the typeface is, in itself, its voice. Often this voice speaks louder than the text itself. Thus when designing a "Do Not Enter" sign the use of a heavy-stroked, attention-commanding font such as Impact or Arial Black is appropriate. Typesetting such a message in Comic Sans would be ludicrous. Though this is sort of misuse is frequent, it is unjustified. Clearly, Comic Sans as a voice conveys silliness, childish naivete, irreverence, and is far too casual for such a purpose. It is analogous to showing up for a black tie event in a clown costume.
There's also a rather amusing history of comic sans presentation which I recommend-- now we know to blame Vincent Connare for this font. Vincent does his best to defend the font on his website:
Comic Sans was designed because when I was working at Microsoft I received a beta version of Microsoft Bob. It was a comic software package that had a dog called Rover at the beginning and he had a balloon with messages using Times New Roman.Comic Sans was NOT designed as a typeface but as a solution to a problem with the often overlooked part of a computer program's interface, the typeface used to communicate the message [in a comic character's message balloon].
There was no intention to include the font in other applications other than those designed for children when I designed Comic Sans. The inspiration came at the shock of seeing Times New Roman used in an inappropriate way.
Proving, yet again, that anything which came from Microsoft Bob cannot be good. The misappropriation of Comic Sans is truly epidemic. At this point, we're bracing for the inevitable Comic Serif.
So whats your favourite font?
Sushant Bhatia on June 27, 2005 6:57 AMPraise the Lord - someone else who sees the stupidity of this font! I'm so happy to see a site dedicated to banning it!
I *regularly* see this font used where I work (a blue chip bank) in official and serious business emails from manager. It's beyond me how people think that it's a suitable font for anything other than (duh) comic text. Although, often I find its use belies the author’s incompetence in grammar and spelling, too.
I'm now just waiting to see a redundancy notice written in it.
That's hilarious. I was reading and agreeing that comic sans has its place, not in the serious written tone places....and I looked over at an advertising sheet that I made, and lo and behold....comic sans....OMG! I guess it doesn't look very serious or professional does it? I'll think twice before doing that again with business stuff. However, I did write a book for kids and used it there. It's a kid friendly font I feel. It just looks closer to actual hand printing than anything else.
Angie on June 28, 2005 3:15 AMComic Sans and all who use it must die.
Chris Nahr on June 28, 2005 4:09 AMA certain blood relative of mine thinks Comic Sans is the perfect font for VB.NET code....he says it "just looks right" (and I don't believe he has any strong love of Comic Sans as a font - if you know what I mean).
JosephCooney on June 29, 2005 10:12 AMI use Comic Sans for programming. One day I got sick of trying to distinguish { from ( from [, or . from , or 1 from l in my code, so I wrote out a string of commonly obscured symbols and tested it in about 30 different fonts. Comic Sans won, and I've been using it in my code ever since. I have never used it anywhere else. The lighthearted feel of it makes those long coding sessions a little less oppressive as well.
I use Comic Sans for programming
Ditto, a conclusion reached by the same method for the same reason.
Are you guys serious??
Jeff Atwood on July 7, 2005 12:21 PMI use Comic Sans for programming.
Ditto, a conclusion reached by the same method for the same reason. Besides, happy code has fewer bugs ;-)
I LOVE COMIC SANS. IT IS THE FONT OF THE GODS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ALSO LIKE TO PROGRAM IN IT, BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD! HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE! YOU'RE ALL WINNERS!!!! LOVE DERICK CHRIS MIDDLETON
Andrew on September 6, 2005 12:52 PMThere are many locations where Comic Sans should never be used, including serious business emails and programming.
However, as a teacher, I use it frequently in the kids' worksheets. This is where it has genuine use, as it familiarises itself to them and stop blocks of text looking so...dry.
It's easy to read for all but the most dyslexic too.
thanks for designed "Comic Sans".
kcll on September 20, 2005 10:53 AM"If you love Comic Sans, you dont know much about typography and if you hate it you really dont know much about typography and should get another hobby" - Vincent Connare 2004
Shaun Tollerton on November 25, 2005 9:57 AMShaun's quote is from this great interview with Vincent, which is almost all about Comic Sans:
http://www.manic.com.sg/blog/archives/000118.php
It's his "freebird".
