Saturday 10 January 2015

A Question and An Announcement

This Thread Is Now Closed to Comments. I Will Delete it Shortly but Leave it for the Time Being as There is No Other Way to Remove.
Thank You Everyone for Your Input.

Gentle Reader ~~~ I would like your help, please.

You will have noticed the change in font that I made recently.  First, I must tell you that I have been looking for a font to use which is different from the stock offered, says "this is me", and one that I can settle on as a keeper.  This is why you have seen several fonts appearing and disappearing over the months.  

When I found this style of handwritten font it spoke volumes to me on many levels, including my love of calligraphy; it has a Jane Austen~esque style that also appeals, but, more importantly, it is incredibly similar to the hand writing of my grandmother who was the single most significant force behind my gardening, and the reason for starting this journal.

Several of you have commented that you love it.  I must admit that I do too. However, I have been told that it might not be suitable for ease of reading on smaller devices.  I use a laptop so can only speak for what I see and it never crossed my mind that things change visually to such a point that they may not be readable on something smaller.  

Anyway, here is my question, and my plea for help ~~~ your honest opinions, please ~~~ what do you think?  Do you use a smaller device such as a tablet or phone to read blogs?  If so, how does this font appear? Is it easily readable or does it cause problems ~ of any kind on any device or computer ~ remember, I want honest opinions and input!

The announcement is that I have decided I am going to give up my Facebook companion page in the very near future in favour of focusing my efforts solely on this journal.  It is  more than double the work to try to find something fresh for each page, and I do not like to be constantly repeating myself across both pages.  Everything is suffering because of this, so the decision is made ~ Facebook is going.

So, there you have it!  I await your help in the comments box or via messages and thank you in advance for your help.

15 comments:

  1. I read your blog on an iPad and find it quite easy to read - I love this style of handwriting :-)

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  2. Deb, I use a laptop and the font is plenty large for me; that said, I find it easier on my aging eyes to read 'print' rather than 'script.' I respect your decision to eliminate Facebook, but will miss the little day-to-day occurrences you and your friends have shared with regard to village life, etc. Thanks for the time and effort you put into sharing this blog. Blessings to you and yours...

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  3. As a former newspaper sub-editor I have to say that I don't like it for the body of the text. Use it for headings perhaps (it looks lovely in your blog header and the side headings), but I find it hard work to read a body of text in that font.

    From a design point of view a mix of fonts is better, it gives the eyes somewhere to rest as they scan the page. As a general rule use sans fonts for headings, and serif fonts for body text as they're the ones that are easiest to read.

    The other problem with this font as body text is that the upstrokes of the letters clash with the downstrokes where they coincide on lines above and below each other and that annoys me. But that's a very newspapery point of view and this is a blog, so rules need not apply!

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  4. Deborah, I have no problems with this font. I find it interesting that you have found one that resembles your grandmother's handwriting. I use a laptop to read most blogs and always love to read what is going on in the Shire. ♥

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  5. I love this font for all the same reasons you do, however, I must agree with Maggie Christie about the ease of reading a body in print rather than script. As far as print, I do like the one Susan uses on her blog. It isn't so "institutional" but warm and a bit whimsical. I like the idea of using different styles for headings and text. I'd like to see you keep this font for your headings and special sidebars, etc. As far as FB is concerned, I applaud your decision. I think your blog will be more special if you put all your effort into that. I follow several blogs and I don't follow those same people on FB consistently, yet I feel like I am up on all they are sharing. Two quilting blogs I especially like send something just about every week, and I look forward to that. Honestly, I don't have time to read everyone's daily FB contributions, as much as I'd like to. There are just so many hours in the day! But I read every word of a blog when it comes. Another thing I find is this: If I read the same things on FB that I find in the person's blog, I get ambivalent about where I'm going to spend my time, and may not read either simply because of the overwhelm factor. Hope this makes sense and helps.

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  6. I like your font. It is unique and what I associate with your blog. I read all blogs on my laptop. I cannot read any blogs on my IPhone. I have problems reading any blog on IPhone.

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  7. Hi, came to say 'hello' after reading your comment at Welsh Hills Again.

    I'm afraid I find your font absolute hell to read, sorry, because I think I will be missing some fabulous stuff on your blog, but it is just way too hard. Agreeing with Maggie, it would be very attractive for just the post headings but is impossible for me as a body font.

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  8. Whilst this "handwriting" type font makes your blog look more homely and personal, I find it very hard to read. This may put off some of your casual visitors who are looking for something quick. re Facebook - why not just use an automated feeder (such as Feedburner) to put links to your blogposts into your FB Timeline? (I do this).

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  9. Hi Debs, it's so good that you have raised this issue because I was thinking of mentioning it to you.. I understand your own connection with the font, and in principle I like the homeliness of it - but in practice I find it hard to read. It is quite dense and difficult, and that is on my laptop. I wonder if you can find a handwriting font that is easier on the eye? I'll happily give advice on samples, for what it's worth! I have a setting on my blog that automatically publishes links to facebook, twitter et al - not sure if you have tried something like that. Good luck and have fun with your lovely blog x

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  10. Hello Deb,
    I just read your post and all of the comments. They give you a lot to think about. You know I have told you how much I love the font, but Maggie makes some good points. I love this font because it looks so much like real handwriting, but you know how bad my handwriting is and I know it is not easy to read.

    You also know what I think of Facebook. I hope you decide to just concentrate on this blog. People will follow you and find you. And the ones who don't really didn't care about you to start with. You are so creative, let this be the place you let it show.

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  11. Hello Deborah,
    I am on a laptop too & I love your font, it is very much like my handwriting.
    I just follow your blog, I have never had a facebook page, there is just not enough time.
    Fondly Michelle

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  12. Hi Deborah, happy new year! Just to say , I read this post on. My I pad and found it very easy to read, I love it too . Take care lovely, xxx

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  13. Hello Deborah! Just stopping by to wish you a happy new year! I love the calligraphy font! All the best in 2015! XO

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  14. Hi Dearest Deborah,

    Cursive handwriting has always been so dear to me! Do you believe that they have stopped teaching it in our schools? My daughters, who are in their thirties,do not know how to use it and hardly know how to read it! That has always saddened me!

    I love the way it looks on your blog, but I think that when there is a lot to say or long text a lazy eye or younger reader may want to skip or avoid reading. Perhaps a good solution to keep this font would be to skip a line between paragraphs or such.

    Perhaps another reason why some readers may struggle (other then a small phone or pad ) could be because when jumping from blog and posts and web info the brain and eye gets used to "print" font and then doesn't want to adjust to something new. So I bet spacing it out would make it work!

    Like I said personally I do like this script! ;-)

    Many many Blessings and warmth, Linnie

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  15. PS
    I meant to say spaces between sentences and paragraphs :-)
    (breaking it up a little more)

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