That's fair--a worthwhile debate though. :-)

... eye of the beholder, a matter of taste, etc, etc. No offense, of course! I've just never run across a situation where there wasn't a more appropriate or even elegant solution.

I disagree. The Helvetica letterforms are like 2x4s; they are functional elements and that's all. If they work, great; and when not, there are always other options. Meanwhile, it's a nicely balanced family that's workable in a number of settings. That's not easily said for many of the type families I otherwise love. :-)

In 20 years of spec'ing type, I have never ONCE employed H. (I can't even type it out.) It's hard to find a place where something else wouldn't work better. And most of the candidates are already up on this list already. It's not that I dislike the letterforms, but they are anodyne, dated, and worse, reek of laziness on the part of the designer. So there.

When in doubt, Helvetica Bold.