[thelist] dynamic font size

[Jeff Howden]

Shawn,

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> From: Shawn K. Quinn
> 
> > You can't confuse a user that doesn't know these
> > controls exist in their browser.
> 
> You sure can. "Why do I have a print option in this menu
> if the site has one of its own? Does it mean I'm not
> supposed to be able to print other sites?"
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Let me repeat what I said:

You can't confuse a user that doesn't know these controls exist in their
browser.

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> Some developers still think Javascript is always there.
> They're idiots for it, of course, but the chance of a
> user winding up with buttons that appear to duplicate
> functionality already present in the browser but which
> in reality do nothing is very real.
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For those developers that make assumptions about the omnipresence of
JavaScript, I say they deserver to fail.

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> Right, it should be scaled down *in the user's browser*
> if it's too big for them.
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In theory, I agree.  However, in practice that doesn't work if a) the
majority don't know they can change the size in their browser, b) the ones
that do know have it scaled up because most sites are too small for them,
and c) the client and/or their designer can't/won't see it that way.

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> > Most users are scared to death of making changes to
> > their computer for fear it will render it completely
> > unusable and irrepairable.  Further, suggesting the
> > end-users need to learn this is like handing a rifle
> > to a hunter without telling him he's to hunt for
> > boozlephant, despire whether he knows what a
> > boozlephant is or whether it actually exists.  In
> > other words, it's impossible to look for something
> > you don't know exists.
> 
> I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a user to know
> how their software works.
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They do.  However, what's in the realm of their knowledge of how their
browser works does not include resizing text.  Most are limited to back,
stop, refresh, and "X-ing out".

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> Back in the 1980's, people figured out how to put gas in
> their cars, right (well, in 48 out of 50 states and most 
> places outside the US, at least)?
> Edit/Preferences/General/Fonts & Colors isn't any harder
> to find than the gas cap.
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That's an absolutely horrid analogy.

Technology is almost impossible to draw a reasonable comparison with
anything in the physical world.  Further, car owners *know* their car
requires gas to run and the gas cap is usually "concealed" beneath a rather
conspicuous door/flap.  Browser "owners", on the other hand, don't know they
can change something like that.  If you want to draw an analogy with cars,
changing font sizes is akin to having the regular spark plugs swapped out
for split-fire or something and they'll get better performance and gas
mileage.  Most average car owners don't even know such a thing exists.
Therefore, they don't even know to ask for it, look for it, etc.

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> Now, you go in as root and start rm'ing various files
> at random, of course you're going to break the hell out
> of the system. Same with opening the case and start
> fondling every chip with callous disregard for the
> effects of electrostatic discharge. Of course things 
> will break.  But changing the font-size is nothing that
> can't be undone.
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I'd suggest that your experience with computers is far too advanced to have
any sort of comprehension of the anxiety levels most average users
experience when using computers (as your comments above and in this thread
in general illustrate).

 [>] Jeff Howden
     jeff at jeffhowden.com
     http://jeffhowden.com/