Comments for Rob Minto http://www.minto.net Ideas, the FT, Sportonomics and miscellany Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:21:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Comment on How Georgia rules the newspaper web fonts by Calvin Ku http://www.minto.net/2011/09/how-georgia-rules-the-newspaper-web-fonts/#comment-340 Calvin Ku Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:21:50 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=850#comment-340 I was surfing on the web to see what typefaces are used in the newspaper websites as I wanted to know what's best for extended body text on the screen. After investigating The New York Times, The Times, Guardian, Wall Street Journal and Telegraph I was totally speechless and I had no idea why they all picked Georgia (tho I do agree it's pretty). Thanks for the enlightening article! By the way, I was also quite surprised to find some newspaper websites use sans-serif fonts for their body text. I've always thought sans-serif are more legible for the title but when it comes to the readability of the body text serif fonts are the better option, and personally I do think they are easier for the eye for extended text. I was surfing on the web to see what typefaces are used in the newspaper websites as I wanted to know what’s best for extended body text on the screen. After investigating The New York Times, The Times, Guardian, Wall Street Journal and Telegraph I was totally speechless and I had no idea why they all picked Georgia (tho I do agree it’s pretty). Thanks for the enlightening article!

By the way, I was also quite surprised to find some newspaper websites use sans-serif fonts for their body text. I’ve always thought sans-serif are more legible for the title but when it comes to the readability of the body text serif fonts are the better option, and personally I do think they are easier for the eye for extended text.

]]> Comment on The X-factor flaw: the new demographics of pop by Stephen Keener http://www.minto.net/2010/11/the-x-factor-flaw-the-new-demographics-of-pop/#comment-322 Stephen Keener Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:08:42 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=485#comment-322 Rob, I like your insight. I have a question if I can make it clear enough to be understandable. I have been following the first series of the X-factor in the U.S. I am an older male entertainer with few credentials but the idea someone over 30 could possibly be on a popular show enthused me. The success of American Idol I understand because in many ways it appeals to me as a viewer but the age range is limited. ------ My first impression of this new show was this has intentionally been pumped up to have the appeal of a circus with people dropping their pants, dying their hair in rainbow colors, screetching terrible solos and duets, contestants moaning and crying about being homeless and everyone despirate to be a super star. As the show progressed, I saw the the spectacular fan fare of stage effects overwhelmed the performances and presence of the performers and some of the background music was piped; not live. This week it appeared to me that it is the black vote that is going to be dominant in this show. We understand that because our black population is the most homogenius segement we have. And they spend more of their earned dollar on entertainment than any other group. But American Idol appeared to me to be driven by young female votes of girls from say 8 to 16 years old. Am I on track here. Is there anyway I can get some serious demographic documented statistics of who is voting and for whom on this X-factor show? Cheers. Rob, I like your insight. I have a question if I can make it clear enough to be understandable. I have been following the first series of the X-factor in the U.S. I am an older male entertainer with few credentials but the idea someone over 30 could possibly be on a popular show enthused me. The success of American Idol I understand because in many ways it appeals to me as a viewer but the age range is limited. —— My first impression of this new show was this has intentionally been pumped up to have the appeal of a circus with people dropping their pants, dying their hair in rainbow colors, screetching terrible solos and duets, contestants moaning and crying about being homeless and everyone despirate to be a super star. As the show progressed, I saw the the spectacular fan fare of stage effects overwhelmed the performances and presence of the performers and some of the background music was piped; not live. This week it appeared to me that it is the black vote that is going to be dominant in this show. We understand that because our black population is the most homogenius segement we have. And they spend more of their earned dollar on entertainment than any other group. But American Idol appeared to me to be driven by young female votes of girls from say 8 to 16 years old. Am I on track here. Is there anyway I can get some serious demographic documented statistics of who is voting and for whom on this X-factor show? Cheers.

]]> Comment on Why Gmail’s new look is a usability nightmare by Nigel http://www.minto.net/2011/11/why-gmails-new-look-is-a-usability-nightmare/#comment-318 Nigel Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:18:10 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=885#comment-318 Well I have the gadgets working today. Same control which did not show them yesterday (despite Chrome restarts) is working today ... go figure. Also have the double-scrollbar for the calendar gadget - ugly! The auto-expansion of the labels (coupled with a large screen) means it is not drawing a scrollbar for the labels - though frankly I'd prefer that to the auto-expansions which happens as you mouse breezes over that part of the screen (for example to get to another window to the left of the browser). Really do NOT like that feature. Have yet to find any redeeming changes - all change for changes sake as far as I can tell. As for minimalist icons instead of text - that's likely to reduce the use of extended functionality I suspect ... but obviously is more friendly to those whose first-language is not supported by GMail (can't imagine that's a large demographic). Well I have the gadgets working today. Same control which did not show them yesterday (despite Chrome restarts) is working today … go figure.
Also have the double-scrollbar for the calendar gadget – ugly! The auto-expansion of the labels (coupled with a large screen) means it is not drawing a scrollbar for the labels – though frankly I’d prefer that to the auto-expansions which happens as you mouse breezes over that part of the screen (for example to get to another window to the left of the browser). Really do NOT like that feature.

