I have addressed most of the issues listed in the responses to my last post
"Critique CSS layout (1st go - fingers crossed)". I'm rapt with the progress
I have made, thanks to all for your past critiques. http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
The issues addressed:
- Nav uses <li> now
- No horizontal scroll in IE6 at 850-900 pixels
- Nav area not fixed, fluid now
- Added <h#> markup to replace <div>
- Changed CAPS
- Darker body text
- Changed footer layout & colour
- Made nav links different on hover
- Mis-alignment of banner in Opera
It's amazing how much easier CSS layout is when using the correct <h#>
markup....
Note: Links don't go anywhere. Font size has remained the same. 49  2345 
lime wrote: http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. Surely the
text could wrap near the right hand side of my window?
--
Cheers
Richard.
"rf" <rf@.invalid> wrote: lime wrote:
http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. Surely the
text could wrap near the right hand side of my window?
Limiting the length of a line is not unreasonable. Depending of the
size of the font, the outline of the font, the line height, the
inter-word spacing and the font-stretch, there is a point when lines
get too long for good readability.
You won't find a text printed with a 8pt ultra-condensed font with 1ex
line height on A4 landscape very readable, won't you?
Whether the line width chosen by lime is sensible, is
debatable. First of all, it is not dependant on the font
size. Someone with bad eyesight, who has overridden the font sizes to
something larger, will find it to short.
A better way would be something in the lines of http://www.uni-koeln.de/~agr30/iss/l...om.auiss8.html
(tested in Opera and Firefox). You can zoom in and out without
destroying to layout (ctrl + Num+ and Num- in Firefox). Maybe lime can
consider something in these lines and reconsider to not touch the
fontsize for the content. Using s smaller size for things like the
page footer is OK, IMHO.
I too find many websites having too small a fontsize. Thanks god,
Opera allows to set a minimum fontsize that can not be overridden by
css (mine is set to 14px, which is also the 100% fontsize I configured).
Bye,
Martin
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 12:32:43 GMT, rf <rf@.invalid> wrote: lime wrote:
http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. Surely
the text could wrap near the right hand side of my window?
Easy reading? I don't mind at all. Depends a lot on your window size I
suppose, but full length text isn't always a good thing...
Maybe adding:
min-width: 30em;
to the rules for #mmhidemiddlebox might be nice.
--
Rijk van Geijtenbeek
The Web is a procrastination apparatus:
It can absorb as much time as is required to ensure that you
won't get any real work done. - J.Nielsen
"Rijk van Geijtenbeek" <ri**@operaremovethiz.com> wrote: Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. Surely
the text could wrap near the right hand side of my window?
Easy reading? I don't mind at all. Depends a lot on your window size I
suppose, but full length text isn't always a good thing...
Maybe adding:
min-width: 30em;
to the rules for #mmhidemiddlebox might be nice.
Let users determine for themselves what length of text they are
comfortable with, don't impose your preferences on others.
Btw, min-width isn't going to work for limiting width.
--
Spartanicus
"rf" wrote in message ... lime wrote:
http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. Surely
the
text could wrap near the right hand side of my window?
For you it may be wastage (such a pessimist aren't you ;o)) for me it was
limiting the length of text for readability.
Spartanicus wrote: Let users determine for themselves what length of text they are
comfortable with, don't impose your preferences on others.
Users shouldn't be forced to resize their window to get a comfortable
line length when authors can make a suggestion. MSIE/Win users will be
left out, but those with decent browsers can benefit from better
readability.
Btw, min-width isn't going to work for limiting width.
Heh, no, max-width might work better. ;-)
p {max-width: 32em}
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
In comp.infosystems. www.authoring.stylesheets Brian said: Let users determine for themselves what length of text they are
comfortable with, don't impose your preferences on others.
Users shouldn't be forced to resize their window to get a comfortable
line length when authors can make a suggestion.
in short: piss off.
i know what length i'm comfortable reading. stop trying to force what
you think is best on me. everyone is an individual with their own
individual preferences and this media can easily accommodate all of
them. get out of your print media mentality of one size must fit all.
--
the facts and opinions expressed by brucies
l i t t l e v o i c e s
are not necessarily the same as those held by brucie.
"Martin Bialasinski" wrote in message ... lime wrote:
http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
A better way would be something in the lines of
http://www.uni-koeln.de/~agr30/iss/l...om.auiss8.html
(tested in Opera and Firefox). You can zoom in and out without
destroying to layout (ctrl + Num+ and Num- in Firefox). Maybe lime can
consider something in these lines and reconsider to not touch the
fontsize for the content. Using s smaller size for things like the
page footer is OK, IMHO.
