Definitive "Good Font Settings" StyleSheet?

[Hostile17]

What's considered to be the definitive version of a "good font
settings" style sheet?

That is, one which allows nearly all modern browsers, and Netscape 4,
to get readable text.

The basis of this is at http://www.alistapart.com/stories/sizematters/
-- the column "Size Matters" by Todd Fahrner.

The concept, as I understand it, is set Netscape 4 fonts to specific
point-sizes because it's not reliable when using relative sizes, and
then use an imported style sheet which Netscape 4 ignores to do the
more correct sizes like "small" and "extra-small" -- including a
couple of hacks to take care of bugs.

It's just that this article is a little old and I'm guessing there's a
more sophisticated version plus a version which takes into account
bugs which have appeared since 2001.

What would you think is a good base style sheet that I could grab
which uses this concept -- relative sizes for good browsers, fallback
position for Netscape 4?

TIA

 

[William Tasso]

What's considered to be the definitive version of a "good font
settings" style sheet?

less is more

have you considered the benefits of not setting a font?

 

[Brian]

Is there some reason why you cross-posted to 3 groups? Couldn't
decide where your query belonged? I'd say the first one you chose:
ciwas. (f'up set)

If you're going to cross-post, at least set followups.

What's considered to be the definitive version of a "good font
settings" style sheet?

That is, one which allows nearly all modern browsers, and Netscape
4, to get readable text.

body {font-size: 100%}

The basis of this is at
http://www.alistapart.com/stories/sizematters/ -- the column "Size
Matters" by Todd Fahrner.

The concept, as I understand it, is set Netscape 4 fonts to
specific point-sizes because it's not reliable when using relative
sizes, and then use an imported style sheet which Netscape 4
ignores

use relative font-sizes for other elements
h1 {font-size: 150%}
h2 {font-size: 130%}
..important {font-size: 110%}

hide these from n4. @import rule is one method that works.

to do the more correct sizes like "small" and "extra-small" --
including a couple of hacks to take care of bugs.

I would not recommend you use those keywords.

relative sizes for good browsers, fallback position for
Netscape 4?

Fallback position is don't set any font size other than for body element.

 

[Stephen Poley]

The concept, as I understand it, is set Netscape 4 fonts to specific
point-sizes because it's not reliable when using relative sizes, and
then use an imported style sheet which Netscape 4 ignores to do the
more correct sizes like "small" and "extra-small" -- including a
couple of hacks to take care of bugs.

In my experience relative sizes of 100% and greater work fine in
Netscape 4, but sizes smaller than 100% display at 100% - which isn't
such a terrible idea really. I suggest just using the relative sizes
straightforwardly - the worst that can happen is that Netscape 4 users
get a page which is a bit more readable than you intended. ;-)

There are enough people still using Netscape 4 that you should ensure
that your pages are readable in it, but not enough of them for it to be
worthwhile worrying about the cosmetics.

It's just that this article is a little old and I'm guessing there's a
more sophisticated version plus a version which takes into account
bugs which have appeared since 2001.

If you simply write valid HTML/CSS, any browsers since 2001 should be
able to cope with it - at least as far as this topic is concerned.

 

[Philipp Lenssen]

What's considered to be the definitive version of a "good font
settings" style sheet?

That is, one which allows nearly all modern browsers, and Netscape 4,
to get readable text.

The following CSS should do a good job of setting readable font sizes,
and it works in all browsers:

 

[Brian]

The following CSS should do a good job of setting readable font sizes,
and it works in all browsers:

:-D

 

[Brian]

[f'ups set again]

In my experience relative sizes of 100% and greater work fine in
Netscape 4, but sizes smaller than 100% display at 100%

That has not been my experience. N4 seems to regard
h1 {font-size: 150%}
as 'make the font size of heading 1 element 150% of the default size
of h1,' and not 'make it 150% of the default font size [ie, of root
element].