Rant - Small font sizes

[Adrienne Boswell]

Why is it that IT web sites seem to always use the smallest font
possible? I went to one today and had to sign up to view an article.
All the input boxes had tiny text. This was a Windows IT site, so
probably they think that only IE people are using it, and those poor
people can't adjust px text sizes. Thank goodness I use Opera.

Rant over. Thanks, I feel better.

 

[Animesh K]

Why is it that IT web sites seem to always use the smallest font
possible? I went to one today and had to sign up to view an article.
All the input boxes had tiny text. This was a Windows IT site, so
probably they think that only IE people are using it, and those poor
people can't adjust px text sizes. Thank goodness I use Opera.

Rant over. Thanks, I feel better.

--
Adrienne Boswell at work
Administrator nextBlock.com
http://atlas.nextblock.com/files/
Please respond to the group so others can share

I use 1 em (12pt or 16pt?) font size on my webpages. Hardly needs
re-scaling.

Most people use smaller font-sizes to pack more text in the visible
window. Works for sites where you don't actually have to read

 

[Adrienne Boswell]

shameless plug

I use 1 em (12pt or 16pt?) font size on my webpages. Hardly needs
re-scaling.

Most people use smaller font-sizes to pack more text in the visible
window. Works for sites where you don't actually have to read

Actually, you would do better with:
body {/* whatever colors you want here, and generic font family*/}
h1 {*/ whatever percentage - I usually use 130% of body, but since there
IS not font size defined it defaults to the users size*/}
..legalese {*/ a smaller font-size, for me usually 75% = again it's 75% of
the user's chosen font size */}

IE has had problems with 1em, and what about users who 1em is either too
big, or too small. Percentages work like magic, just what the user
ordered.

 

[Travis Newbury]

Why is it that IT web sites seem to always use the smallest font
possible?...

They do it because they don't see it as an issue. It looks good to
them, therefore, it looks good to everyone. And (sorry to say) in
most cases, they are probably right. It more than likely does look
fine to the overwhelming majority of the visitors.

Us old farts (include yourself is applicable...) either have to get
some good-ol dollar store reading glasses, or change the font size.

 

[Travis Newbury]

I use 1 em (12pt or 16pt?) font size on my webpages. Hardly needs
re-scaling.

So you just piss off a smaller number of people...

 

[rf]

Why is it that IT web sites seem to always use the smallest font
possible? I went to one today and had to sign up to view an article.
All the input boxes had tiny text. This was a Windows IT site, so
probably they think that only IE people are using it, and those poor
people can't adjust px text sizes. Thank goodness I use Opera.

Why bother gearing up to a rant. Simply tell your browser to use a minimum
font size. If the site breaks then there is always their competitor just
over there --->

Rant over. Thanks, I feel better.

Know what you mean

<rant>
Same goes for sites that take forever to load. On cable here and if
something takes more than a couple or three seconds (let us allow that the
server may be temporarily overloaded) I look at my network icon. If it
remains flashing (that is, it's indicating I'm downloading stuff at up to
500KB/s) for another two seconds I instantly hit the back button and choose
the next search result.
</rant>

 

[Bergamot]

Most people use smaller font-sizes to pack more text in the visible
window.

I doubt that's the *usual* reason, but is possibly *a* reason.

 

[dorayme]

I doubt that's the *usual* reason, but is possibly *a* reason.

But you are not going to reveal what you think is the predominant
reason.

 

[rf]

But you are not going to reveal what you think is the predominant
reason.

Sheep.

Everybody else does it so I must do it as well.

Or perhaps lemmings. Over the cliff into the sea of unreadability.

 

[Blinky the Shark]

Sheep.

Everybody else does it so I must do it as well.

Or perhaps lemmings. Over the cliff into the sea of unreadability.

Isn't that just around the peninsula from the Sea Of Troubles of which
Hamlet spoke?

 

[Ed Jensen]

Why is it that IT web sites seem to always use the smallest font
possible? I went to one today and had to sign up to view an article.
All the input boxes had tiny text. This was a Windows IT site, so
probably they think that only IE people are using it, and those poor
people can't adjust px text sizes. Thank goodness I use Opera.

