Font Comparison Normal

The text on this page is specified as 'normal' size but in a variety of fonts so that you can compare the visual impression and readability of each sample.

Other pages show the same samples at -1 and -2 sizes relative to normal, and screen grabs of the setting taken off Mac and PC versions of Netscape and MsIE version 4.x browsers.

Default

This is what you get if you don't specify any font with the font face tag

This paragraph of text has been set with various type specification to show the differences in the overall look and readability. The text settings are, of course, dependent on the fonts being available on your system. The size of the fonts will vary depending on your computer platform and screen resolution. The default 'normal' sizes are also reproduced from screen grabs made from Netscape and MsIE on Mac and PC systems for comparison.

Helvetica, Arial

Helvetica (Mac) and Arial (PC and Mac) are the most common sans serifs and are quite similar

This paragraph of text has been set with various type specification to show the differences in the overall look and readability. The text settings are, of course, dependent on the fonts being available on your system. The size of the fonts will vary depending on your computer platform and screen resolution. The default 'normal' sizes are also reproduced from screen grabs made from Netscape and MsIE on Mac and PC systems for comparison.

Geneva, Arial

Geneva is a Mac screen font with no PC equivalent

This paragraph of text has been set with various type specification to show the differences in the overall look and readability. The text settings are, of course, dependent on the fonts being available on your system. The size of the fonts will vary depending on your computer platform and screen resolution. The default 'normal' sizes are also reproduced from screen grabs made from Netscape and MsIE on Mac and PC systems for comparison.

Times New Roman, Times

These are the most common default fonts but you may have something different set up

This paragraph of text has been set with various type specification to show the differences in the overall look and readability. The text settings are, of course, dependent on the fonts being available on your system. The size of the fonts will vary depending on your computer platform and screen resolution. The default 'normal' sizes are also reproduced from screen grabs made from Netscape and MsIE on Mac and PC systems for comparison.

Verdana

The visual effect of this font is radically different from any other

This paragraph of text has been set with various type specification to show the differences in the overall look and readability. The text settings are, of course, dependent on the fonts being available on your system. The size of the fonts will vary depending on your computer platform and screen resolution. The default 'normal' sizes are also reproduced from screen grabs made from Netscape and MsIE on Mac and PC systems for comparison.

Trebuchet MS

Supposedly optimised for the screen this font is uneven and has some very poorly formed characters

This paragraph of text has been set with various type specification to show the differences in the overall look and readability. The text settings are, of course, dependent on the fonts being available on your system. The size of the fonts will vary depending on your computer platform and screen resolution. The default 'normal' sizes are also reproduced from screen grabs made from Netscape and MsIE on Mac and PC systems for comparison.