Hi there,
Is Helvetica available in ttf format? If not, what might be some good alternatives? I would appreciate any links to download on ttf format, thanks!
A:
You can download Arial from the msttcorefonts project. According to Wikipedia:
Monotype's Arial, designed in 1982, while different from Helvetica in some few details, has identical character widths, and is indistinguishable by most non-specialists.
TML
2009-05-22 10:03:03
Arial is NOT a good alternative to Helvetica.
jbrennan
2009-10-30 01:16:10
Based on what? They look pretty much the same here.
TML
2009-11-03 03:53:24
Arial only looks like Helvetica at 12pt and below. Above that it starts to look rubbish fast - even to people who couldn't tell you why.
Keith
2010-02-01 12:03:59
Out of morbid curiosity, I took a poll of 14 people in our office today. I gave them a piece of paper with the classic "The quick brown fox.." on it two times in 28 point font - once in Helvetica, once in Arial, each clearly labelled - printed via a Xerox Workcenter 5638. I then took that sheet away and gave them a sheet with it once in Helvetica and asked them which of the two fonts had been used. 3 of them said Arial, 4 of them said Helvetica, 7 of them were uncomfortable even guessing because they "pretty much look the same". Not scientific, I know, but something to think about.
TML
2010-02-04 10:35:18
+1
A:
Of course Arial is without the doubt the bastard half brother of Helvetica - and is clearly distinguishable all 'specialists'. For a good history check http://www.ms-studio.com/articles.html or check out the fantastic doco 'Helvetica'.
lotech
2009-10-30 01:08:17
+2
A:
And, to complete the trifecta of answers, see also the Bitstream Vera Sans family: http://www.gnome.org/fonts/
a paid nerd
2009-10-30 01:11:27