[thelist] re: site makeover

[Erika Meyer]

>I've decided the solution is to take out references to font-family 
>and font-size in the style sheets for the P and BODY tags.

Such a decision requires courage to let go, let your text flow.  You 
have dared to be simple.  You have given control to the user.  Good 
for you.

>As an aside,though, I'm a bit puzzled because I had always thought -- and
>maybe someone can correct me on this -- that text appeared *larger* in
>Windows. (I'm using Macs.)

Yes, it does... did you have it set as px or pt?  px is pretty 
comparable cross-platform, while pt is huge in Windows browsers.  Oh, 
I mean tiny in Mac browsers.

The default font size is a bit bigger in most Windows browsers.  IE5 
Mac is closer to Windows.

>On a related subject, I later tested the site with IE 4.5 for Mac and found
>that the DIV tags weren't automatically putting in breaks like they did in
>IE 5 and NN 4.

yes.

>I could fix this for IE 4.5 by adding breaks but it would
>ruin the layout for the other browsers. I got around it by replacing the DIV
>tags with SPAN tags and putting BR tags where necessary. This fixed the
>problem but it seems more like a workaround than good coding.

Workarounds? For web sites?  Whoever heard of such a thing?
You gotta do what you gotta do... your choices are:

1. workaround
2. application of 'Rule 3' aka "too bad for browser x"

I can't find the ALA ref for 'Rule 3' (wish that site had a search) 
but it was one of those CSS articles at http://www.alistapart.com/

FWIW, when I have any say in the matter, I choose to apply 'Rule 3' 
pretty often. (usually it gets applied to Netscape.)  If the site is 
usable in any browser, and best in standards-compliant browsers, I 
figure I've done my job.

For broad appeal, you will still be resorting to workarounds.  But I 
would try to have a good reason.  Whether display for IE 4.5 Mac is a 
good reason, only you can decide.

Erika

erika at seastorm.com
http://www.seastorm.com