> How are normal people supposed to be able to tell that a font like Georgia is also much friendlier than the angular and rickety Times New Roman while at the same time being entirely appropriate for nearly every imaginable formal setting (unlike Comic Sans)?
True story:
I call a designer friend of mine, and start to ask him, "I'm making a new website, and I was wondering what font would---"
He interrupts -- "Georgia."
Me: "I didn't tell you anything about the site yet."
Him: "Doesn't matter. Choose Georgia. You win."
I did. Later, a different designer friend of mine was emailing me, and writes in the PS, "By the way, I'm always thinking about beautiful the font on your site is, and then I realize it's Georgia. Ahhh, Georgia."
The reason many designers choose Georgia is that is has character. But I would say it really depends on what you are doing. If you are trying to make something look futuristic or techy you probably shouldn't be doing Georgia but rather. Trebuchet, Arial or Tahoma. Also Georgia does not render equally nice in all browsers.
So although I would tend to agree with them I would caution the Georgia for everything approach.
True story:
I call a designer friend of mine, and start to ask him, "I'm making a new website, and I was wondering what font would---"
He interrupts -- "Georgia."
Me: "I didn't tell you anything about the site yet."
Him: "Doesn't matter. Choose Georgia. You win."
I did. Later, a different designer friend of mine was emailing me, and writes in the PS, "By the way, I'm always thinking about beautiful the font on your site is, and then I realize it's Georgia. Ahhh, Georgia."
I laughed. Georgia for the win.