Reader "telephonics" wrote to ask:
How may I increase the size of text downloaded from a web site. My old eyes are keeping up with the rest of the body!
Increasing the font size is easy if you are using Firefox — just hold down the control key and scroll the mouse wheel. One way increases, the other decreases.
This same method works in Internet Explorer, but the increase (or decrease) in font size is much more significant per rotation-click of the wheel.
For that matter, the same method also works in many other, but not all, programs.
With Firefox, you can also use View, Increase Font Size, which is a relative increase from the current setting. There is also a similar Decrease Font Size.
IE gives you View, Text Size, with the more-limited choices of Largest, Large, Medium, Small and Smallest.
You can change also change your default font and size in both IE and in Firefox. Firefox again gives you much more flexibility. Similarly, Opera and Netscape give a lot of flexibility on font choices and sizes.
What’s the problem with changing font sizes?
There is a problem with changing font sizes when you’re viewing a web page. The web designer has designed the page based on a set of fonts and font sizes.
If you change to larger or smaller sizes than intended, you will likely find that the site’s formatting messes up. Sometimes the text may even be hidden behind images, overlay images or even be overlaid by other columns.
What’s the best solution?
Really, the best solution is a larger monitor. With a larger monitor, you have the choice of using a more fine resolution to get more information on the screen at one time
If you’re a subscriber to my email newsletter, and if you’ve been subscribed long enough, you can read the more on the subject in my March 5th email newsletter.
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