Editing Verdana (section)

==Prevalence==

Released in 1996, Verdana was bundled with subsequent versions of the [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] [[operating system]], as well as their [[Microsoft Office|Office]] and [[Internet Explorer]] software on Windows, [[classic Mac OS]], and [[Mac OS X]]. Since at least Mac OS X 10.4, it is also bundled with the Mac OS itself.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1538 |title=Apple.com - Mac OS X 10.4: Fonts list |publisher=Support.apple.com |date=2011-11-06 |access-date=2013-09-21 |archive-date=2013-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925144717/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1538 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition, up until 2002<ref name="extremetech">{{cite web |url=http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,469394,00.asp |title=Microsoft Withdraws Free Web Fonts |author=Mark Hachman |publisher=ExtremeTech |date=2002-08-14 |access-date=2010-04-13 |archive-date=2010-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100417160545/http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0%2C3973%2C469394%2C00.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="ms-faq8">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/typography/faq/faq8.htm |title=TrueType core fonts for the Web FAQ |author=Microsoft |website=[[Microsoft]] |date=2002-07-25 |access-date=2010-04-13 |archive-date=2002-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020124073322/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/faq/faq8.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> it was available for download from Microsoft's web site as [[freeware]] (".exe" files for Microsoft Windows and in ".sit.hqx" archives for Mac OS) under a proprietary license imposing some restrictions on usage and distribution, allowing it to be used by end users in any system supporting installation of "exe" or ".sit.hqx" files and supporting [[TrueType]] fonts.<ref name="eula">{{cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/eula.htm |title=TrueType core fonts for the Web EULA |author=Microsoft |website=[[Microsoft]] |date=2001-12-28 |access-date=2010-04-13 |archive-date=2009-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091208063245/http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fontpack/eula.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The downloadable files are still available legally from third-party web sites; see the [[#External links|External links]] section. However, these files include only old versions of Verdana, and updated versions are not available as freeware.

According to a 2013 survey, the availability of Verdana was 99.90% on Windows, 99.26% on Mac OS, and 70.02% on [[Free and open source software|free]] operating systems like [[Linux]].<ref>[http://www.codestyle.org/css/font-family/sampler-CombinedResultsFull.shtml Code Style: Most common fonts for Windows, Mac and Linux, full font survey results]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426150237/http://www.codestyle.org/css/font-family/sampler-CombinedResultsFull.shtml |date=April 26, 2013 }}.</ref>

According to a study of online fonts by the Software Usability and Research Laboratory at [[Wichita State University]], participants preferred Verdana as the best overall font choice, and it was also perceived as being among the most legible fonts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/41/onlinetext.asp |title=A Comparison of Popular Online Fonts: Which Size and Type is Best? |access-date=2015-04-04 |archive-date=2015-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414102012/http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/41/onlinetext.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, Microsoft's font manager, Bill Hill, wrote that "with its large x-height and very generous spacing, it never felt comfortable as an [[eBook]] font". He noted that Microsoft had commissioned an alternative version of the pre-existing typefaces Berling and [[Frutiger (typeface)|Frutiger]] for its [[Microsoft Reader]] e-book product.<ref name="Apple updates iBooks with new book fonts">{{cite web|last1=Hill|first1=Bill|title=Apple updates iBooks with new book fonts|url=https://billhill49.wordpress.com/2011/12/09/apple-updates-ibooks-with-new-book-fonts|website=Bill Hill 49 (blog)|date=9 December 2011 |access-date=26 March 2016}}</ref> Despite this, Verdana was initially used as one of the bundled book-reading fonts on the [[iPad]] before an update in 2011.<ref name="Version 1.5 Improves Typography in iBooks on iPad and iPhone">{{cite web|last1=Peters|first1=Yyves|title=Version 1.5 Improves Typography in iBooks on iPad and iPhone|url=http://fontfeed.com/archives/version-1-5-improves-typography-in-ibooks-onipad-and-iphone/|website=FontFeed|access-date=26 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316081103/http://fontfeed.com/archives/version-1-5-improves-typography-in-ibooks-onipad-and-iphone/|archive-date=16 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>