Standard font for technical documentation

[Graeme R Forbes]

Syed said:

"Helvetica for all headers. I used to use Arial, but was clearly shown
(in this list! :)) that Helvetica looks a lot better in larger sizes
(like headers) and in printed form - better curves, etc."


I missed this discussion but I'm not surprised. I've read in more than one place 
in the typographical literature that Arial was a cheap knock-off of Helvetica that 
Microsoft cobbled together to avoid paying royalties (to Herman Zapf or 
Linotype?). (This story may be false but it *sounds* true!) Apparently there is no 
way that font designers can protect their work -- anyone with the right software 
can copy what may have taken months of effort, change the name, and sell it or 
give it away.

Graeme Forbes