Let’s say you’re riding the subway. Normal people might be trying to figure out how to get the cute girl across the car to talk to them. Obsessive compulsives might be trying to figure out what caused the suspicious looking stain on the seat next to them. Me? I’m trying to figure out what font the ad for some community college is set in.
We have a lot of different kinds of nerds at meebo – people who know the difference between Class A and Class B Berkshire Hathaway common stock (finance nerds), people who care deeply about the Oxford comma (grammar nerds), and people who debate the relative merits of Gill Sans and Arial (we, the typography nerds).*
“Fonts” is a pretty obscure thing to be obsessed with, but people who get into it are *really* into it. We have our own website, movie, clothing, and our own hoax. The season premiere of The Office showed a too-elegant-for-her-own-good art professor walk into a full classroom and dryly quip “Sorry I’m late, I accidentally switched my alarm clock setting to Zapf Chancery.” At least one person on the internet didn’t get it, and perhaps the best explanation is that there’s nothing to get—it was really just a meaningless joke that made the typography nerds swoon—we like *any* reference to typography.
Typography draws much of its terminology from The Lost Art of Letterpress – a system of printing where each letter was engraved on a tiny piece of metal, and these pieces had to be painstakingly lined up (backwards) to create pages of text. There’s an entire system of measurement that’s almost exclusive to typography (1 inch = 6 picas = 72 points; ems and ens depend on the size of the font), and entire vocabulary to describe fonts and layout (kern, glyph, serif, dingbat, recto, verso, ligature).
It’s all a bit pretentious, it’s true, but art students are used to that. One of the more pretentious constructs is the colophon – a page at the back of some nicely designed books that describes the typography and production processes used for that book. In closing, I offer a colophon for meebo:
Meebo’s logotype is set in Monotype’s Arial Rounded, a sans-serif font designed in 1993 by Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders. Text type in meebo.com is Tahoma, a humanist sans-serif font designed in 1994 for Microsoft Corporation. Logo colors are Pantone 151 and Pantone 647. Meebo.com was launched in 2005 and is produced using JavaScript, Python, and C. Production systems run Linux.
-a
*We also have computer nerds, but that one was too easy.
[ comments ] [ past blogs ]
October 12th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Andrew, how do I get your email address? I was the one (maybe there were many?) in line at Discovery Kingdom (formerly Marine World) saying hey and asking about your meebo t-shirt–did you just really love meebo or do you work for them. You told me you worked there and wrote the “Pirate Day” blog.
October 12th, 2008 at 11:48 am
werid
October 12th, 2008 at 11:51 am
why do you ppl at meebo, always post these boring blogs
October 12th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Okay…
First, if you don’t like the blogs then don’t read them. It’s as simple as that. Some people, like myself, find them interesting. Second, thank you for letting me feel a little bit more normal. I don’t ride a subway because the city i live in is already below sea level and putting something below ground is just asking for trouble(I can’t even think of anyone around me who has a basement.) but when I am waiting for something and reading a sign i will wonder what font it is in. I’m not a typographist or even a typography nerd(although I will admit to being a geek), but i do this all the same.
Thanks for making me realize I am not alone.
October 12th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I agree with Julie. Don’t like the blogs….dont read them! Although I dont analyze fonts I am wondering when meebo will get out some new fonts for im-ing. I would like to see more fonts, but they MUST be readable. The thing I hate the most is when I am on aim or yahoo and I absolutley can not read what the other person is saying. It drives me nuts!! wanna know why? because one time I was using a font that was “too girly” and my boyfriend couldn’t read it. haha he made it so hard for me to break up with him over instant messaging!
please consider this idea! =]
……. ps. aim users add me! girlychick5811 I would love to hear what you guys think of this blog!
October 12th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I actually like these blogs; I find them really interesting.
October 12th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Ha! I love the fonts on the Muni (as weird as it may sound; it’s neat to think that some of those typefaces have been around for nearly if not a century).. What’s really neat is the different fonts on all the streetcars.
October 12th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
yes i wanted to say they same..
the blogs are not the most appealing..
