Font Size Initialization

[shapper]

Hello,

I have been reading a few articles about font sizing and I get various
versions.
All them say to use em ... ok that is what I use. But then they differ
on the text size "initialization ".

A reset version:
html, body {font-size: 1em;}

Another one:
body {font-size: 100%}

Another one:
body { font-size: 62.5%; }

And yet another one:
html { font-size: 100%; }
body { font-size: 50%; }

Which one should I use? Why is there so many approaches?

Thanks,
Miguel

[Jim Moe]

Re: Font Size Initialization

On 05/10/08 09:55 am, shapper wrote:

All them say to use em ... ok that is what I use. But then they differ
on the text size "initialization ".
>
A recent version:
html, body {font-size: 1em;}
>
Another one:
body {font-size: 100%}
>

100% has been preferred because of some odd problem IE6 has with font
sizing using ems. That is becoming less of an issue as IE6 is phased out.

Another one:
body { font-size: 62.5%; }
>

Ridiculously small. Only if you do not want anyone to read the content.
Or only those with excellent eyesight 1 foot (30 cm) from the monitor.

And yet another one:
html { font-size: 100%; }
body { font-size: 50%; }
>

50% is absurdly small. Unless the visitor has a 24" (61 cm) monitor at
800x600 resolution.

Which one should I use? Why is there so many approaches?
>

100% or 1em should be the basic content font size. It is presumed the
visitor has a clue about their browser options and knows how to set the
default font size to suit their needs and taste.
Ems are a "fixed" method of setting the font size. Regardless of the
current context, 1.5em results in a 1.5em font size.
Percentage allows a scaling of the size based on the current context.
If, say, a div is set for font-size:1.5em and a <phas a style of
font-size:85%, the displayed font-size is 1.5 * 0.85 = 1.275 em. For a
context where the font size is 0.8 em, the the same <pshows 0.68 em.

--
jmm (hyphen) list (at) sohnen-moe (dot) com
(Remove .AXSPAMGN for email)

[Harlan Messinger]

Re: Font Size Initialization

shapper wrote:

Hello,
>
I have been reading a few articles about font sizing and I get various
versions.
All them say to use em ... ok that is what I use. But then they differ
on the text size "initialization ".
>
A reset version:
html, body {font-size: 1em;}
>
Another one:
body {font-size: 100%}
>
Another one:
body { font-size: 62.5%; }
>
And yet another one:
html { font-size: 100%; }
body { font-size: 50%; }

Gee, why don't they just have font-size: 10% so that EVERYONE can read
the Web with a magnifying glass.

>
Which one should I use? Why is there so many approaches?

The relevant precept is that the user knows best what his preferred main
text size is. Therefore, if you use anything other than 100%, the
implication is that you know better than your user what works best for
the user.

User - "This is the main text size that works best for me."

Site designer or owner - "NO! I want you to read it at THIS size. Submit
to my will!"

[C A Upsdell]

Re: Font Size Initialization

Harlan Messinger wrote:

The relevant precept is that the user knows best what his preferred

main

text size is. Therefore, if you use anything other than 100%, the
implication is that you know better than your user what works best for
the user.
>
User - "This is the main text size that works best for me."
>
Site designer or owner - "NO! I want you to read it at THIS size. Submit
to my will!"

I agree with you, in principle. The problem is that, historically, many
designers who set font sizes based on the user's default have tended to
set sizes a little smaller than the default. And so users have
historically set their defaults one step higher to ensure they get the
size they truly want. And so a designer who blindly uses the user's
default will, paradoxically, end up using a larger size than what the
user would really prefer.

[Harlan Messinger]

Re: Font Size Initialization

C A Upsdell wrote:

Harlan Messinger wrote:

The relevant precept is that the user knows best what his preferred main
>text size is. Therefore, if you use anything other than 100%, the
>implication is that you know better than your user what works best for
>the user.
>>
>User - "This is the main text size that works best for me."
>>
>Site designer or owner - "NO! I want you to read it at THIS size.
>Submit to my will!"

>
I agree with you, in principle. The problem is that, historically, many
designers who set font sizes based on the user's default have tended to
set sizes a little smaller than the default. And so users have
historically set their defaults one step higher to ensure they get the
size they truly want. And so a designer who blindly uses the user's
default will, paradoxically, end up using a larger size than what the
user would really prefer.
>

Since not ALL web designers are doing this, it follows that the user who
is sensitive to this is going to be ratcheting his size up and down all
day anyway. Given that fact, there isn't any reason to be one of the
designers who are doing it wrong rather than one of the designers who
are doing it right, no?