[libreoffice-design] Re: Default Writer Template

Greg Lubel wrote
> On Wednesday 01 Jan 2014 11:31:26 logos wrote:
> > I think the body of the text should be justified rather than left aligned
> > since it's the most used way. It makes it to look better and more
> > proffessional and organized.
> a) Left aligned is more readable, because the reader can scan lines and
> keep 
> their place more easily - basic cog psy.
> b) Justified text is designed to maximise content in a grid systems where 
> narrow columns are the norm. For example newspapers and magazines. It is 
> wholly inappropriate for full width text, such as a letter.

On the contrary, most of the time justifying text is impractical with narrow
columns because a single word represents a large share of the column's
width, meaning that the adjustement of spacing is highly irregular.
Butterick for example states: "in para­graphs of rea­son­able width it’s
usu­al­ly not distracting".
http://practicaltypography.com/justified-text.html

So I'd say that with A4/Letter with only one column, text can be adjusted
without any issue. I think for documents like that, justified text is
standard, and not justification is often considered as unprofessional.


> c) 
> <shudder>
>  The US' favourite (and most unpleasant common font) is Times New 
> Roman. Let's please either choose a good, open, modern default font 
> (preferably something sans serif, which is more readable for most people's 
> screens) and not take the de-facto TR awfulness that all the corporates
> give 
> us without a second thought. If we really must have a serif font, then
> let's 
> at least provide two defaults and/or improve the usability of the template 
> config much better - it's rubbish as it stands. I don't recall if the
> install 
> process asks for the users preferred default font and or template but that 
> might be a temporary solution. 
> </shudder>

I second your request of using a nicer font. What do would you think of
using the Linux Libertine sans serif font in the default template instead of
Liberation? This font also follows quite closely Times New Roman metrics and
style, offers a very large glyph coverage, and advanced typography features
including ligatures. It is at the same time relatively classic and not
boring like Times, which is why it appears to be highly appreciated by many
typography fans. It's also the font used for the Wikipedia logo -- just
Google for it to see how people who tried it love it.

May I suggest you give it a try? I'd like to push for its inclusion with
LibreOffice, so that it can be used at least in some templates, if not as
the default. It's sister font Biolinum is also a very interesting sans serif
font for headings.

http://www.linuxlibertine.org/index.php?id=86&L=1


Thanks for starting this project of improving the default templates, it's
very appreciated!

Regards



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