Type Review - Univers

They say Univers is an alternative to Helvetica - the omnipotent, omnipresent type. It looks a lot lot like it too. Most of the markings I've done on the image on top points out the differences as I know it.

As they say, Univers is probably the best alternative to Helvy, if you're not wanting to use Helvy but still want your type to look the same - though sometimes I just wonder why bother going through all the pain of making a type that looks just like another popular one when you can use the better original one. I don't know the origin of Univers, but normally, alternative fonts (or duplicates, like Arial) are made when a company cannot afford to buy originals so they try and make something that looks closest to the original without compromising and having to end up paying millions of dollars for abridging copyrights.

The only thing about Univers is that the slant on top of small 't' is not too sure what it is doing with itself right there. It doesn't seem to have any partner or relationship to any elements in other characters. It is not part of a series of slants to be seen anywhere else at all.

The condensed form is awesome. I love the capital R too.

Few Things I've Learnt As A Designer

(I've read articles telling me the exact same thing, but these are things I've learnt first hand. They are not my original ideas or thoughts.)

1. Don't be quick to pass judgment on a design idea or a concept. Don't be quick to trash a particular typeface calling it rubbish (though you might be right with 90% of fonts). Don't be quick to say that I'd never do a design like this or that.

2. Good design is not equal to 'cool' all the time. Good design is simply communication. You do it in a 'cool' way or 'uncool' way, if you're not communicating or your design is not functional in a real world situation, you're not doing the job.

3. Design is not equal to art. Art is personal. Design is functional. It depends on whose butt is going to sit on the chair you've designed - not on what you were feeling when you pencilled the idea.