In your sample, only the r, I, i, and l can be said to have serifs and in the case of the last three, it’s pretty clear that the reason is to fill up some of the vast(ish) space that would be left empty and distracting in this monospace font. With the r it might simply be the designer’s whim. HTH
Good points! I’ve always wondered about typewriter typefaces and why they are the way they are.
I can understand offering pica and its smaller cousin elite, but Hermes typewriters also had “special” versions of typefaces that were just a skooch smaller than the regular version. Like Techno Pica and Techno Pica Special, Pica Director, etc. I guess it all comes down to niche markets that today simply resize on a computer.
Speaking of which, I won’t even begin to wonder why Microsoft’s default point size seems to be 11 these days. Why not 12 or 10? Mongo not know. Mongo merely pawn in game of life.
Mono-spaced fonts are so nice. It’s why I prefer typing my first drafts in TextWrangler (now BBEdit). Perhaps the mono-spaced fonts are have a bit more orderly look to them, since they form straight columns. Combine the columns with the rows, and you have a nice grid.
Or maybe, I like the mono-spaced font, because it subconsciously makes me think I’m using a typewriter. Maybe I should find a digital version of Pica, and see how it feels when I use it in BBEdit.
[…] Then he photographs the typed page and posts it, unedited. One of his recent posts he questions why the font on his typewriter has serifs for some characters, but not others. This question made me think about why I like mono-spaced […]
L.T. Hanlon 
In your sample, only the r, I, i, and l can be said to have serifs and in the case of the last three, it’s pretty clear that the reason is to fill up some of the vast(ish) space that would be left empty and distracting in this monospace font. With the r it might simply be the designer’s whim. HTH
LikeLike
Good points! I’ve always wondered about typewriter typefaces and why they are the way they are.
I can understand offering pica and its smaller cousin elite, but Hermes typewriters also had “special” versions of typefaces that were just a skooch smaller than the regular version. Like Techno Pica and Techno Pica Special, Pica Director, etc. I guess it all comes down to niche markets that today simply resize on a computer.
Speaking of which, I won’t even begin to wonder why Microsoft’s default point size seems to be 11 these days. Why not 12 or 10? Mongo not know. Mongo merely pawn in game of life.
LikeLike
Mono-spaced fonts are so nice. It’s why I prefer typing my first drafts in TextWrangler (now BBEdit). Perhaps the mono-spaced fonts are have a bit more orderly look to them, since they form straight columns. Combine the columns with the rows, and you have a nice grid.
Or maybe, I like the mono-spaced font, because it subconsciously makes me think I’m using a typewriter. Maybe I should find a digital version of Pica, and see how it feels when I use it in BBEdit.
LikeLike
You ought to get Hanx Writer, an app from typrwriter fan Tom Hanks that works on iOS. It’s quite fun.
http://hanxwriter.com
LikeLike
Is the Hanx Writer iOS only? OI don’t seem to see a MacOS version.
Also, your post here inspired me to write one about mono-spaced fonts. https://www.mattmaldre.com/2019/05/15/joy-of-mono-spaced-fonts/
LikeLike
Hanx Writer looks to be iOS only.
LikeLike
[…] Then he photographs the typed page and posts it, unedited. One of his recent posts he questions why the font on his typewriter has serifs for some characters, but not others. This question made me think about why I like mono-spaced […]
LikeLiked by 1 person