Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display • Hacker News Board

Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#1

Post by thinkalone » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 5:45 PM UTC

Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display
public-sans.digital.gov

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#2

Post by philips » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 5:59 PM UTC

The github page has more info https://github.com/uswds/public-sans/blob/master/README.md#d...

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#3

Post by 2bitencryption » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:01 PM UTC

This is so interesting. These modern sites clash really hard with my mental visual of "Government technology." And it led me to this, which is maybe even more interesting: https://federalist.18f.gov/

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#4

Post by ocdtrekkie » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:01 PM UTC

The question neither this page nor the GitHub answers is... why? I understand a lot of corporations did their own fonts to escape font licensing. Is there fonts the government is currently licensing and trying to get out from under? Where will I see this font? Is there a reason other open source fonts weren't already adequate?

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#5

Post by saagarjha » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:03 PM UTC

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #4

The question neither this page nor the GitHub answers is... why? I understand a lot of corporations did their own fonts to escape font licensing. Is there fonts the government is currently licensing and trying to get out from under? Where will I see this font? Is there a reason other open source fonts weren't already adequate?

I feel like this might be a nice way to brand a website as an "official government website".

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#6

Post by chrisbrandow » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:03 PM UTC

What is the advantage of this over Open Sans? Is it less encumbered legally? Or are there other advantages? Or is it simply another alternative, which is also great.

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#7

Post by TazeTSchnitzel » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:03 PM UTC

2bitencryption wrote: post #3

This is so interesting. These modern sites clash really hard with my mental visual of "Government technology." And it led me to this, which is maybe even more interesting: https://federalist.18f.gov/

It's not government if it's not printed in IBM Courier!

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#8

Post by caiob » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:05 PM UTC

Wish there was a mono version. Seems like the kinda font that would look great on a terminal.

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#9

Post by beefhash » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:06 PM UTC

I've been wondering why all these new fonts tend to have a strong focus on sans serif font (Fira has no serif variant, Source Serif Pro came later than the other Source fonts). Aren't there a lot of situations (namely, lengthy legal documents) where you'd prefer a serif font before you want a sans serif?

Re: Public Sans – A strong, neutral typeface for text or display

#10

Post by legitster » Mon, Apr 08, 2019, 6:06 PM UTC

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #4

The question neither this page nor the GitHub answers is... why? I understand a lot of corporations did their own fonts to escape font licensing. Is there fonts the government is currently licensing and trying to get out from under? Where will I see this font? Is there a reason other open source fonts weren't already adequate?

It undercuts vendors.

I could totally see a local government org being put through the ringer for every bit and bob of a website. If there is already an established font choice, that's one less widget they are being charged for.