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Quote by Michael Bierut

“The design of the notorious Palm Beach County "butterfly ballot" in the 2000 Presidential election is certainly one of them. But I would say most of the time this is less about a conscious attempt to manipulate an outcome, and more about pure ineptitude.”

Quote by Michael Bierut

Author

Michael Bierut, born in 1957, is an accomplished graphic designer from the United States. His work spans a wide range of fields, from brand identity to book design, and is renowned for its unique style and creativity. more

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“I think once the artistic world of the type designer merged with the scientific world of the computer programmer, you began to see this crossover.”

Thinking World Type Computer Artistic Designer Programmers Computer Programmers Crossover

Author:Michael Bierut

“For instance, I assume those "carrots" we have on our keyboards were there originally to express "greater than" and "less than." Then they were adopted by coders, and now they show up all the time in the way email addresses are constructed. At least I think that's what happened.”

Thinking Way Shows Greater Happened Assuming Instance Addresses Email Adopted Keyboards Carrots Coders

Author:Michael Bierut

“We use the word typography to describe two different things: the design of letterforms, and the layout of typeset passages on a page. Both of those experiences are really important to communicating information, especially when that information involves complex ideas.”

Two Important Ideas Different Use Information Design Pages Complexes Communicate Different Things Passages Typography Two Different Things Layout

Author:Michael Bierut

“A simple MS Word document, or a Powerpoint presentation, has its limits, particularly the unpredictability in how the page will actually display. With a PDF, you are locking down all those variables.”

Simple Limits Pages Display Documents Presentation Variables Unpredictability Powerpoint

Author:Michael Bierut

“The studies I've seen about readability and legibility tend to focus on a specific set of metrics: size, not just the point size, but things like the size of the lower case letters as a proportion of the overall letter height, and line length. People simply can't read really small type set in really long lines.”

People Long Lines Cases Study Focus Type Letters Size Height Proportion Length Really Long Metrics Long Lines Legibility

Author:Michael Bierut

“We get used to things, and we like reading the way we're used to reading.”

Way Used Reading

Author:Michael Bierut

“I believe sans serif typefaces - today upheld as models of neutrality and legibility - were called "Grotesques" in the 19th century because people thought they were hideous. But now we're used to them.”

People Believe Today Used I Believe Century Models Hideous 19th Century Neutrality Typefaces Legibility

Author:Michael Bierut

“It's hard to predict what will happen as reading on screen becomes more of a universal norm, and when the formats dictated by social media - Twitter's 140-character limit, for instance - start to influence what we're used to.”

Hard Character Happens Used Reading Social Influence Media Limits Universal Social Media Screens Instance Norm Format 140 Character

Author:Michael Bierut

“The scientists at CERN were actually surprised that people commented on this. Reportedly Fabiola Gianotti, the coordinator of the CERN program to find the Higgs Boson, was asked why she had selected Comic Sans. She simply said, "Because I like it."”

People Said Program Scientist Comic Selected Coordinator Simply Said Cern Comic Sans

Author:Michael Bierut

“If you can announce the Higgs Boson in Comic Sans, clearly anybody can do anything.”

Ifs Can Do Comic Comic Sans

Author:Michael Bierut