October 12th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
That’s funny. Some are wondering what caused the stain beside them, but you’re trying to figure out what font an ad is typed in! lol
October 12th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
hugomal
October 12th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
First off, I <3 these blogs. Thank you for giving me something to read while my best mate replies to me at 2 WPM ^_~
I never analyzed fonts until I went to design school and took my first typography class. I only wish you had posted this when I could have used those links as references lol
My favorite font is Tall Paul =D
October 12th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I actually didn’t know SO many people analyzed fonts!
I find this very interesting, until I read this blog I had no idea about typography one so ever! Alot of people probably think it is wierd but hey, that’s just they way you are! And I think that’s pretty cool and I look forward to hearing more blogs like this so I can learn about some of the many interesting things meebo users use.
ps. if you hate meebo…..screw you because not only do I absolutly <3 the system of im-ing i loveeeeeeeeee the blogs. infact the only way I knew about meebo was through the blogs. =)
lovee you
KT
October 12th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
You totally need to do a Taylor Swift Blog. Just talk about her nicely! These blogs about random things that are really boring make me not want to come here anymore. I think you should take my advice and maybe do a blog on a different artist each week.
October 12th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
These blogs seem best suited for higher-educated people, who understand and appreciate the kinds of people who work at meebo.com. I think they are almost always well-written and interesting, and this one is not an exception.
October 12th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I know a few things about typography (enough that my friends have been informed that an em isn’t necessarily the width of an ‘M’), although I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a typography, and I find it interesting that you’d mention Arial.
Considering… http://www.ms-studio.com/articles.html …a lot of typographers… http://www.monotypefonts.com/PDFs/Twenty20_080705.pdf …seem to dislike Arial. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arial#Criticism.2FSimilar_fonts
Granted, the accusation that Arial’s a direct rip-off of Helvetica isn’t true, but there are other valid objections. I’d much prefer a readable font like Verdana (which I notice you’re using for the comment box but not the comments themselves) – I prefer to be able to tell the difference between “I” (uppercase i) and “l” (lowercase L).
October 12th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Andrew being a font freak myself I got a kick out of this maybe you will too. http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1823766
October 12th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
hey i do agree with julie
October 12th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
When I first discovered Meebo, you had more fonts to choose from and I always used Arial Narrow…can you add that one back?
October 12th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
not to be a complete typography nazi or anything, but i was just about to type a comment on how ridiculous it is that you call yourself a typography nerd when you use arial in your website, but then as i started this comment… i remembered… its all about whats available to the end user. i hate it how fonts cant be used over the internet unless the end users computer has it intalled ( i know that there are ways around it but are all poor quality) anyway, to get back on track. good job with what you’ve got to use, it gives a rather generic (in a good way cause its clean) easy to read website. two thumbs up.
October 12th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
salutaions precious
i enjoyed your blog, i prefer the old time letterpress to computers
(even though they leave me wiith some sort of joy) .The letterpress can not be beat that is my ultimate joy i own 5 different letterpresses so far and my obsession countinues to grow. letterpress text is mostly what i enjoy,but computers do have a variety of text that give me the excitement of a little child in a candy store just srolling through.
continue blogging as the do give me that chhild in a candy store glow
October 12th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Neato! I am a self-professed Oxford comma nerd, to the point of arguing with a professor who didn’t even know what it was until I educated him. But I still love the band Vampire Weekend even if they don’t give a f**k about the Oxford comma.
October 12th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Tahoma, 10 for my outlook email. I always like to adjust my font very nice when I send email or write any reports to my boss, I simply think that this is quite important, impression still counts
October 12th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
First of all, did you misquote it or was that the wording? I’m finding:
“My alarm didn’t go off, I had set it to Zapf Chancery.”
The key word is set and that makes more sense as a bad type joke. Leave it to the Office to write someone blowing an already bad joke.
And the Office nails most offices’ regards to design. Probably the most difficult bit of any corporate or pseudo-corp office is giving any credibility to design. When you refer to meebo’s arial use in the logo, for instance, if you design-by-committee you’ll easily come up with a myriad of opinions as to using any font other than Arial for it – probably Helvetica rounded – or how someone’s favorite is Cooper, or anything else that boils down to aesthetic taste and lack of ROI.
October 12th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
The joke makes perfect sense:
Star Trek nerd late to a convention:
“Sorry I’m late, I had my alarm clock set to stun.”
IE, a setting that doesn’t trigger the alarm but is relevant to the context.
Snort, snort, snort.
