I can't tell I from l when they look alike but not exactly like 1

An upper case I, lower case l, and the digit 1 in hand writing are rarely confused. Even when printing became available characters were given serifs to help distinguish them.

Sans serif fonts became fashionable because low screen resolution made them easier to render effectively, but these days screen resolutions are "retina" quality which means the eye cannot distinguish individual pixels and serif fonts can be rendered in fine detail.

As others have said, there is now little excuse to use a font that does not readily distinguish I, l, and 1.

• https://www.quora.com/How-do-you-differentiate-I-and-l-upper-case-I-and-lower-case-L

from text by: Alan Bustany