Hi Martin, thanks for your effort. I've saved the CSS you've created to have
a more detailed look later on to learn what you have done there.
I agree about the footer text - leaving that smaller and I will do a version
with 100% body text too.
I too find many websites having too small a fontsize. Thanks god,
Opera allows to set a minimum fontsize that can not be overridden by
css (mine is set to 14px, which is also the 100% fontsize I configured).
Bye,
Martin
"Rijk van Geijtenbeek" wrote in message... rf wrote:
lime wrote:
http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. Surely
the text could wrap near the right hand side of my window?
Easy reading? I don't mind at all. Depends a lot on your window size I
suppose, but full length text isn't always a good thing...
Maybe adding:
min-width: 30em;
to the rules for #mmhidemiddlebox might be nice.
I will give that a go as well (I think that's what Martin did in his version
of the page too)
brucie wrote: Brian said:
[actually, Brian didn't say this; Spartanicus did] Let users determine for themselves what length of text they are
comfortable with, don't impose your preferences on others.
[Brian did indeed say this] Users shouldn't be forced to resize their window to get a
comfortable line length when authors can make a suggestion.
in short: piss off.
Right back at you.
i know what length i'm comfortable reading. stop trying to force what
you think is best on me.
Nothing is forced on the www, especially in css, which is optional per
the spec.
everyone is an individual with their own individual preferences and
this media can easily accommodate all of them. get out of your print
media mentality of one size must fit all.
What has print media to do with readability of paragraphs?
P.S. Is your <shift> key broken?
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
Brian wrote: brucie wrote: in short: piss off.
Right back at you.
Brian, brucie; brucie, Brian.
(This should be fun...)
Neal wrote: Brian wrote:
brucie wrote:
in short: piss off.
Right back at you.
Brian, brucie; brucie, Brian.
(This should be fun...)
Stay tuned; I'm guessing another episode is on the way. ;-)
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
In comp.infosystems. www.authoring.stylesheets Brian said: in short: piss off.
Right back at you.
kissy
i know what length i'm comfortable reading. stop trying to force what
you think is best on me.
Nothing is forced on the www, especially in css, which is optional per
the spec.
so for your site i have to twiddle with my settings to accommodate
decisions you shouldn't have made for me. i don't think so. back button
is so much easier. i really get sick of reading 5 or 6 words per line.
everyone is an individual with their own individual preferences and
this media can easily accommodate all of them. get out of your print
media mentality of one size must fit all.
What has print media to do with readability of paragraphs?
thinking you need to specify the optimum line length to fit all rather
than allowing each individual visitor to make their own choice.
P.S. Is your <shift> key broken?
no, as a law abiding citizen i removed them with a big pointy knife so i
wouldn't be tempted to bypass sony musics copy protection on their music
cds
--
the facts and opinions expressed by brucies
l i t t l e v o i c e s
are not necessarily the same as those held by brucie.
*brucie*<sh**@usenetshit.info>: In comp.infosystems.www.authoring.stylesheets Brian said:
Let users determine for themselves what length of text they are
comfortable with, don't impose your preferences on others. Users shouldn't be forced to resize their window to get a comfortable
line length when authors can make a suggestion.
ACK, after all knowledgable people can overwrite the 'max-width'
*suggestion* in their user stylesheet.
in short: piss off.
In short: stop being such a wuss! (What? I'm just adjusting to his level
of discussion.)
i know what length i'm comfortable reading.
Which is that?
stop trying to force what you think is best on me.
'max-width' with a reasonable high value in 'em' or 'ex' is not really
forcing.
everyone is an individual with their own individual preferences
So you don't believe in ergonomy studies at all? They tell us there's a
maximum useful line width, depending on certain other typographic
properties.
and this media can easily accommodate all of them.
Even with the default font-size, you cannot control line length with the
window width alone and that is all the usual (or even slightly advanced)
browser user can do about it. For really advanced users there's
'!important', like I said above.
get out of your print media mentality of one size must fit all.
You are really overreacting.
--
"Some people say I am a terrible person,
I'm not, I have the heart of a young boy,
in a jar, on my desk."
Stephen King
In comp.infosystems. www.authoring.stylesheets Christoph Paeper said: Users shouldn't be forced to resize their window to get a comfortable
line length when authors can make a suggestion. ACK, after all knowledgable people can overwrite the 'max-width'
*suggestion* in their user stylesheet.
user stylesheet are only practical in a very limited way such as font
sizes. using them for much of anything else risks screwing up many sites
just to accommodate one. site by site styles are only practical if you
use the site often.
in short: piss off.