October 12th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
You need to set up “What-the-Font”, and use that instead:
http://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/
It rocks for figuring out what an obscure font is in an image or typeface or scanned brochure.
October 12th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Ariel is a knock off of helvetica; if you watched the Helvetica documentary (yes, there is a documentary dedicated to a font), you would learn that Ariel was used by Microsoft as their alternative to the expensive Helvetica. They are very similar, but Helvetica is prettier. (look at the lower case a in particular)
As for Gill Sans, I’ve always had a soft spot for it.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Wow. It’s pretty cool to know that I’m not the only one to do look at some lettering and wondering what font it is, or to totally fall in love with a font style, as I am prone to do. It didn’t make me feel weird, or make me wonder if anyone else ever did the same thing.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Oh, yeah, and a couple of my favorite fonts are Comic Sans (bolded), Papyrus and certain Gothic styles.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Last thing! I go to http://www.dafont.com when I want one.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Thank you.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
this is one blog ive actually felt compelled to leave a comment about, i still dont know why only that its a good feeln
-not weird
-not boring
but whacky in a ‘good’ way lol
October 12th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
haha…I just realized that my name is a kind of font too after reading the blog…(that was what caught my eyes cuz I saw my name on it!)
but my favorite type of font is the old-fashioned courier new -__-”
huhu~~I luv reading stuff like this..ppl always amaze me ^__^
October 12th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I once chatted on a mobile phone on a subway. I asked the girl on the other line if she was in a subway, as a girl was busy on the handy. She said yes. SO I smiled, and asked if she had black clothes… Yes again. So I said to the girl sitting in the subway… Excuse me are we chatting over meebo ? and she gave me a weird look. My correspondant, which I knew over web chat, was not THAT girl, but in another subway :O))) lol
October 13th, 2008 at 12:23 am
You made my day! This is the best insight into history and typography! You made it useful and short enough not to bore people. Looking forward for the next post.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:38 am
i am a chinese who comes to ur blog by first time“`nice to meet u“`
October 13th, 2008 at 1:43 am
It’s a whole load of Rocket Science!
October 13th, 2008 at 2:20 am
how are you evrybody
October 13th, 2008 at 2:47 am
You’re the “henrywatterson” in question on that yahoo answers post. The “-a” gives it right away, but also you use the phrases “pretentious artists” or some combination of those words in the answer and the blog. Didn’t Think I’d catch it did you?
-The Fex
(Yeah, us dash users can identify each other anywhere)
October 13th, 2008 at 2:48 am
Also it might be worth noting that you used asterisks to denote additional information in both posts.
-The Fex
October 13th, 2008 at 3:44 am
hello! everybody!
October 13th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Hahaha Thanks! I finally know what I am… A typography nerd! =D
I have always been obsessed with the font that I use for letters and emails.
And I totally hate Arial in font size larger than 9! ;p
October 13th, 2008 at 5:27 am
I’m glad that someone else sits and stares at logos trying to decipher which font is being used. Thanks for this post!
And my favorite font is Tahoma
//(*_*)\\
October 13th, 2008 at 5:40 am
I have only one thing to say about fonts…
Have a look at this:
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=i3k5oY9AHHM
Enjoy
October 13th, 2008 at 6:17 am
LOOK IF YOU DONT HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY THEN ZIP IT. SOME PEOPLE LIKE READING HIS BLOGS AND THERE INFORMATIVE. AND IF YOU HATE HIS BLOG SO MUCH WHY DO YOU READ IT? THERE IS NO POINT IN COMENTING SOMETHING IF YOU HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY. NO THAT IVE CLEARED MY CHEST ID LIKE TO SAY THAT I hate HIS BLOG (JK). I LIKED IT I MEEN HWO NEW THAT FONT IS SO IMPORTANT AND PEOPLE ACCTUALLY STUDY IT. EVEN THOUGH THE GUY HWO WROTE THIS BLOG IS PROBABLY A REALLY HUDGE NERD DOESNT MEEN HE LIKES BEING PICKED ON. I KNOW THERES CRITISIZM THAT HELPS YOU IN YOUR LIFE BUT THERES A POINT WERE YOU NEED TO STOP. I REALLY LIKED YOUR BLOG!!!
