We see a number of thesis/dissertation fonts discussions. I have never done one, and am curious about the underlying assumptions, which never seem to be discussed.

Who is the target audience? Is it a small group of professors who evaluate the thesis? Or every one in the design, chemistry, whatever program at the school? Or everyone in the world interested in that subject? Or the kind people who paid for the schooling? Or other? Is there a primary and secondary audience?

Are we talking about a printed document, or a pdf document viewed on a screen, or both? If both, does it get re-typeset for a different medium? Are these professionally typeset or mostly done by the student?

Is it offset printed, or professionally digital printed, or printed on a friend's nice printer. Is it a book, and if so how is it bound? Is it just a bunch of loose papers clipped together. Or in a bigger document of collected theses?

Why is this stuff never mentioned in the discussion? Just curious. Thanks.