What is the best font for programming?

[Gary R Wheeler]

BillWoodruff wrote:

I personally find colored text on a black background difficult to read in all situations, perhaps one reason I find so many of the WPF interfaces in the style I refer to as "vampire funeral" very difficult to use ... but I have the same problem with what I refer to as the "bleached-out aqua" WPF interface themes. probably just my old eyes

Same here. The UI for Expression Blend infuriates me. It's designed for twenty-something Starbuck-sucking artiste designers, instead of old working fucks like me who need to do a job and can't read the gray-on-gray screen.

Software Zen: delete this;
Fold With Us![^]

[horia67]

I've yet to see a font that beats Bitstream Vera Sans Mono. And for Visual Studio settings, I use 2008-DarkGrey. But this is pretty much a matter of personal preference...

[Judah Gabriel Himango]

31" for first monitor, 28" for the 2nd. Both are running at 1920x1200.

Religiously blogging on the intarwebs since the early 21st century: Kineti L'Tziyon Judah Himango

[Noel Paricollo 2]

Lucida Console 9pt Background black Keyword green Identifier yellow comment cyan strings a kind of orange

NoelPV2

[ely_bob]

Christian Graus wrote:

To suggest there's an optimal programming font, is the height of ignorance.

-- common FONT related issues: Zero's that look like O's, 1's that lool like l's, or I's or |'s ..(i like that here in this font they do..) other issues... Commas which lack definition to be differentiated from (.)/(,) or (~)/(-), or(o)/(c) or (v,u)...I could go on.... Ohh did I mention that i am dislexic... so I can go on and on.. Fo_nt_ IS a serious issue.. :-\ Companies spend thousands of dollars developing a font for a product, which will help set either a mood or a branding... There are Degree's in which font, and typesetting are whole year upper level courses...!

[Wasserspeier]

I once spent hours trying debug code that had a typo where a upper case "O" was replaced with a zero "0". I would say in this case the right font would have made it obvious.

[Kizul Emeraldfire]

I personally use 9pt Fixedsys — failing that, 11pt Courier New. Fixed-width font is <3. :)

[ormonds]

May I suggest your reply also displays some ignorance? It is well known, for instance, that serifed fonts have about a 7% better uptake in understanding than san serif. Font choice is probably very personal - but it is also possible that one font will relax the eyes more. The retinal nerve uses an appreciable fraction of the brain's 10 watts power, so maybe the right choice of font will allow longer work periods.

[Kevin McFarlane]

CaptainSeeSharp wrote:

I've just rediscovered the beauty of color on black

I hate that.

CaptainSeeSharp wrote:

The massive reduction of strain on the eyes is good also.

I find the opposite. It's colour on black that gives me strain.

Kevin

[Synaptrik]

You really are a pratt at times Christian. You insist on badgering Josh even when he posts reasonable material. Why bate him like this? You do a great disservice to this site when you troll in this manner and I find it reprehensible.

This statement is false

[Synaptrik]

Christian Graus wrote:

To suggest there's an optimal programming font, is the height of ignorance.

You used to be a personality here bent on helping people. Now you're reduced to complaining about the quality of questions and trolling Josh. Nietzsche has some interesting insights regarding staring into the abyss you might do well to digest. It suggests that it won't be long before we see no difference between you and what you think you're combating.

This statement is false

[Synaptrik]

No need to lower yourself and be a jerk in response. I hate to say it, but after watching your parlance for the last couple of years with Josh has convince me that you have asked for what you've got. Seek and find.

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[Synaptrik]

I actually used that in the 90s for about a week. heh

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[Synaptrik]

Christian Graus wrote:

He needs to choose something he likes.

Kinda arrogant isn't it, to presume what another needs... I think you need to get over it.

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[Walveranta]

What's with all this bickering? The original poster just wanted to know what would be a good programming font. Yes, many fonts work for programming, but some are better for that purpose than others. Personally I find it interesting to optimize my tools: utilities, applications, and also the visual helpers such as fonts. Oftentimes comments that I read either bring nothing new, or they reiterate something that I already use/know (or have tested and have decided is not working for me). But every now and then this kinds of threads (less all the complaining) introduce some new idea, utility, application, and why not, a font that then becomes a nice addition to my toolset. Personally, I like Pragmata and Andale Mono. Since different applications render fonts slightly differently I tend to choose - for programming purposes - one or the other. The main utilities of such fonts are: good differentiation of similar-looking characters and the that they are monospaced. I can't stand writing code with a proportionally spaced fonts.

[DrFrankenstein90]

I quite much like Envy Code R.[^] My second choice would be Consolas or Vera Sans Mono (tie). Third... hmm... I'd say Monaco.

[darktrick544]

I've switched a bunch of times but always come back to Courier New at 10 pt I've used color on black ever since my Turbo Pascal days. When I sit with someone that has a white bkgd, I have trouble picking out what's what.

[Jim SS]

One more reason not to like Eclipse. I can't figure out how to set the background color.:mad:

SS => Qualified in Submarines "We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm". Winston Churchill "Real programmers can write FORTRAN in any language". Unknown

[SohjSolwin]

Personally, I use Ragnarok blue. link[^]

[Ware Work]

I have used this on and off at various times.

WarePhreak Programmers are tools to convert caffiene to code.