Rant over. Thanks, I feel better.

I know a lot of people (including myself) that aren't too happy about
the small font sizes that seem so popular on web sites these days.

The way I deal with it is by using Firefox and the View -> Text Size
-> Increase feature. Increasing the font size one or two steps
usually does the job. It usually also causes the web site to render
slightly incorrectly, but I guess you can't have everything!

 

[Adrienne Boswell]

I know a lot of people (including myself) that aren't too happy about
the small font sizes that seem so popular on web sites these days.

The way I deal with it is by using Firefox and the View -> Text Size
-> Increase feature. Increasing the font size one or two steps
usually does the job. It usually also causes the web site to render
slightly incorrectly, but I guess you can't have everything!

Yup, I use Opera, so it's not an issue for me either. It's just a PITA -
I don't WANT to have to increase the font size - the font size should be
that to which my system is already set. I know what I can read, they
don't.

Rant over - again.... tune in next time, same HTML-Time, same HTML-
Channel.

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

I know a lot of people (including myself) that aren't too happy about
the small font sizes that seem so popular on web sites these days.

Web developers get younger and younger...

The way I deal with it is by using Firefox and the View -> Text Size
-> Increase feature.

Why not just press Control-Plus? Or Control-Minus to decrease, and
Control-0 (Zero) to return to your default.

Increasing the font size one or two steps usually does the job. It
usually also causes the web site to render slightly incorrectly, but
I guess you can't have everything!

...because those developers don't know how to properly define font size.

 

[Bergamot]

Yup, I use Opera, so it's not an issue for me either. It's just a PITA -
I don't WANT to have to increase the font size

I thought Opera had a minimum font-size setting. Why not make that
whatever suits you and be done with it?

 

[Blinky the Shark]

I know a lot of people (including myself) that aren't too happy about
the small font sizes that seem so popular on web sites these days.

The way I deal with it is by using Firefox and the View -> Text Size
-> Increase feature. Increasing the font size one or two steps
usually does the job. It usually also causes the web site to render
slightly incorrectly, but I guess you can't have everything!

Y'know you can adjust text size with Ctrl-wheel, too, right?

 

[Ed Seedhouse]

Web developers get younger and younger...


Why not just press Control-Plus? Or Control-Minus to decrease, and
Control-0 (Zero) to return to your default.

Or the back button! That's the one I usually pick. If that means I
don't read your web page, well it's not my problem is it?

 

[Neredbojias]

Know what you mean

<rant>
Same goes for sites that take forever to load. On cable here and if
something takes more than a couple or three seconds (let us allow that
the server may be temporarily overloaded) I look at my network icon.
If it remains flashing (that is, it's indicating I'm downloading stuff
at up to 500KB/s) for another two seconds I instantly hit the back
button and choose the next search result.
</rant>

Not only are you a fussbudget but you complain about somebody else's rant
and then make one yourself. 'Bet you can't ski, either...

 

[Ed Jensen]

Why not just press Control-Plus? Or Control-Minus to decrease, and
Control-0 (Zero) to return to your default.

I do use the keyboard shortcuts, I only mentioned the menu for extra
clarity.

 

[rf]

Not only are you a fussbudget

What is a fussbudget? Never heard the term before.

but you complain about somebody else's rant

Did I complain? I don't think so. I thought I provided a solution to the
rant, and followed on with a further rant of my own, one that I feel quite
strongly about. If you saw it differently then so be it. Your problem.

'Bet you can't ski, either...

I don't see what the relevance of this is but yes, I can ski. In fact I hold
a ski instructors certificate. Would you like a couple of lessons?

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

What is a fussbudget? Never heard the term before.

It's an Americanism.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=fussbudget&x=0&y=0
"a fussy or needlessly fault-finding person"

I don't see what the relevance of this is but yes, I can ski. In fact
I hold a ski instructors certificate. Would you like a couple of
lessons?

I was waiting to see how you would respond to that... ;-)