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Kerning, people, kerning. It's very important. (Original Post) Recursion Sep 2014 OP
I would also suggest kentauros Sep 2014 #1
I LOVE kerning! It's like a hobby to me. vanlassie Sep 2014 #2
When I typeset it's usually with LaTeX Recursion Sep 2014 #3
I missed my calling. Haha! vanlassie Sep 2014 #4
Obligatory xkcd intaglio Sep 2014 #5
I hadn't heard of kerning. lovemydog Sep 2014 #6
Hah. but really, it is fascinating Recursion Sep 2014 #7
There must be a whole list of stuff that shouldn't be too lovemydog Sep 2014 #8
Good question Recursion Sep 2014 #9
No kerning tool has yet to better an experienced human eye. Throd Sep 2014 #14
It's either intentional or a photoshop Sweet Freedom Sep 2014 #11
Interesting. lovemydog Sep 2014 #12
I'm WAAAAY behind the times pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #10
ETAOINSHRDLU. Bet hardly anybody remembers that. The Velveteen Ocelot Sep 2014 #13
Easy for you to say! pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #16
In the mid-1980s, I was the technical writer for a small software house Fortinbras Armstrong Sep 2014 #15
Maybe this is some sort of new promotion? Yavin4 Sep 2014 #17
The robbers don't care pinboy3niner Sep 2014 #18

kentauros

(29,414 posts)
1. I would also suggest
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 01:10 AM
Sep 2014

that in the future, always print out your work, and then tilt it left and right to see how letters accidentally combine.

vanlassie

(5,637 posts)
2. I LOVE kerning! It's like a hobby to me.
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 01:14 AM
Sep 2014

I make a lot of educational posters in my job. Manually kerning, if that's what it's called, is so satisfying. I look forward to it.

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
3. When I typeset it's usually with LaTeX
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 01:15 AM
Sep 2014

but I absolutely love what you can do with kerning and leading with it.

lovemydog

(11,833 posts)
6. I hadn't heard of kerning.
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 05:11 AM
Sep 2014

But now I find it fascinating. I looked it up on dictionary.com. It's great knowing that on the internet such information is just a dick away. Er, click away. C L I C K away.

lovemydog

(11,833 posts)
8. There must be a whole list of stuff that shouldn't be too
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 05:46 AM
Sep 2014

close together, or else it would lead to massive confusion. On the sign you posted, do you think it was a kerning error (is that the correct phrase?), or intentional just to get attention?

Recursion

(56,582 posts)
9. Good question
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 05:48 AM
Sep 2014

Automatic kerning tools have been around for decades, and this got a ton of people to see an esurance ad. Good point.

Throd

(7,208 posts)
14. No kerning tool has yet to better an experienced human eye.
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 11:25 AM
Sep 2014

Unfortunately, it seems the number of those eyes is decreasing.

Sweet Freedom

(3,995 posts)
11. It's either intentional or a photoshop
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 09:39 AM
Sep 2014

Here's another esurance image using a "cl" combination and there is no kerning issue.

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)
10. I'm WAAAAY behind the times
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 06:00 AM
Sep 2014

I've heard the term and seen hilarious examples, but my technological knowledge dates back to HS journalism and print shop when we were using lead slugs from the Linotypes and manually justifying the page.

My Dad was foreman of a plant that made printing machines, but those made individually stamped letters for signs. You changed fonts/sizes by manually inserting a different unit in the machine's carriage. You embossed by sprinkling paint powder on the freshly-printed, wet letters and then holding a heating device over them to melt the powder.

Dad did that on weekends, taking extra work from department stores to make their signs on the printing machine he had in the garage. I helped!

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)
16. Easy for you to say!
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 11:37 AM
Sep 2014


That sure brought back ancient memories!

After Dad passed while I was still a Junior in HS we eventually put all his stuff up for sale, includng his collection of wood block letters. Those went to my HS print shop teacher, who got them for a song. But at least I knew they went to a good guy.

Fortinbras Armstrong

(4,473 posts)
15. In the mid-1980s, I was the technical writer for a small software house
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 11:26 AM
Sep 2014

Among other things, I needed to deal with the printing company. I learnt a great deal about typography, layout, kerning, proofing and so on. An interesting experience.

Yavin4

(35,357 posts)
17. Maybe this is some sort of new promotion?
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 12:07 PM
Sep 2014

Would you want to rob a house with a big dick covering it? I don't think so.

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)
18. The robbers don't care
Thu Sep 4, 2014, 12:16 PM
Sep 2014

As the long-time criminal duo of Johnson and Schwang said, "Don't get me schlong, but it's really no big deal."

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