Hi Jon, and thanks for your take on typography rules.

Can you qualify reverse text any better than "horrible"?

When I was in advertising, I actually interviewed with David Oglivy & Partners (finally landed at Saatchi instead, this was circa 1977), and they had a house rule against reverse text, and I asked why. And the best answer the Senior Art Directors could give me was because David said so.

"Font transparency" is a good goal. The other thing is: when you don't have anything to say, sing it...old adverting proverb—and that's the time to break out the weird fonts. Helvetica, yes, enduring. Times has also stuck around because of its eminent legibility, but dark text on a light background for the web and for print is a pair of handcuffs for a designer, and I don't even know the officer who is handcuffing me.

My Best,

Gary