Have yet to find any redeeming changes – all change for changes sake as far as I can tell. As for minimalist icons instead of text – that’s likely to reduce the use of extended functionality I suspect … but obviously is more friendly to those whose first-language is not supported by GMail (can’t imagine that’s a large demographic).

]]> Comment on Why Gmail’s new look is a usability nightmare by Nigel http://www.minto.net/2011/11/why-gmails-new-look-is-a-usability-nightmare/#comment-316 Nigel Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:12:19 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=885#comment-316 Well try as I might, I cannot get the calendar gadget back. The control at the bottom of the chat frame which is supposed to toggle between chat and gadgets does not. Help says I can switch off chat by going to the Chat tab in settings - I see nowhere to switch it off. I've been on GMail since day one (well public day one) and this is the worst change so far. Too much white in the regular message UI (hard on the eyes) unnecessary transparent 'title' between the message panels - and therefore invisible counts against the themed background. Just not an improvement ... big shame. Well try as I might, I cannot get the calendar gadget back. The control at the bottom of the chat frame which is supposed to toggle between chat and gadgets does not. Help says I can switch off chat by going to the Chat tab in settings – I see nowhere to switch it off. I’ve been on GMail since day one (well public day one) and this is the worst change so far. Too much white in the regular message UI (hard on the eyes) unnecessary transparent ‘title’ between the message panels – and therefore invisible counts against the themed background. Just not an improvement … big shame.

]]> Comment on Why Gmail’s new look is a usability nightmare by rob http://www.minto.net/2011/11/why-gmails-new-look-is-a-usability-nightmare/#comment-315 rob Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:59:50 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=885#comment-315 I use a Firefox mainly, but Chrome and Safari too. I've killed off all my gadgets because they were so hard to use. I think that's a pity. I've switched back to the old look as well, but it's a stay of execution... I use a Firefox mainly, but Chrome and Safari too. I’ve killed off all my gadgets because they were so hard to use. I think that’s a pity. I’ve switched back to the old look as well, but it’s a stay of execution…

]]> Comment on Why Gmail’s new look is a usability nightmare by Nigel http://www.minto.net/2011/11/why-gmails-new-look-is-a-usability-nightmare/#comment-314 Nigel Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:44:30 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=885#comment-314 (Yeah, Gadget I know) ... anyway. I don't have scrollbars in Chrome, and I only get the Navigation, Labels and Chat - Quick Links and Calendar are gone (but show if I revert to the old interface). What browser are you using ? (Yeah, Gadget I know) … anyway. I don’t have scrollbars in Chrome, and I only get the Navigation, Labels and Chat – Quick Links and Calendar are gone (but show if I revert to the old interface).

What browser are you using ?

]]> Comment on Why Gmail’s new look is a usability nightmare by Nigel http://www.minto.net/2011/11/why-gmails-new-look-is-a-usability-nightmare/#comment-313 Nigel Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:39:47 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=885#comment-313 At least you HAVE a calendar widget, I'm still trying to get mine back after the change! At least you HAVE a calendar widget, I’m still trying to get mine back after the change!

]]> Comment on What Sarah Palin has in common with Ludwig Wittgenstein by Snow http://www.minto.net/2011/01/what-sarah-palin-has-in-common-with-ludwig-wittgenstein/#comment-282 Snow Fri, 26 Aug 2011 23:19:25 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=550#comment-282 There is a critical shortage of inorfmtavie articles like this. There is a critical shortage of inorfmtavie articles like this.

]]> Comment on The lazy journalism of citing Facebook and Twitter by Sunday Best: from demolishing ID to Ian Fleming’s letter to Q http://www.minto.net/2011/06/the-lazy-journalism-of-citing-facebook-and-twitter/#comment-217 Sunday Best: from demolishing ID to Ian Fleming’s letter to Q Sun, 05 Jun 2011 17:47:39 +0000 http://www.minto.net/?p=735#comment-217 [...] an interesting reflection from Rob Minto on the way in which “such as Facebook and Twitter” is becoming a lazy cliché for [...] [...] an interesting reflection from Rob Minto on the way in which “such as Facebook and Twitter” is becoming a lazy cliché for [...]

]]> Comment on Good, strange and seasonal – the name game by Leo http://www.minto.net/2011/03/good-strange-and-seasonal-the-name-game/#comment-183 Leo Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:01:04 +0000 http://www.minto.net/2011/03/whats-in-a-name/#comment-183 Here are some suggestions for the next one... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9435751.stm Here are some suggestions for the next one…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9435751.stm

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