Topic awaiting preservation: text size

Hi. guys. How are ya? I have just encountered one problem.

Iam using IE. I wanted to change text size of what I was seeing on screen. What I did is View > text size > larger. But it didn't work.

The strange thing is that it often works but sometimes doesn't. I know text made as image can't be changed by that command. But The text I tried to change seem just text not image.

Do you know why?

Hiroki Kozai

It all depends on how the person creating the web page specified the font-size.

IE doesn't allow you to alter fixed unit font sizes (ie: if the font was specified in the style sheet in 'px'). It will allow you to change relative unit font sizes (ie: font size specified in 'em').

Mozilla will allow the user to change both...not sure about Netscape. Personally, I think the fixed units should not be changeable...it helps keep the intent of the creator intact.

Opera also allows the user to change the font size arbitrarily, regardless of how it was specified.

I would agree with DL-44 about whether or not fixed units should be changeable, if web designers were responsible about specifying their font size. If the majority of designers understood the importance of respecting the user's preferences and accessability, they would only use absolute unit sizes when it was absolutely necessary to uphold the integrity of the design. As it is, probably over 90% of designers use pixels just because it's easier and/or they like the idea of things appearing on the user's screen exactly as they see them while designing. IMO, this is an irresponsible approach to web design, but many designers take it anyway. That's why I don't disagree with browsers providing the ability to resize arbitrary text - if designers don't take on the responsibility of respecting the user's preferences, at least browsers do.

Thanks a lot, DL! Slime!

I understand that. It has been scorching today. Just too hot.

Hiroki Kozai

I agree on the issue of irresponsibility...but that will never change if rather than address the issue, we make browsers to circumvent it.

Of course, even if the issue is adequately addressed, people will continue to ignore it to some extent...

My main problem with it, is in some sites I have text that I *need* to stay one size...but 98% of the site is set in relative sizes...so people can change the sizes all they want with no problem. But the couple small spots where I uses pixel sizes get screwed up badly if you resize.

=(

Oh well...

ozoneasylum doesn't allow IE to change size of the font.
Bad decision of the designer?
After all, this is just a forum, mostly text.

Yep. I started wondering after my reply. This small font is probably difficult to read some people.
I wonder why.

Hiroki Kozai

The people who made ubb didn't have a clue.
I remember the Doc saying that he had to go through each file and strip out the font tags just about a gazillion times... so it's no wonder that the style's are in pixels as well.

Yes, a combination of the issue not being a prominent one at the time of this site's design, and the makers of UBB hard coding way too many things to make it worthwhile to strip them out.

Aside from which, an alternative that is gaining popularity and which I find to be a better one all around, is setting the font size however you want it, and allowing the user to switch to a larger size via a link on the page itself.

Gives the user the control they need, but doesn't take it away from the designer...a perfect comprimise.