Jeff Atwood on January 9, 2006 5:46 AMThis is funny, because I've actually had this thought myself on several occasions. I saw it as the font on some companies sign the other day while I was out, and was thinking to myself "Who would actually use Comic Sans in any circumstance other than some kind of joke?"
Mike-- so true. I have to bust out my favorite quote here:
[Using Comic Sans] is analogous to showing up for a black tie event in a clown costume.
That one just kills me every time. Man.
Jeff Atwood on June 15, 2006 8:11 AMInstead of using the overused Comic Sans MS, use fonts suchas Chalk, Action Man, or Anime Ace.
Michael on September 29, 2006 8:59 AMDid you know that there's a font called "I Hate Comic Sans"?
Michael on September 29, 2006 9:01 AMMy wife teaches at a University (which will remain anonymous) where her boss insists all documents written on a computer must be in 18pt Comic Sans and in a colour other than black, so that any dyslexic students will be able to read them more easily.
I wonder what these dyslexic students make of this policy.
Anonymous on November 9, 2006 4:31 AMText in Comic sans may indeed be better for dyslexic people.
At http://www.disability-office.ed.ac.uk/ the font is offered as an option.
Frank on December 18, 2006 4:53 AMwow thats sad, you have nothing better to do than to try to ban a font. Im sorry but get a life!!!
Ty on April 22, 2007 10:53 AMComic Sans on-- I kid you not-- a tombstone.
http://earz-mag.com/2007/March/Why_Ban_Comic_Sans.html
Jeff Atwood on April 24, 2007 8:53 AMDude, if all the stupid things in the world are banned -- comic sans being one of them, then where's all the fun?
Alex on July 1, 2007 1:12 PMI understand that comic sans should never be used to, oh I dont know, write a term paper. BUT I use it, and only it, in my personal blog.
I 3 comic sans!
lol
The lamest part about comic sans is that it has really no relationship to true "comic" lettering. Which makes it ever so the much sadder when budding webcomics artists use it (even those who eventually make it big -- http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2002/04/22).
Comic Sans should have a different name. Personally I prefer "Lame-o sans" but something less judgmental might be acceptable too ("Child's handwriting sans").
(I assume that any webcomics artists worth their weight in salt know that there is no excuse not to use Blambot fonts -- http://www.blambot.com/)
Shmork on October 4, 2007 12:16 PMI don't know, I kind of like it myself. Particularly for to-do lists. I find it clear and easy to read. I also use it for programming sometimes. Probably wouldn't use it for an official memo though.
Marz on October 8, 2007 4:18 AM"IT IS THE FONT OF THE GODS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "
AMEN!!!! PREACH IT, BROTHER!!!!!!
y4 on November 2, 2007 4:32 AMGUYS! COME QUICK! I FOUND THE SON OF A BITCH THAT INVENTED COMIC SANS!
http://achewood.com/index.php?date=07052007
COMIC SANS IS AWSOME. GET A LIFE
Bathey on December 16, 2007 1:48 AMComic Sans is fine as a basic comicbook or child's handwriting simulation font. Anyone who says it isn't is blind.
Ban Comic Sans was a joke. It appears that it's becoming a joke that's being taken too far...
Timbo on February 20, 2008 5:46 AMI recently found this blog and I've been enjoying reading it for the last few days. Glad to hear there are at least some sane people out there that realize Comic Sans MS is being grossly abused. You, sir, have earned my respect.
@Timbo: Yes, Ban Comic Sans was a joke, but only the Ban part. They don't think it should be banned; they think people should get a sense of typography and stop using Comic Sans MS where it is obviously inappropriate.
@everyone that uses Comic Sans MS for programming (or anything for that matter): what the hell is wrong with you? If I ever saw anyone programming in Comic Sans MS I'd have to supress urges of crashing their monitor into their faces.
Voetsjoeba on May 1, 2008 11:58 AMDamn are your lives that pathetic that you take the time to express deep dislike for something the creator clearly state's its purpose. Why don't you people design a font of your own and stop complaining about another person's cotribution to society! Or complaine to the dumbasses your obviously socializing with whom use the text innapropriately!!!