LOVE,
TRACY T.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:27 am
Awesome log, caught me attention, you’re really a great writer, will be reading your articles from now on. From a fellow nerd Love Ella
October 13th, 2008 at 6:37 am
I’ve never really thought too much of fonts, but now I’m being surrounded by them. This is the article I saw first thing this morning, now I see this blog entry…
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/10/new_freeway_signs_in_northeast.html
Happy Reading!!
October 13th, 2008 at 6:44 am
I don’t think the blog posts have ever been boring in the least! They are always a welcome diversion when waiting for a friend to respond… and most of the time they are a fascinating and real look into the birth, startup phase, and growth of a great company.
)
Keep them coming!
October 13th, 2008 at 7:30 am
I understand the compulsive need to identify typefaces (please, the word is not font) and feel your pain. But does anyone really debate the relative merits of Arial? Frankly I’d be embarrassed.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:42 am
I love typography I am a helvetica, it’s the most used font fan:)
October 13th, 2008 at 7:44 am
LOVE this posting – although not many people get it. The world takes for granted the subtleties of typefaces and their influence on all they read, interpret and act on. Many would say it’s a lost and dying art in the mass explosion of visual information on the web – I beg to differ – I think we’ve seen web design that is mass oriented (and not for the designer) finally acknowledge good typographic design directly impacts their success with consumers. Typography is an art.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:46 am
As a grammar nerd and a typography nerd, I have to say that I loved this blog post!
October 13th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Tracy please calm down.. we are just expressing are feelings about this blog.. i know i find a ton of these meebo blogs boring… as so many other people do.. that doesn’t mean you have to chase us out… when we have a voice too
October 13th, 2008 at 7:51 am
aim users add me missingmymeds
i like to start debating on these blogs
October 13th, 2008 at 9:17 am
why do u post these stupid blogs there wasting our time
October 13th, 2008 at 9:20 am
i never even red it butt i can tell its rubbish no affence like soz!!
October 13th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Good work
October 13th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Since I’ve been using meebo, yours is the only post I read from beginning to end
Thank you
October 13th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Random…
but i actually read it till the end…
lol
October 13th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I agree with Julie. Don’t like the blogs….dont read them! Although I dont analyze fonts I am wondering when meebo will get out some new fonts for im-ing.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Hey. I noticed that your production systems run Linux. I was wondering if you have ever evaluated Solaris 10.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:20 am
you guys are so cooool, I wuv you.
I wana be like you when i grow up,
Seriously though, how do I apply for a job.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:02 am
I once saw a shirt that said “Death to comic sans”. I laughed inside, but then suddenly realized what I had become. My name is Grant, and I am a typohpile.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
that was so retarded
October 13th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
joey
October 13th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I always use Meebo, and i tell all my friends about to. But im sad to say that i never read any of those little blogs theyhay up when you first open it…Well today i decided to read it, and I’m happy to say that it was pretty cool. I dont know much about the “font world”, but i did enjoy learning about it in a weird kinda way. So from now on you can count me in on reading all the blogs that you guys & gals post!
October 13th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
oh-my-goodness! lolz. Well lemme explain why I’m “lol’ing”
I’m in a graphic design class, and our recent project(and by recent I mean the homework I’m turning intoday) is a typography project. Before this project I consciously knew nothing about typography. Then as we began learning(we even watched a film on the type-face Helvetica!!!) I realize it’s everywhere! You can’t go anywhere and not see it. Typography is literally how we express ourselves in words not spoken. I have a newfound respect for typographers, especially the ones from back in the day when computers were not designed/programmed for an artists use.
So thanks for posting this. . .because three weeks ago I would have been one of those people like “WTF is he talking about?!” But now I’m much more appreciative.
October 13th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Dear God, I feel like I just walked out of my Desktop Publishing class. I am scared because I recognized more than half the terms you were using (and knew what they meant). Fonts are a funny thing. I have been trying to design a flyer for the past four hours and the fonts are giving me a headache because I cannot find the right ones……
October 13th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
My giddy aunt… How can a font be “humanist”? Is man the measure of Tahoma? I know I’ve always considered myself a Tahomatarian.
October 13th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I really appreciated this blog post – I usually just close the box or skim them if they have interesting titles, but being a typo nerd myself, it was heartwarming to read your thoughts on this! Thanks for the quick smile.
