On Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:43:14 -0500 Alan Gutierrez wrote: > I'm noticing that when I specify font sizes using em, they are > slightly smaller in Firefox than in Safari. This becomes a problem > when the font sizes get smaller. In Safari they are the right size, > but in Firefox they are almost illegible. > > I couldn't dig anything up on Google, probably searching with the > wrong terms. Could anyone point me to a discussion of or article on > this particular quirk? >
In theory this is part of the users right to control how large the font is they are viewing themselves[1]. In practise this is not often reality as most users are not aware they can control the default browser font size. To a web developer the optimum for accessibility is to not use a font under 1em. In practise space in areas like sidebars can force many developers to set a pixel font size[2]. What i try to do is specify my fonts in ems and check that degredation is ok in IE at Largest font setting and in Firefox for at least 3 Larger settings (found in the view menu of both browsers) before becoming unreadable. Trying to have too fine-grained control over fonts is a hangover many print designers persist in hanging on to. Designing for the internet is a compromise on many fronts. One last thing you may wish to take into account is that different monitors use different DPI[3] or PPI[4] settings. What may look good on your LCD monitor may not look as good on an 800X600 15" CRT monitor, These references (below) are less authoritative than illustrative, but among them you will probably find the compromise that suits your demonstration page. Zen Garden designers before you have employed various methods to constrain fonts on their pages, many examples may be found in the CSS there. Because it is demonstrative one should consider if the techniques used there are techniques that should be employed in practical sites, which also perhaps gives you permission to use more fixed methods there as it is for demonstration purposes. [1] http://kb.iu.edu/data/aiwf.html [2] http://www.netmechanic.com/news/vol2/html_no11.htm [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dots_per_inch [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixels_per_inch -- Michael All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well - Julian of Norwich 1342 - 1416 ______________________________________________________________________ css-discuss [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.css-discuss.org/mailman/listinfo/css-d List wiki/FAQ -- http://css-discuss.incutio.com/ List policies -- http://css-discuss.org/policies.html Supported by evolt.org -- http://www.evolt.org/help_support_evolt/
