←back to thread

Rubio stages font coup: Times New Roman ousts Calibri

(www.reuters.com)
386 points italophil | 4 comments | 10 Dec 25 00:08 UTC | HN request time: 0.42s | source
Show context
ebbi[dead post] ◴[10 Dec 25 22:20 UTC] No.46224733[source]▶
[flagged]
youngNed ◴[10 Dec 25 22:27 UTC] No.46224825[source]▶
But.... and this is important, it's not funny.

"Here is a thing that makes a slight difference, with no cost, to a small percentage of people"

"Nah, woke. Let's make it worse for them."

There is nothing funny about performative cruelty

replies(3): >>46224848 #>>46224911 #>>46224946 #
1. fnordprefect ◴[10 Dec 25 22:36 UTC] No.46224946[source]▶
I'm with John Gruber, who is hardly a fan of this administration:

https://daringfireball.net/linked/2025/12/10/state-departmen...

"Calibri does convey a sense of casualness — and more so, modernity — that is not appropriate for the U.S. State Department. And I do not buy the argument that Calibri is somehow more accessible for those with low vision or reading disabilities. People with actual accessibility needs should be catered to, but they need more than a sans serif typeface, and their needs should not primarily motivate the choice for the default typeface."

Official departmental paperwork shouldn't look clownish.

replies(3): >>46225029 #>>46225223 #>>46225318 #
2. ebbi ◴[10 Dec 25 22:44 UTC] No.46225029[source]▶
The same John Gruber that, quote tweeting a news article about Israel closing off phone and internet services to Gazans, wrote "Fuck around and find out"
3. youngNed ◴[10 Dec 25 22:59 UTC] No.46225223[source]▶
> they need more than a sans serif typeface,

Agreed.

So... why are the administration going in the opposite direction?

> Official departmental paperwork shouldn't look clownish.

Oh. It's about looking clownish. Right. OK. Pull up a chair, this might take a while, and we will get to typefaces pretty late on, I'll be honest

4. roughly ◴[10 Dec 25 23:09 UTC] No.46225318[source]▶
> And I do not buy the argument that Calibri is somehow more accessible for those with low vision or reading disabilities

Oh well that settles it, John Gruber doesn’t buy the argument. Wrap it up and let’s head home, folks, this one’s settled, no need to refer to any actual research or evidence.