October 13th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I also appreciate the blogs all of the folks who work at Meebo. They give a real-life view of some career options. I actually recommended reading them to a friend in Computer Science who is not sure where she wants to work when she graduates. Your blogs are interesting (sometimes too interesting when I’m looking for a reason to procrastinate studying for midterms!) and not at all in-your-face, which I appreciate.
And I also try to analyze fonts, and I love it when I can identify “Duchess” or “Arial”!!
October 13th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
hey u are so funny
October 13th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
from a fellow type nerd, and graphic designer, i found your blog very amusing to read!
October 13th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I absolutely love typography. We had this awesome trip during my high school graphic design class right after typography unit. We drove 4 hours to LA, we visited a bunch of places and design studios. But the thing I remember most is having brunch with Doyald Young :3
October 13th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Wow! LOTS of comments on this post!
I just wanted to add that the typography lingo and colophon are really only pretentious if you attempt to use them in non-typography circles.
October 13th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Thanks! I really enjoyed this post and found it interesting.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I wish people paid more attention to my kerning!!
Nice read.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Look not all of us on Meebo on nerds. This, this thing you wrote is strnge and doesn’t need to be told. I think we all agree that we dont want to be hearing from you again.
October 13th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Wow….usually i just close the meebo blog thing…but…this, this caught mi attention. Very nice…i think thats uber cool. x]
October 13th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I m a font nerd. arial, verenda are really up my ally. =)
I m an excel nerd. vlookup, columns, pivottables turn up the heat for me.
I love this blog entry. everyone obsesses….when you obsess about the lil things that gets u to that sweet spot..u know you are a nerd.
October 13th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
im alot of kinds of nerd and geek im pretty and a cheerleader, but i repaircomputers and play wow and gears of war. i also love typography stuff , but i cant spell or use grammer. i love to read and still dont get why i keep getting called a wanna be nerd. do you happen to know?
just cause i am a cheer leader and i play volleyball doesnt mean anything
if anyone wants to let me know u can
bwedge51291@yahoo.com
October 13th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
YAY! Typography nerds unite!! Nice to know that I’m not the only one who’s trying to pinpoint the typefaces around me. I’m not really passionate for one, but I definitely have my poop-list of overused ones!!
October 13th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
lolol im the type who wud ponder bout the stain until i miss my stop
October 13th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Just wanted to say.
I’m on yearbook.
We are all anal about picas and fonts here as well
October 13th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
And, being the huge nerd that I am, your blog post just sent me on an hour-long Wikipedia excursion into the finer differences between Bodoni, Didot and Baskerville.
October 13th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
My grandfather used to work in printing, I hear that everyone was out to hire him, that’s how good he was. He got jobs all over the country. Although that industry is dead except for the few die hard print shops out there, he was awesome. ^_^
October 13th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
This is my favorite blog post to date – but, being a typenerd, I have to point out that these are ‘typefaces’ not fonts. Fonts are the files. >.>
October 13th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
I normally don’t read meebo blogs, but this one was very interesting. I love it. I love this font.
I like impact, arial narrow, trebuchet, and verdana when it’s 8 or less.
F’sho! B)
October 14th, 2008 at 12:44 am
hi my friends.im maryam.i love meebo
October 14th, 2008 at 4:15 am
Bahaha…. nice.. I like it!
October 14th, 2008 at 5:42 am
hi a want you on my icq please see you .
October 14th, 2008 at 5:47 am
Whatever I don’t have a subway I live in the suburbs
October 14th, 2008 at 5:50 am
werid
October 14th, 2008 at 6:00 am
Out of the motherload of hate-comments and people discussing whether the sitcom joke was or wasn’t good/relevant, I’d like to add that I find it amazing to see that I’m not the only one looking at adverts and logotypes all around and trying to find out which is the type family used
It’s even better when I can’t find out which it is and still look mesmerized at it!
October 14th, 2008 at 6:24 am
I LOVE MEEBO
October 14th, 2008 at 6:47 am
I love the Meebo blogs! First thing I read when I log in at work
October 14th, 2008 at 8:32 am
I love nerds and I love your post because it provides me with information that I will probably use once in my life to interject in a conversation I wasn’t originally involved in just so I can look like a nerd because I love them so much.
