Comic Sans

How is it that I live in a city that uses Comic Sans as the signature font on its website? Help! Steven, talk to your father, please!

Comments

Andrew's picture
Andrew on November 5, 2002 - 18:41 Permalink

About time you posted about the font, and I knew you would. I waited a year from the time the city gave the tender to Internetworks.ca till it was launched thinking the city would display this nice big powerful web site… Well I was wrong. As you pointed out how good can a web site be if it uses a child’s font?

And please, tell me what is up with the top of the web site? This is a photoshop mock-up I made, this is also how I think it should look:

Andrew's picture
Andrew on November 5, 2002 - 18:42 Permalink

About time you posted about the font, and I knew you would. I waited a year from the time the city gave the tender to Internetworks.ca till it was launched thinking the city would display this nice big powerful web site… Well I was wrong. As you pointed out how good can a web site be if it uses a child’s font?

And please, tell me what is up with the top of the web site? This is a photoshop mock-up I made, this is also how I think it should look: http://www.preteamrecords.com/andrew/city-website.jpg

Andrew's picture
Andrew on November 5, 2002 - 18:43 Permalink

Oups… Sorry about this Peter :)

Steven Garrity's picture
Steven Garrity on November 5, 2002 - 19:05 Permalink

Normally I wouldn’t abuse my priviledge, but this is a matter of such importance, it can’t be allowed to go on. I’ll do my best.

Jevon's picture
Jevon on November 5, 2002 - 19:52 Permalink

I am pretty sure that this was against Internetworks’ wishes.

Alan's picture
Alan on November 5, 2002 - 21:28 Permalink

Whose wishes were they? If fonts have a voice, this one speaks from a mouth full of jelly beans.

Andrew's picture
Andrew on November 5, 2002 - 21:40 Permalink

I asked Internetwork’s about it when the site was released and they told me that is how the city wanted it. When they asked about doing it another way the city said no. Internetwork’s does fine work (not as fine as reinvented.net, of course :P), but I guess when your hired to do a job you have to do it how the employer wants it.

Dico's picture
Dico on November 7, 2002 - 00:24 Permalink

Speaking on behalf of InternetWorks (50% of the team that developed the web site), much of the web site was designed (on paper anyway) when we started working on it. We were contracted to “make it so”. We had some input on what would and what wouldn’t work (technically), but the layout was already decided before we were awarded the contract. The layout was actually included in the RFP if memory serves me. The font choice, although not my first choice, was decided upon by a committee at City Hall I believe. I didn’t ask their reasoning behind it so I am unable to share that information.

Peter Rukavina's picture
Peter Rukavina on November 7, 2002 - 04:22 Permalink

Thanks for sharing that, Dico: sometimes the designer’s worst enemy is the client.

Dave Moses's picture
Dave Moses on November 7, 2002 - 14:47 Permalink

In regards to this subject, I was given this link by the long suffering lana stewart.

Dave Moses's picture
Dave Moses on November 7, 2002 - 14:48 Permalink

Or this postcard particularly.

Alan's picture
Alan on November 7, 2002 - 20:15 Permalink

Then the same mouths that mumbled “second rink” are to blame! Jelly Bean thinking all around at City Hall — except that pesky Garrity Sr. My thanks, too, Dico. No disrespect meant your way.

Kevin O's picture
Kevin O on November 13, 2002 - 17:30 Permalink

Dave, any particular reason why those links don’t click any more (or is that my prob)?


But, Pete, if “Comic Sans” is a problem, would changing its name do it? I kinda like the “holly geesh, lookit the neat stuff we’re doing here” feel which seems to just emerge over the imagined torrents of “hey, who took my pizza slice?.. I wasn’t done with it!”