Typefaces for the 2021 Web Edition of Figurski
As the chart shows, ELL's reconstruction team's mindful approach to translating the work gave attention even to choices made about typefaces for both reading modes.
The team found that the Classic mode could retain the serif proportional font, New York, used in the 2001 Edition, and include Georgia, a serif font created in 1993 for the Microsoft Corporation, for computers running Windows. Likewise, the monospaced font, Monaco, could be retained for the lexias associated with the “Holodeck” as they were for that edition; Consolas, another monospaced font, was selected for Windows computers for those lexias. Additionally, the monospaced font Courier, which had originally been introduced in 1955 for IBM typewriters and has become a staple of computers, including Macintoshes, could be used for the “Terminal.” Several other san-serif fonts could be brought over for Figurski’s “Map” and “Notes.”
Designing the Contemporary mode was not as straightforward since it required fonts that fit the updated style. The decision to retain the funky feel of the original title led to the adoption of the Adobe font, Cotton, for the Contemporary mode. Fira Sans Condensed, clean and easy to read, has been used as Figurski’s primary font, while Exo 2 supplants Monaco/Consolas for the lexias associated with the Holodeck. Courier has been retained for the Terminal.