When I saw that episode of the Office I immediately looked up Zapf Chancery just so I can laugh too…LOL
Love the Office, Love Nerds and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE meebo
October 14th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Hi guys!
Since 2 or 3 days ago, the buttons on the meebo Buddy list and conversation windows are screwed up.
The image I get is this one (http://images.meebo.com/image/skin/onyx/img/toolbar-buttons.gif), trimmed to fit the toolbar area, but with no resizing or correct offset to show the correct coloured/greyed version of the buttons.
I’m using Firefox 3.0.1 with meebo extension, but it does the same without the extension.
Help please? :S
October 14th, 2008 at 10:20 am
hola
October 14th, 2008 at 10:29 am
andrew, thanks for giving typography some of the attention it deserves!
as a graphic design major, i always find myself doing the very same thing with ads on the train. once while riding with a friend (english major) i tried to explain the poor use of typography on a poster in front of us. she could do nothing but stare at me in bewilderment. also, i’m sure my friends are tired of hearing me complain about my biggest font pet peeve: Papyrus. it’s everywhere!!!
great links, too! i definitely enjoy the meebo blogs
October 14th, 2008 at 10:54 am
deliver man land go apple
October 14th, 2008 at 10:54 am
who new…? der was so much into it and i love the blogs there pretty interesting…:)
October 14th, 2008 at 11:07 am
real e-men spec their logo colors in hex, not pantone. most places i work for have corporate identity police who insist paper is more important than pixels… but meebo? say it ain’t so!
October 14th, 2008 at 11:12 am
I love fonts. I’d probably never be able to name them, but I can usually say, “oh that font is on the AmericanApparel poster” or something like that. Watching the movie Helvetica made me a little teary-eyed…hee…. Seeing the 50th birthday of Helvetica at MOMA in NYC was really awesome too. If meebo ever hosted a font party I’m sooo there.
Actually, I usually find the posts boring, but I’m a big fan of the font one. =)
Thank you guys for Meebo… I love it!
October 14th, 2008 at 11:33 am
…get with the times, new roman.
October 14th, 2008 at 11:44 am
I’m with you on this one, I didn’t even know there was a typography clothing shop! I have now sent that out to my family and said “if you get me clothes for Christmas, it needs to be this.”
October 14th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
hi,anital i just saw your message out there
would like been my mentor.
give me free back
October 14th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
i love all your blogs. especially this one. thanks for the interesting read!
October 14th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
ya know, I like fonts with serifs. How does a tiny little dash make something harder to read? Seriously. Georgia FTW.
October 14th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
wow strange…words but interestin
October 14th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I really like reading the blog on meebo when one pops up, really.
Font is really an interesting topic to talk about, for not many people know the font that was used in the title of New York Time (or the name L in the death note) is actually called “Old English”, and the font that looks like it was written with brush that is commonly found on American-Chinese restaurant is call “Wonton”. The history of font was something we never learn in our school year (unless we take art major in college), so having some fundamental knowledge of it makes you look smart (also makes you look like a nerd).
P.S. computer nerd is everywhere in meebo, just like human is everywhere in the world.
P.S.S. judging from the above comment, I consider myself as typical Asian blog nerd.
October 14th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Can you guys create a Meebo Font pack for Ubuntu?
Or suggest which font packs would be an excellent supplement?
October 14th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
i have to use this type of blogs.this is nice blog..
————————————–
harris
BlackHatWorld
October 14th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
I love the meebo blog! This was a great, nerd-tastic post. Thanks!
October 14th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
EXCELLENT post! Thanks for this enlightening rant on typography! I enjoyed every set-to-Tahoma word! I’m personally a fan of Century Gothic. It’s basic, no frills, yet subtly bubbly and less suffocating than Times and others akin to basic default type.
October 14th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
my mobile friends always show up as online! please fix this!!
October 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
personally, i love these blogs! I’m an artist and i just recently took a typography class and yeah, i do the same thing now, i stare at ads and go, “hmm… that ligature is really unnecessary” or something like that, so know, you arent alone!
October 14th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I am a typography nerd, although not at all very schooled. I love when I can pick out obscure fonts from various ads etc. So I LOVED this particular blog post today. Many kudos.
P.S. “Typography class?” DO WANT.