Dominique Alexander on July 24, 2008 6:23 AMGot yr comic serif right here: http://www.ministryoftype.co.uk/words/article/comic_serif/
Joe Mahoney on July 24, 2008 12:26 PMhahah!
Jeff, I just commented on a related post which you'll no doubt be aware of. Strangely enough, that instructor I mentioned in that comment that like his Comic Sans is commonly referred to as the God of our university's CS department.
Comical post. :D
Patrick on August 8, 2008 9:15 AMyou muppets this font is easy fo for with dyslexia to read and I use it to support learners in lectures
wagwan on October 28, 2008 5:06 AMI love comic sans ms so anyone who thinks it sucks then you suck
I love comic sans ms so anyone who thinks it sucks you suck
Showing up for a black tie event in a clown costume is the coolest thing in the world. This is why I love comic sans (but never use it just like I would never dress as a clown ever, I'm not cool enough to pull it out).
Spram on February 16, 2009 11:33 AMI use Comic Sans for programming
Me, too. Other fonts either look good only at the wrong sizes (e.g.: Monaco) or look boring. Maybe I like Comic Sans because it resembles handwriting, without being too clumsy.
Lele on February 26, 2009 2:07 AMI've used Comic Sans for years for displaying email. The font is whimsical and very easy to read. If a missive is light-hearted, it adds to the lightness. If the missive is bleak and stern, at least Comic Sans alleviates some of the tension.
Years ago, the News Observer newspaper in Raleigh, North Carolina, used as a headline font a serif body type that was grossly enlarged. I very much liked the look, as the serifs were rounded and pleasing to the eye. The NO then switched to a font designed for headlines, a font with lots of harsh serifs. I absolutely hated the new look.
The world, and reality, are sometimes harsh. Why flagellate ourselves with stern, formal fonts like only an anal-retentive could love?
JohnF1 on April 17, 2009 9:26 AMDid SIL International give wrong PS Names?
Some characters were accidentally added to the fonts. Unfortunately they have the wrong postscript name and so if you choose to use them, there will be problems if you create a pdf. We anticipate removing these characters from future font builds. These are:
U+03A0 GREEK CAPITAL LETTER PI: GrCapPi is generated as Pi
U+03A8 GREEK CAPITAL LETTER PSI: GrCapPsi is generated as Psi
U+03C1 GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO: GrSmRho is generated as rho
U+1D29 GREEK LETTER SMALL CAPITAL RHO: unmapped glyph.
U+2225 PARALLEL TO: ParallelTo is generated as ParallelTo. If you blanked the ParallelTo ps name, it generated as u2225.
Comic Sans ROCKS, and i hope no one is buying anything from the "bancomicsan" website, cuz thats all wat this is all about, find a cause, try to get money from it eh so typical.
they r just mad they didnt come with this awesome font first lol
Noobzo on July 18, 2009 12:58 PMThank god for Comic Sans. Because of the overuse of this blaringly obnoxious font, many more people are aware of font usage than would otherwise be. There wouldn't be a standing edict among comic artists to never use it - making them in turn consider typeface in general - there wouldn't be ban "this font" sites creating communities of individuals actively thinking about how words look, hell, the movie "Helvetica" would've probably never been made!
So thank you Comic Sans. You've reminded us how important font is.
Eugene on August 14, 2009 4:00 AMI don't know... I think "bancomicsans" and all its Comic Sans bashing is just a lack of sense of irony. I mean, if they be-fight a funny font and want to ban it from everywhere, it can be nothing but pathetic fail. (Actually, it's another subtile Microsoft-bashing, but doing it so implicit is nothing but lame).
I personally would write "Do Not Enter" sign with Comic Sans. I ever would post a little smily after it, like: "Do Not Enter ;-)". Because Arial and Times New Roman are pretty totalitarian nowadays.
Using only the traditional, serious and prominent (dictatorial) fonts is imho lack of imagination.
And after all, isn't it a small hidden arrogance of designers, who obeserve the public use of this font (and actually blame all the philistines using this gruel font, they should stay away from design and better pay to these designers instead of making all these Comic Sans fonted printouts).
Merzmensch.blogspot.com on August 13, 2010 5:24 AMThe comments to this entry are closed.
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