Die 100 Besten Schriften was pretty good to me. Not in agreement with the ordering, but the list as a whole was good. Frankly, Times bores the crap out of me. Prefer Garamond, or Slimbach (many folks’ early work often has a style that is lacking in later stuff, doncha think?)

Happy to see Antique Olive made it. I’ve been loving that lately (though Nord is challengingly wide and heavy), and have been able to use it full time as a sort of brand around here as the non-generic version of the in-every-Apple-template Gill Sans.

Zachary
Lovely quotation. Keep your eyes peeled for the best fonts.

It reminds me of the Zen koan Everything Is Best

When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.

“Give me the best piece of meat you have,” said the customer.

“Everything in my shop is the best,” replied the butcher. “You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best.”

At these words Banzan became enlightened.

Johno, give me the best font you have.

This is a blog I found via Google, where the author explains why the shows uses “frack” instead of other F words. I know this is off the topic of typography, but what the hey. :)

alison
Yes, it was scheduled and unscheduled maintenance (suggesting minutes of downtime, rather than 11 hours of downtime in two days); however, it went terribly wrong, and MT have admitted such in this We Apologize post on their blog. They have also refunded me for every month I’ve been with them (for the Grid Service)—proof that it has performed very poorly. I must say that I also have a Dedicated Server with them which has performed very well (but doesn’t take kindly to big Diggs). Thanks for your comment.

Stephen
These lists are certainly difficult; and there will never be a list that pleases everyone; however, ‘good’ lists often times help us to look anew and afresh at some types we’d previously ignored or even disliked. Great that they provoke discussion though, isn’t it. Helvetica is a tough one; you’re right in suggesting that its ubiquity has led to something of a backlash—but then, I guess that happens with just about anything. (a cult movie loses its cult status if too many like it).

I once thought about having a list that readers could vote on; however, the difficulty is which list of types to begin with? And, one would have to determine the criteria for voting. Suggestions on a postcard, please.

Yes, there are some wildly out of whack listings. I mean, please, Helvetica number 1? That’s simply because of ubiquity. Frankly—here’s an argument coming—I can’t see a sans as number 1. Akzidenz Grotesk number 7? Some kind of homage to Mr. Tschichold. Garamond number 2—okay, that’s better. But Frutiger and Bodoni that high? I don’t think so.

I don’t like to use it much anymore, but Times deserves its place in the top 10. Perhaps an argument can be made for it at number 1. Futura in the top 10 is certainly fair. But not Optima? Boo, hiss! Bembo rates much higher.

I should stop now.