Font size ignored!

[aarmenaa]

I am making a website for an elderly neighbor of mine, and I'm having some trouble getting the page to display correctly on her computer-it looks fine on mine.

This problem is, she has Large Fonts (Display Properities->Settings Tab->Advanced Button->Font Size dropdown) enabled on her Windows system. This is really messing up the page. Is there any way to force IE to display the text at the correct size, despite her settings? I have specified the <font size="3"> tag in the HTML, but it's like it doesn't even exsist.

Why can't everyone just work with normal fonts, like the other 99% of the world?

-Aarmenaa

[NeoStarO1]

Hi Aarmenaa,

I use large fonts myself, I normally just increase the font via my mmouse wheel. I went and changed them like you stated your friends has her set on.
Having done that the font still wasn't large enough for my comfort so I increased it even more.

could I get the web address to see if the problem duplicates on my system.

What is her desktop setting at? 800x600 or 1024x768?
Also what OS is she using?
Does this do it for all webpages or only the one you created?

I'll see if I can come up with an answer for you.

[aarmenaa]

You can find the site at www.sandpipercc.tk. I have duplicated the problem on man system aorund my home, unfortuneately. She is using Windows 95 and IE 4 or 5 (not sure which-she's not all that computer literate). Her desktop is 800*600. This large fronts setting seems pretty universal-I have it enabled on my system right now for testing purposes and it has changed to font size on every site I've visited, including TechIMO.

I should have forseen this before-it isn't a very well designed website (I know the site doesn't look very good, but my neighbor kinda limited what I could do with it). I'm spending way too long on this for such a simple site!

-Aarmenaa

[NeoStarO1]

Hi Aarmenaa,

Sorry taken me so long to get back to you. With my settings same as yours. (with expction different OS) TechIMO most pages display correctly except for pages that scroll off to the right side of the page then I have to scroll over.

Is this what you mean by it messes pages up? Where you have to scroll right or left? If that is the case, Try changing her desktop settings to LargeFonts and 1024x768 and then to increase the fonts for the browser only and not system wide go to view, then to largest font and see if this helps her problem.


The link you provided is not working here.

[Whir]

Instead of using a font tag, try an inline style tag.

Instead of...

<font size="3">text text text</font>

You would do...

<div style="font-size: 10px">text text text</div>

This specifies an absolute size for the font, rather than letting IE decide what size to make it. I'm not positive that it will work, I've never dealt with the large font setting before.

[strangerstill]

How about, instead of complaining about her using larger fonts, you design the website so it works at any font size?

Take the TechIMO site as a guide - I can change font size from 50% to 250% and it still looks fine.

Consider - what looks good to you could be illegible to someone with poorer vision - or annoyingly wasteful of space to someone with a small screen. Trying to dictate the exact appearance of your website is arrogant and anti-inclusive. (it's snowing outside! yay!!!)

[aarmenaa]

Well, here's the problem: the site also has to able to be viewed as low as 640*480 (she has friends using this resolution), meaning the Large Fonts becomes just one part of a more complicated equation. Also, the site is already made-it would be kinda hard to change now. This is only the second website I've ever had to design, and I'm still not quite up to speed on what can affect a website layout. Next time, I'll know. I'm not a arrogant as you would be led to think, strangerstill.

-Aarmenaa

PS-the next web site I make is going to be mine-I'm sure I'll find tons of little problems that need to be fixed there!