US bans time-honoured typeface (Foggy Bottom takes a stand!)

ABC News Online ^ | Jan 30, 2004 | AFP

[Akira]

In a sign that no matter is too small to affect international diplomacy, the US State Department has issued an edict banning its longtime standard typeface from all official correspondence and replacing it with a "more modern" font.

In an internal memorandum distributed on Wednesday, the department declared "Courier New 12" - the font and size decreed for US diplomatic documents for years - to be obsolete and unacceptable after February 1.

"In response to many requests and with a view to making our written work easier to read, we are moving to a new standard font: 'Times New Roman 14'," said the memorandum.

The new font "takes up almost exactly the same area on the page as Courier New 12, while offering a crisper, cleaner, more modern look," it said, adding that after February 1 "only Times New Roman 14 will be accepted."

"This applies to diplomatic notes," the memorandum said tersely.

There are only three exceptions to the draconian new typographical rules: telegrams, treaty materials prepared by the State Department's legal affairs office and documents drawn up for the president's signature, it said.

The memorandum offered no explanation for the exceptions, leaving foreign service officers to speculate as to whether the White House, US treaty partners and telegram readers are not yet able to handle the change.

[tiamat]

I use that font a lot for anything I do that is kid-oriented... school stuff, 4-H. I would NOt use it for a "grown up" project.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Que serif, serif. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours to see. Que serif, serif.

LOL!!! <:D

[GSWarrior]

The Times are a changing and it’s no Akzidenz. Courier will soon be nothing more than a Souvenir of Times past, a relic of the past Century. The Futura is now, despite what those Park Avenue types think. No Goudy-two shoes will tell me which type face to use....they can go to Helvetica. If this were tried in the court of public opinion it would end in a Mistral. This action should be Revue-d by a Quorum of Minions. It is more Symbol-ic than anything else. It certainly isn’t Avant Garde. Hand me that book, man.

Sorry.

[Nick Danger]

Let's go here, people! 64 notes and we still haven't gotten the first diplomatic courier joke.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Now, it's time for Free Republic to reconsider its fonts. Why not something conservative, like Old English Text?

FR is set up so that we can choose our own fonts, and view the site the way we like. Try changing your fonts if you'd like to view it differently. Click View > Internet Options > Font > Proportional Font.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

If you are going to ask nine year olds (and their parents) to read a 900 page book, the typesetting better be good.

I'd read the books myself if the artwork wasn't so bad. I can't get past the artwork.

[js1138]

Get the adult binding or the British version.

[ShakeNJake]

I use Garamond also. But if you like the look of Garamond but need a more condensed font, use Garamond Book Condensed. It is available from Adobe.
I use both Garamond and Garamond Book Condensed. Both are highly readable.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Jokerman!

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

The Times are a changing and it’s no Akzidenz. Courier will soon be nothing more than a Souvenir of Times past, a relic of the past Century. The Futura is now, despite what those Park Avenue types think. No Goudy-two shoes will tell me which type face to use....they can go to Helvetica. If this were tried in the court of public opinion it would end in a Mistral. This action should be Revue-d by a Quorum of Minions. It is more Symbol-ic than anything else. It certainly isn’t Avant Garde. Hand me that book, man.

What you say makes quite an Impact.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Get the adult binding or the British version.

Thanks! I'm going to do just that. I've never seen it in stores, so I'll check online.

[js1138]

You can order British versions from amazon.uk. I got paperback versions of the first four from a local used bookstore that imports a few copies. None of the major bookstores are allowed to carry them.

Personally I find the American illustrations to be quite ignorable.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

I've just been at amazon.uk. There's a 4-volume paperback set (adult edition) that I'm considering. I wonder if I should wait for the 5-volume set? I wouldn't mind hardbound, but I'm wondering if the shipping cost would be more.

Does the adult version mean no illustrations at all? Or just ones better suited for adults? I noticed a dragon on the side of the boxed set.

[js1138]

LOL. How about if you stop making excuses and just start reading the first one. You'll know within 25 pages if you want to spend money on them. I love them, but I understand that not everybody does.

I struggled through the first LOTR book and couldn't finish the second. But there are tens of thousands of people who have read them all more than once. People are different.

[EternalVigilance]

I can't stand reading any font with serifs. I buy my books based on whether they're serif or sans serif.

Dang serifs. They practically strip search me at the airport, and let them go right on through!

[mikegi]

I wonder how long it took and how much it cost to study this "problem".

Also, does this reflect a move away from NBC as the prime outlet for the State Department's anti-Bush leaks? You know, "Courier New" looks a lot like "Couric New".

[Irene Adler]

I love Ariel. Simple, unadorned, and very easy to read. I use it for everything. I dislike Times New Roman. Too fussy for me.

[Akira]

I'd like to see what Couric Fired looks like.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

I hope I didn't give the impression that I'm stalling. I just can't decide whether to buy the 4-book paperback set or the 5-book hardbound set. The 5th book probably isn't out in paperback yet. I just want to have a complete set. I know I'll like them, either way.

You didn't mention the artwork. Does the adult version have artwork? Or did you read the regular version?

[Akira]

Wow. Applause. ;-)