Typography on the Web

Web topography continues to be somewhat lackluster, primarily because few Web developers are interested in good typesetting. Typographical practices are generally poor, and Web page reading is generally difficult.

There are two competing systems to make the use of type more professional, Bitstream's TrueDoc and Microsoft's font embedding. TrueDoc is a reasonably good system but hasn't caught on because it works only in Netscape browsers, which have a dwindling share of the browser market. Microsoft font embedding isn't as good a system, and for some reason Microsoft doesn't push it. The reality is that Microsoft has a huge percentage of the browser market to itself and supplies a few additional standard fonts (other than the standard Times New Roman, Arial, and Courier), which most people have and which provide a little more flexibility without using the tedious font-embedding system. This seems to be enough for most Web developers.

This book is a solid book on Web typography. Eventually most computer monitors will have higher physical resolution than they do today, and high-quality Web typography will become important. Until then, no one seems to care. If you do care, however, you will find a lot of practical information in this book, even if you elect not to use TrueDoc or font embedding.

Although considered a craft, typography rises to the level of an art. It's great fun and can be addictive. Someday soon it will make a major contribution to the usability (readability) of the Web.

Published by: AP Professional