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Re: Font Resizers (WAS RE: back to top)

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From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Jan 11, 2006 5:35PM

Austin, Darrel wrote:

> The issue with font sizing on the web has a LOT of gotchas:
>
> - browser default sizes are arbitrary, and for some folks, actually too
> big.

Then those users can should, in my utopian fantasy world, set their
defaults accordingly.

> - not every site set's the font size to 100% so there is inconsistency
> there.

And that's because users have not been setting their sizes according to
their preferences, and developers have had to compensate for personal
tastes (or the tastes of their clients). It's a solution, born out of
necessity, which is now impeding the rectification of the original
problem, if you will.

> - screen resolution AND dimensions completely change the size of the
> type.

But they change in relation to the user's preference. Yes, some users
will have lower screen res, making their type in the web page
smaller...but it will be exactly the same size in relation to any other
type (the OS, the browser's own menus, their particular OS text size
settings, etc) on their display. If they are comfortable working working
at a certain resolution with a certain text size for all tasks other
than web browsing, then they should be comfortable with a text size in a
web site that is in direct relation to the text size they use for those
tasks. If I defined a text size of exactly 100% of the default OS text
size, how can a user complain "I can't read this"? Would that not mean
that they also can't actually read text outside of the browser? And in
that scenario, is it the duty of the web developer to compensate for it,
or is it the duty of the user to adapt his/her entire OS to specific
needs/preferences, and the browser manufacturer's duty to abide by those
settings, as well as making any controls that can still allow for case
by case tweaks of things like text size etc obvious?

> - using a lapto vs. your desktop can change the perceived size of the
> type.

Again, not just for the web site, but for the entire OS. If it's too
small in the browser, then the entire OS text is also too small to do
things like word processing etc...

> - many folks do not take the time to set up their favorite font size

And then expect a website to cater for that?

> - some OSes have font size/rendering preferences as well

Well, good, as that's the way it should be.


Ho hum (and yes, despite all the idealism I too pragmatically define my
default size for text as 0.8ish ems on most of my sites...before anybody
gets all excited about pointing out the obvious "do as I say, not as I
do" angle - I like to argue, and fight for, the ideal situation, but I'm
certainly aware of real life issues "until browsers/users do the
conceptually right thing" too)

P
--
Patrick H. Lauke
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