The low-contrast text wouldn't be nearly as bad if the font weren't locked down to microscopic size. I had to break out the old Accessiblity trick so my eyes wouldn't start bleeding.

I had the pleasure of telling none other than Jeffrey "Only px works!" Zeldman about this option at Web Design World 2 years back. (If you're not into CSS, I'm talking about pages where there's text, and you hit larger font size in your browser, and it doesn't change).

How to do this in IE5 or higher: Click on Tools, Internet Options, Accessiblity button, and check "Ignore font sizes specified on pages." If the lines start running together, check all the checkboxes.

Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine. I just went into the stylesheet of the backend of the otherwise excellent Moveable Type and made as many styles as I could not use larger font sizes.

Posted by: on June 7, 2002 01:58 AM

 

The low-contrast text wouldn't be nearly as bad if the font weren't locked down to microscopic size. I had to break out the old Accessibility trick so my eyes wouldn't start bleeding.

I had the pleasure of telling none other than Jeffrey "Only px works!" Zeldman about this option at Web Design World 2 years back. (If you're not into stylesheets, I'm talking about pages where there's text, and you hit larger font size in your browser, and it doesn't change).

How to do this in IE5 or higher: Click on Tools, Internet Options, Accessibility button, and check "Ignore font sizes specified on pages." If the lines start running together, check all the checkboxes. I only bother to do this for articles I like.

Any other browsers out there let you do this without setting up your own stylesheet?

Yes, this is a pet peeve of mine. I just went into the publishing side of Moveable Type and made as many styles as I could use larger font sizes.

Posted by: on June 7, 2002 02:02 AM

 

Thanks for the link to the article.

The site uses a 12px high font by default, but there are alternate style sheets available via the customize section of my site. A few of these use 14px black text on a white background.

Other sheets are higher contrast, so you do have those options available via the site. As an aside, IE5 is broken in many places - this is one of them.

Posted by: Paul on June 10, 2002 01:43 PM

 

That's beside the point. Sites should be designed with 'em' so they are resizeable to begin with. If everyone adopted your philosophy, users would have to visit a "preferences" page on every site they visit so that the page text is readable for them. Why not leave the text in its native state (resizeable)?

When I visit a site with fixed type, I leave. The designer obviously doesn't care whether I can read what he has to say. It's anti-user.

Posted by: Jacko on June 11, 2002 11:36 AM

 

Sorry for not checking back sooner, Jacko.

If everyone adopted your philosophy, users would have to visit a "preferences" page on every site they visit so that the page text is readable for them. Why not leave the text in its native state (resizeable)?

I don't see much wrong with the concept of a preferences page, but I do agree that it could get very tedious very quickly. I also think, however, that if a site doesn't allow true customization it should be up to the browser. Two out of the three major browsers I choose to cater to (because of my traffic) do allow text resizing correctly, even with px instead of em.

The other point is that it's a personal site. Personal sites are just that, and truthfully do not *have* to be accessible. They can be set in 8 point Chicago for all the designer cares, and that's fine. If I did this on a professional site, obviously things would be different.

Posted by: Paul on July 31, 2002 12:03 PM

 

Sure, it is an accessibility issue, but it's also a plain ol' everybody issue. Most people are not using your exact same computer configuration with your same reading preferences. Fixed typefaces, or ones that require additional steps by the user (e.g., a preferences page) to change, are inherently anti-user. The default setting empowers the user. Your change takes power away.

I agree with you, personal sites do not have to be user-friendly. Do what you want. You have created a Jack-free zone on the Internet.

Posted by: Jack on July 31, 2002 11:04 PM

 

I'm sorry, but I've had this discussion one too many times with designers who insist on using fixed typefaces. The bottom line, for me, is that the designer doesn't give a damn whether I can read his site or whether I have a pleasurable experience there. When I try to resize text and find it locked, I simply leave the site. The same goes for sites with horrendous text contrast (such as the light blue links on boxesandarrows.com). An ugly design I can live with. A site with basic usability issues I cannot. There probably isn't a design issue that pisses me off more because it's so in-your-face.

Posted by: Jack on July 31, 2002 11:14 PM

 

So Jack, if I switched font sizing on my website to ems, thereby giving control back to the user, would you be more likely to visit and leave comments? If that's what it takes to get you to visit my site, than it just might be worth it.

Posted by: Joshua Kaufman on August 1, 2002 04:22 PM

 

Well, there are two things I look for in a blog. Resizeable text is not one of them. That's just a prerequisite.

1) Daily news of interest. If it's not daily, I get annoyed every morning when there's nothing new to look at. I'm put off when bloggers go on vacation. Never read a German blog. They skip town for months at a time!

2) Users posting comments, or the site owner exchanging e-mails. Reading news is fine, but if I can't post obnoxious opinionated messages, where's the fun?

In reviewing your site today, you score points for having a haiku link, even if it leads to dumb Americans who don't know how to compose authentic haiku.

The other links are so-so, nothing that makes me want to read more. And you give BoxesAndArrows a prominent affiliate link, which makes me question your sanity.

However, because I am full of myself, if you switch to normal text (resizeable text), I will visit your site for a while to give it a chance. I will always welcome another designer into the light. I shall do as Jesus did, saving souls one at a time.

Posted by: Jack on August 1, 2002 07:18 PM

 

Thanks for your feedback, Jack.

Yes, I'm affiliated with Boxes and Arrows. Yes, we know the site needs a lot of work. Yes, we're a loosely organized non-profit just trying to make a difference. What are your criticisms? Perhaps they would help us improve the site?

Posted by: Joshua Kaufman on August 2, 2002 10:51 AM

 

Jack: When I try to resize text and find it locked, I simply leave the site.

I would, too. But have you considered that your choice of browser might be causing the issue?

I'm not advocating that you drop your browser and try something else; rather, I'm advocating a further education on the situation at hand.

Posted by: Paul on August 20, 2002 11:20 AM