October 14th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
yay! you mean there are others who rattle off the names of fonts as they encounter them in public? i’m not alone! is there a support group for addicts of dafont? i love you, my typography friends at meebo, love! in a big nauseating font like ravie!
October 14th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
hey thank! you for helping me because i`m new i did not now a lot about Meebo
October 14th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
You people are all weird it is just a blog god get over it. Wow someone writes a lot of word. Yah that is something to fight about
October 14th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I LOVE FONTS!!!!
AND THE BLOGS!!!
(P.S. – I GOT MY FREE T-SHIRT – YAY!)
[thanks again I promote Meebo in Aus. all the time with it!]
October 14th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Are you my brother? Tooks?
October 14th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Free Meebo T-shirt? I want one too! I’d wear it everywhere! Email me pls! =)
October 14th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
hi
October 14th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
How can we disable the Meebo blog from showing up everytime we log in? It’s not helpful, and I always have to close the box.
October 14th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Haha. I feel less psycho now.
October 14th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I created a site for up incoming christian artists/christian artists and is having a hard time posting my meebo Christian Artists Music Video in the rooms. I tried to log on to get a buddy, but it seems that my computer keeps reconnecting from the site. How can I get more people to view my site and how can I post my meebo chatroom to the meebo rooms. Also to post videos can we use myspace. tv.com addresses or not?
Thanks
October 14th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Oh the site is http://www.myspace.com/struggling2 Sorry about it.
October 15th, 2008 at 2:43 am
très bon
October 15th, 2008 at 2:43 am
et encore très bon
October 15th, 2008 at 3:49 am
hii
October 15th, 2008 at 4:45 am
hi
October 15th, 2008 at 5:07 am
hai2 yang cw invite me please/……hehehe
October 15th, 2008 at 5:08 am
gw dedy 20 thn jakarta
October 15th, 2008 at 5:36 am
i fell the web really interesting
October 15th, 2008 at 5:37 am
Why the comment always cannot set wan?!!…
October 15th, 2008 at 5:45 am
stupid
October 15th, 2008 at 6:27 am
olaaaaaaaaa como estas espero que me entiendas porque yo no se mucho de ingles pero igual te voy ablar buenoooooooo note conosco muy bien pero igual te escribo para que ablemos un ratito buenoooooooooo me despido ojalas nme entiendas muchos besitos para todos chaoooooooooooooooooo
cuidate mucho
October 15th, 2008 at 7:03 am
I would like, much, to be able to import my own choice of fonts.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:20 am
i’m an art major and currently taking (and falling in love with) a typography class. gotta admit, this post tickled the funny bone of the “font geek” within. in my opinion, it ranks right up there with the poster that has only the word “Helvetica”- in a serif font.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:29 am
I really enjoyed reading this blog entry. They recently upgraded my computer to Word 2007 at work and I got to keep all my extra fonts. I collect free fonts. Most of the fantasy fonts turn out useless, but I like Berlin Sans, Copperplate Gothic and Light, and for my more utiliatrian days, I cycle between Georgia, Book Antiqua, and Pepetua. Perpetua is for when I am feeling really extravagant and want something delicate. Georgia and Book Antiqua are my utilitarian fonts.
Then there are the wingdings and webdings. These little short hand pictures have a hundred uses.
October 15th, 2008 at 10:29 am
This has got to be one of the worst ones ever. Please bring back the girl that rode to school in a canoe.
October 15th, 2008 at 10:56 am
hey there!
just to let you know, i really enjoyed reading your blog. it’s nice to know that there are some people in the world who are nerdier than me…!
this is a totally weird coincidence, but i am studying art and design atm and today i got a sheet of things to consider when writing critiques of people’s designs, and the first thing on the page (for some strange reason) was a load of stuff about fonts. and then i come home and read your blog. weird, huh?
also, i would just like to point out now that i am not a typographical nazi, but i happen to hate wingdings, comic sans, and french script. i don’t know why, i just don’t like them.
anyways,
bye x
October 15th, 2008 at 11:49 am
I’d be the one looking out the window thinking about something not at all related to being on the subway. I think I’m an Attention Deficit.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:57 am
I am a graphic design student, and I often find myself sitting and staring at a font, looking at menus for the graphics (not caring about the food on it) and I can’t get enough of movie posters, magazine advertisements or wrongly photoshopped images =D This blog made my day.
