Font and text problems

Francis Chamberlain · From: Franklin, KY, USA (deceased)

I wished I knew more about the computer. I am having problems with the fonts or the text size. Different web-sites have different size text. I can change some by clicking on view but I am unable to change others. I sure would appreciate it if some one could help me on this matter.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

The View/Text Size - Medium is the default setting for Internet Explorer. Firefox just has "normal" or "increase" or "decrease" for font size.

Different web sites can have different font sizes, even on this site, those are not really "controllable".

Can you give us some web site examples, that have "small" font size.

Jeff Agnew · From: Dallas, TX

Depending on which method the web designer used, you may not be able to change the text size on some sites. I won't bore you with the technical details, but this is poor design and shows laziness or lack of knowledge on the designer's part.

Worse, these same lazy designers never check their work using other browsers, screen sizes, or operating systems but their own. So it looks great with their own configuration, but if yours differs in any way it will not look the same as what the designer saw.

With the tools we now have available, it's possible to create a site that will look good in any browser and at any screen size. But it takes a lot more work and forethought and many site designers, especially non-professionals, don't bother.

There are two options I can think of at the moment that would alter text size on those sites but both would involve a little computer savvy and you'd have to ask yourself if the sites are worth the trouble.

That said, you shouldn't be encountering this problem often. If you are, it's not a design problem. As Jack mentioned, giving a few examples would be helpful.

Francis Chamberlain · From: Franklin, KY, USA (deceased)

IN reference to the font or text size I have no problem with changing the size on this
web-site (Steel Guitar Forum). I look up news on 3 or 4 different web-sites. On "MSNBC" I don't have a problem but on "USA Today", "NBC" and "CNN" I am unable to change the size of the text.
A couple of days ago I was attempting to change the sizes by pulling up the "Display Properties" screen under the "Appearance" tab, could I have goofed things by clicking on the wrong thing????

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I tried CNN using the View/Test Size and it would not change.

Carter York · From: Austin, TX [Windsor Park]

Firefox browser allows one to control fonts a webpage uses, and the minimum size. I have mine set with a nice sized minimum, and tell the program to always use my fonts and sizing, not the webpage's I'm visiting.

Jeff Agnew · From: Dallas, TX

I was able to change text size on those sites using both Opera and Firefox. Here's Firefox:

Normal text

Large text

A great feature of Opera is that you can choose to use your own style sheet rather than that used by the site. I use this, for example, to change sites that use white text on a black background (hard for me to read) to black text on white. And this change is accesible with a single click.

Firefox also has the ability to override page style but it's not as configurable. I vaguely remember reading about a third-party extension that will do that but I haven't tried it.

[This message was edited by Jeff Agnew on 06 January 2006 at 07:00 AM.]

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

There are two mechanisms for font size on web pages. One is relative and the other is absolute.

Web designers who come from the old world of designing for print often prefer absolute sizing. It gives them total control over the page, and the user can do nothing to affect the text size.

Web designers who have a better understanding of the unique requirements of the web will use relative sizing. In this model, the "Font Size" control of the browser will work.

The original HTML font command had just 7 sizes. It used the relative model, and it's what we use here on the Forum.

More modern sites use CSS to style the fonts. CSS provides both models, but old-school designers like to say "use a 12 point font here". That's what has happened on the sites where the "Font Size" control doesn't work.

You can use relative sizing in CSS by specifying font sizes as a percentage of the "em width". If a web designer sets a font size to "1.2 em", it will be 120% of the "normal" size prefered by the user.

I wish everyone used relative sizing. I think it's the best way to design web pages.

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System Administrator
My Blog

Francis Chamberlain · From: Franklin, KY, USA (deceased)

I appreciate the replys on this subject. Like I said, I don't know a lot about computers but from from what you guys are saying, I am with the understanding that if I can't change the text or fonts, it is not the fault of my computer or the way I am operating it but the way the web-site was setup.

Tom Diemer · From: Defiance, Ohio USA

I'm no web page designer, but I heard of this problem before. The answer I got, was the web page specified size as the number of pixels, not a font size, like IE and Firefox does, so it doesn't change. There is no pixel size adjustment in those browers, just font size.

I 'think' you can fix the problem by going to Tools /Internet Options, General tab. Click the Accessibility button and select "Ignore font sizes specified on Web pages" option.

Haven't tried it, but I think it will let you override the pixelsize setting then. Not sure if Firefox has an equivilent setting.

Francis Chamberlain · From: Franklin, KY, USA (deceased)

Thanks Tom. Yes, that does work.

Larry Lorows · From: Zephyrhills,Florida, USA

Hi Guys, I'm no computer expert, but if I need to increase the font size, I just hit control and the + sign. This usually works for me. If it is too big I hit the control and - sign.
Larry

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U12 Williams keyless 400
Evans SE 150, Nashville 112, Line 6 pod xt

Harry Dietrich · From: Robesonia, Pennsylvania, USA, R.I.P.

If you have a "scroll mouse", just hit Ctrl and scroll one way or the other to increase or decrease font sizes.

Harry

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