Big news in the world of typography: Apple has dropped Lucida Grande—its font of choice in every operating system since 1999—like a bad habit. What’s replacing it? Why, it’s Helvetica Neue.

Naturally, there’s been a great hue and cry from the design community. Erik Spiekermann calls Helvetica “the McDonalds of type.” Tobias Frere-Jones* worries that it won’t work in small sizes. Scott Anderson says that Helvetica Neue is as “predictable and disappointing” as Lucida Grande.

Shrug. It’s hard to argue with Apple’s success in the realm of design. I’m pretty sure they’ve thought this through.

*Alex Walker, who calls Apple’s decision “tin-eared,” refers to Frere-Jones as the “Paul McCartney of rockstar type designers.” So I guess that makes him another vastly overrated hack whose best work was done forty-five years ago.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the design life  |  make a comment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4msNKgRQDc

Apple’s bloom has faded for me over the last couple of years, in part because it seems they can no longer handle the simple stuff. (Both the iPhone music app and iTunes Match are notoriously glitchy and almost counterintuitive.)

But I have to hand it to them: this is a great ad. It’s nice to see “classical” music taken seriously and portrayed without the usual stereotypes. And it’s particularly ballsy to feature a contemporary piece like Salonen’s remarkable violin concerto.

Well done.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

helveticka will be hosting an open house on Friday, June 27. An official invitation will be arriving soon. Over a year ago we began planning, remodeling, and building out our new office space. Come see what a 1930s building can look like with a little thoughtful design. That, plus food, spirits, and some talented musicians, will help us celebrate this milestone.

photo by Charles A. Libby, 1941

posted by: CK Anderson  |  category: staff  |  make a comment

Before you ask, no, I won’t be going out tonight to quaff a dozen tequila shots in honor of a minor Mexican holiday that, in the U.S. anyway, is little more than St. Patrick’s Day with a side of nachos. (And no, I’m not trying to be morally superior, either. I, um…don’t like tequila.)

So instead, I’ll be celebrating the 201st birthday of Søren Kierkegaard with a bottle of Heering and a dog-eared copy of Fear and Trembling. Who’s with me?

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

Amid Amidi over at Cartoon Brew has compiled a list of 25 Cartoonists You Should Know. Three of my favorites made the cut: Walt Kelly, Harvey Kurtzman, and R. Crumb. Perhaps most interesting, though, is Amidi’s argument that pure cartooning of the type represented in his list simply doesn’t exist anymore, in part because “…cartooning was a specific art movement rooted in and resulting from the uniquely turbulent qualities of the era in which it had its heyday….”

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

Ever hear of the subjunctive mood? It’s that weird rule that seems to pair a singular subject with a plural verb, like when Tevye sings “If I Were a Rich Man” in Fiddler on the Roof.

So why were rather than was? Basically, the rule has to do with the past subjunctive form of the verb be, but that’s not important right now. All you need to remember is that, when you want to express something wishful—or when you state a condition that isn’t true—use were.

RIGHT: “If I were better looking, maybe she’d go out with me.”
WRONG: “If I was better looking, maybe she’d go out with me.”

RIGHT: “If I were you, I’d pay attention.”
WRONG: “If I was you, I’d pay attention.”

RIGHT: “If it weren’t for my horse, I wouldn’t have spent that year in college.” (NSFW)
WRONG: “If it wasn’t for my horse, I wouldn’t have spent that year in college.”

There’s a lot more to the subjunctive mood than the were/was issue, of course. But that’s the one that regularly trips people up. Stick to these basic guidelines, though, and you’ll do just fine.

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: the writing life  |  make a comment

Contra CK, I think Andy Warhol was a hack. And I suspect Mr. Warhol was perfectly aware of it. This, however, is an interesting find. More…

posted by: Aaron Bragg  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment

posted by: CK Anderson  |  category: random thoughts  |  make a comment