Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

public-sans.digital.gov

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 245 posts

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

#51

Post by mathieuh »

marsRoverDev wrote: post #46
cjjuice wrote: post #16

I am really impressed with 18F and how the federal government has really stepped up their game on the digital/open source front. It does make me wonder though if the usage rights of these projects should be restricted to use by US taxpayers though since that is who is ultimately paying for this work.

You could say the same thing about the UK government's equivalent, which I would argue is somewhat of an influence on 18F (though I'm not an insider). They actively open source their work, this being a great example of it: https://github.com/alphagov I don't think that 18F and US taxpayers lose out on anything by open sourcing this. It builds a lot of good will and they are probably using systems that have been contr…

It goes further than just things developed by GDS themselves, all government projects for which GDS is responsible (i.e. they conduct audits and assessments at alpha, beta and live) are also open source. Here's one I worked on: https://github.com/dvsa/mot

Things generally don't have to be open source until you get to your beta assessment, as the alpha assessment is really just checking that you have a clear plan for getting to beta and they agree with your approach, so you don't fail for not being open source at this stage. The project I'm working on currently (an app to let companies wishing to perform road works see all road works being performed across the country, hopefully preventing things like two different companies digging up and resurfacing the road in a short space of time, etc.) is about to hit beta so will be open-sourced shortly

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

#52

Post by JdeBP »

tptacek wrote: post #39
optymizer wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The choice was never between Comic Sans or New Government Font. There are a plethora of established sans serif typefaces available under various licenses, as seen on this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sans_serif_typefaces These have existed well before someone said "let's create Public Sans!". It would be nice to know what the reasoning was. The Github page only goes into the details of how Public Sans…

Many (most?) of those typefaces are commercially licensed, and can't serve as a universal "default" for typography across all the USG's web properties. Additionally: almost none of them are in OS/browser font stacks, so using them would incur logistical problems in addition to licensing.

There are two problems with that reasoning. First: it is clearly contradicted by the inclusion of Source Sans Pro and Merriweather, both licensed under the SIL OFL and developed by third parties, in the USWDS list of components. Second: creating another font that isn't in operating systems and WWW browsers does not solve the latter problem.

* https://github.com/uswds/uswds-for-designers#fonts

* https://designsystem.digital.gov/components/typography/

* https://github.com/adobe-fonts/source-sans-pro

* https://github.com/SorkinType/Merriweather/blob/master/READM...

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

#54

Post by optymizer »

tptacek wrote: post #39
optymizer wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The choice was never between Comic Sans or New Government Font. There are a plethora of established sans serif typefaces available under various licenses, as seen on this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sans_serif_typefaces These have existed well before someone said "let's create Public Sans!". It would be nice to know what the reasoning was. The Github page only goes into the details of how Public Sans…

Many (most?) of those typefaces are commercially licensed, and can't serve as a universal "default" for typography across all the USG's web properties. Additionally: almost none of them are in OS/browser font stacks, so using them would incur logistical problems in addition to licensing.

Switching to Public Sans solves none of the problems you're pointing out.

According to the Public Sans's Github page, "Source Sans Pro" was the USWDS default, which is a SIL font (so no licensing issues) and is also not in the OS/browser font stack.

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

#55

Post by uses »

optymizer wrote: post #22

The older I get, the more skeptical I become. Kudos to the author for releasing their project, it looks like a lot of effort went into it, so I hate to sound overly negative, but I just can't help wonder if there is a practical reason for the US government to develop its own font? Is Sans Serif Fonts the department where the US government can really make a difference, or is this just a designer who happened to get a…

> Is Sans Serif Fonts the department where the US government can really make a difference

Isn't this a pretty basic "appeal to worse problems" fallacy?

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

#56

Post by yellowapple »

Just installed it as my system UI font under Linux (previously I was using B612, and before that CMU Sans). Took me by surprise how readable it is even at small sizes.

I just wish there was a monospaced variant/equivalent so I can run it in my terminal/Emacs windows.

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

#57

Post by ergothus »

cjjuice wrote: post #16

I am really impressed with 18F and how the federal government has really stepped up their game on the digital/open source front. It does make me wonder though if the usage rights of these projects should be restricted to use by US taxpayers though since that is who is ultimately paying for this work.

US taxpayers also have a high chance of benefiting from the work of non-US taxpayers who use this to reduce their expenses. Much like I benefit from workplaces that aren't mine offering sick days - fewer sick people working in the world means _I_ get sick less. Fewer people spending money recreating open work means they can spend that money elsewhere (or reduce the costs of what they do) and those network effects might well give me a benefit.

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

#59

Post by bencollier49 »

draugadrotten wrote: post #29
flixic wrote: post #12

Fantastic font. I've long seen Helvetica (literally meaning "Swiss" with one added letter) used in official US forms, communication and the like. If this becomes the "US brand" and replaces Helvetica as a national font, it's a really great choice.

Is it just me or is the kerning in "typeface" a bit off? It looks like ty-peface. (Chrome,Mac)

Came here to say the same thing. The kerning looks wrong somehow.

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

#60

Post by jancsika »

tptacek wrote: post #39
optymizer wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The choice was never between Comic Sans or New Government Font. There are a plethora of established sans serif typefaces available under various licenses, as seen on this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sans_serif_typefaces These have existed well before someone said "let's create Public Sans!". It would be nice to know what the reasoning was. The Github page only goes into the details of how Public Sans…

Many (most?) of those typefaces are commercially licensed, and can't serve as a universal "default" for typography across all the USG's web properties. Additionally: almost none of them are in OS/browser font stacks, so using them would incur logistical problems in addition to licensing.

I don't understand your second point. Public Sans isn't in OS/browser font stacks, either. What makes its inclusion more likely than, say, a 15 year-old open source font like DejaVu Sans?
Post reply on HN