David McKinnon wrote:
and others can use their browser's own font sizing -- command-+ and so on.
This last point seems to be at the root of the problem. Unfortunately there is evidence that the large majority of non-techie web users have absolutely no clue how to actually use their browser (I still shudder when I see colleagues open a browser, go to google, and *then* typing in the full URL they want to go to into google's search box). These users are blissfully unaware that they actually have a way to size their text up/down if they need to.
Personally, I see this as a matter of educating the user and making browser controls more obvious (as a suggestion to the Firefox team, for instance, I proposed a fairly obvious text resizer as part of the default UI https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?id=472 ; IE already has a text size button, but it's not visible by default...maybe it should be?). I hate that it's again down to web developers to shoulder the burden (similar to the workarounds we have to use to make sites accessible because browser and assistive technology developers can't be bothered to properly support certain standards in a meaningful way, or make their tools fully UAAG compliant...but that's another rant).
A simple way to avoid problems: don't go for microscopic text and don't use pixel values (another reason for some sites to use these size widgets: they like their pixel-perfect control, but then need to offer a way for IE users to resize their microtext).
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