October 15th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
i am grateful to know i’m not the only typography nerd! i love pointing out typefaces to friends and family that could care less.
my favorite is probably interstate. ahh.
and i hate papyrus, but i’m pretty sure that’s standard among designers and typography nerds.
i don’t know if you already have, but check out veer.com. they have some amazing typo merch.
October 15th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I like to everyone is my friend in my meebo to chat with friends so I am ok to thank you ok siya
October 15th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
ur a nerd
October 15th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Janet wrote:
“”"
These blogs seem best suited for higher-educated people, who understand and appreciate the kinds of people who work at meebo.com. I think they are almost always well-written and interesting, and this one is not an exception.
“”"
This is the most hilarious response in the thread, and also the most ironic.
October 15th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
hi guys i have no friend that are on and i wount some friends
October 15th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
i love this blog very very nice lol and um who every said that the blog was bast suited for like older kids i understand it and im like not bvery old(13)
October 15th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
i don’t like it
___________
October 15th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
weirods o.O
October 15th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Me? I’m a graphic design nerd. I think “How could they possiby pay for money for the ad!?”
“What made think that this logo would get any thing across” “ugh, they used that font.. again?”
October 15th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
great blog, i thought this was an interesting read, cool site to ( ilovetypography)
October 15th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
May I marry you?
October 15th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
haha! very nice intro paragraph!!
October 15th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
OMG! I am not alone! I love fonts. I got drilled as a child to do callingraphy and have never stopped since. I do wish I have a degree in graphic design so that I can look at fonts all day! An converse with it like good’l friends. LOL Ah well, I suppose being a researcher is the next best thing.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
DEAR MEEBO…1) i have made teh term up for a meebo suer that is very very simple to type: Meeboer! =D 2)meebo crashes at teh SAME TIME everyday…and i know its not just ebcause i run Linux because otehr experience it as well 3) please look into why the fonts are so illegiable and why peopel dont use default settings? they either make it tiny tiny tiny tiny….or HUGE HUGE HUGE AS BIG AS IT GOES? seriously…and people type so much in the nicknames that each time some peopple talk the entire chat lags >_____________________>
October 15th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
hey why do u do these blogs your wasting our time.so stop doin these blogs
October 15th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
thes blogs are boring
October 15th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Well Andrew, I am one of the few ppl who DO read the blogs when I log into meebo. tho i just use it when i am logged into msn or gmail and need another IM window open… I am on the puter waaaay to much. I enjoy the diversity of meebo units (workers) and envy someone who can live and breathe computers, blogs, surfing… and everything else associated with the web and puters!
Keep up the great job at Meebo!
Lynn in Hamilton – Canada eh!
October 15th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
y do they always delete my comments?>
October 15th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
“”# smartdude999 Says:
October 13th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Look not all of us on Meebo on nerds. This, this thing you wrote is strnge and doesn’t need to be told. I think we all agree that we dont want to be hearing from you again.”"
So what? You expect him to get a list of topics you fine interesting and just cater to you? What if he posted a blog about video games? Gamers would love it but the people who are not into games would whine and cry about how boring the post was and how he should stop posting.
GET OVER IT ALREADY. He can’t please everyone and it’s deffinitley not his top priority to go out of his way to ensure your happiness.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I love nerds! I would call myself an B or a C nerd, but I am an A Artist and I think all pretense is forgotten by the absolute coolness of being really into something. Also I love reading the meebo blogs every time I login because they are so personal and make me feel like a part of a community. Opening Yahoo or Google can feel so impersonal when there are all these ads and news blurbs to have nothing to do with us, the people. Thank you for the interesting read and being so honest!
October 15th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Nice blog, and something I am always mildly interested in finding out. Although I wouldn’t class myself as a typography nerd (probably an enthusiast), I do have a disturbing attraction to Garamond.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Hey Andrew did you grow up in Washington? look familiar
October 16th, 2008 at 1:49 am
yeeeah, typography is everywhere!
October 16th, 2008 at 6:34 am
i want to make friends.
October 16th, 2008 at 8:16 am
This pretty much sums up how I (and every other rational human being) feels about Comic Sans.
http://achewood.com/index.php?date=07052007
November 12th, 2008 at 10:43 am
dejame empaz!!!
January 4th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Thanks for a nice blog, I really love reading the blog.