In short: stop being such a wuss!
i'm going to tell my mommy on you!
So you don't believe in ergonomy studies at all? They tell us there's a
maximum useful line width, depending on certain other typographic
properties.
i'm surprised it took so long for someone to mention "the studies". i
don't disagree with them. what i disagree with is people using them to
justify one size to fit all.
with print you have to go for "one size to fit all", not on the net.
each individual can make their own individual choice if only the author
will let them. start at the optimum if you like but don't try to prevent
each individual changing it to what they prefer.
You are really overreacting.
sorry, a little too much phencyclidine this morning i think.
--
the facts and opinions expressed by brucies
l i t t l e v o i c e s
are not necessarily the same as those held by brucie.
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 18:11:46 +0000, Spartanicus <me@privacy.net> wrote: "Rijk van Geijtenbeek" <ri**@operaremovethiz.com> wrote:
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. Surely
the text could wrap near the right hand side of my window?
Easy reading? I don't mind at all. Depends a lot on your window size I
suppose, but full length text isn't always a good thing...
Maybe adding:
min-width: 30em;
to the rules for #mmhidemiddlebox might be nice.
Let users determine for themselves what length of text they are
comfortable with, don't impose your preferences on others.
Btw, min-width isn't going to work for limiting width.
That's what the original 60% width rule was for. But using both a minimum
and a maximum width makes more sense. I only read this newsgroup, the
one-sided discussion I saw says basically 'don't design pages for me'.
Which is fine for pages with long texts, but nonsense for the rest of the
web. After all, CSS was not just designed to be used in user stylesheets...
--
Rijk van Geijtenbeek
The Web is a procrastination apparatus:
It can absorb as much time as is required to ensure that you
won't get any real work done. - J.Nielsen
Brian wrote:
p {max-width: 32em}
That's too short for me. Better:
p {max-width: 45em}
--
Reply email address is a bottomless spam bucket.
Please reply to the group so everyone can share.
lime wrote: "rf" wrote in message ... lime wrote:
http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side.
For you it may be wastage (such a pessimist aren't you ;o)) for me it was
limiting the length of text for readability.
You must be assuming a certain window size and/or text size. Don't.
With smaller windows, 60% width for the content area can make for
too-short lines of text, which is also a readability problem. Ditto with
larger text sizes. BTW, your body text size is still much too small.
--
Reply email address is a bottomless spam bucket.
Please reply to the group so everyone can share.
"Rijk van Geijtenbeek" <ri**@operaremovethiz.com> wrote: Btw, min-width isn't going to work for limiting width.
That's what the original 60% width rule was for.
But using both a minimum and a maximum width makes more sense.
Hmm. With max-width as a percentage, this is not that good.
I did a test with min-width: 40em; max-width: 60% and then made the
window smaller.
In Opera, when 40em got larger than 60%, there was quite some reflow
and you have to scroll horizontally, which is a major no-go IMHO.
Firefox disregards max-width, when 40em got larger than 60% and kept
the linewidth at 40em, which ultimately caused the scrollbar.
Now font sizing with Opera and Firefox will make the horizontal
scrollbar appear as well.
With just max-width you you can make the window smaller or up the font
size and you won't get the horizontal scrollbar, so the page stays in
shape and is usable.
When you up the font size so much, that a line only holds five words,
I think this is better than having to constantly scroll right/left to
read a text.
I do not see min-width as useful here.
Bye,
Martin
*brucie* <sh**@usenetshit.info>: In comp.infosystems.www.authoring.stylesheets Christoph Paeper said:
after all knowledgable people can overwrite the 'max-width'
*suggestion* in their user stylesheet.
user stylesheet are only practical in a very limited way such as font
sizes. using them for much of anything else risks screwing up many sites
just to accommodate one.
Something calm like
p {max-width: auto/*or your preferred 'em'/'ex' value*/ !important}
shouldn't break any design---and not just because most authors don't use
'max-width' at all for it's not supported by IE.
i'm surprised it took so long for someone to mention "the studies". i
don't disagree with them. what i disagree with is people using them to
justify one size to fit all.
I'm usually using something of this magnitude:
p, blockquote {max-width: 100ex;}
That is just protecting people (with browser recent enough) from
themselves. Something as low as '30ex' would of course be too restrictive.
with print you have to go for "one size to fit all", not on the net.
Well, there is a huge difference between the absolute units for classic
print and the relative and pro units available with CSS.
each individual can make their own individual choice if only the author
will let them.
Albeit the majority of people does either not know about their choice or
cannot or don't want to take it. It's the responsibility of web designers
(and in theory browser developpers) to make a good suggestion for these.
Sadly many web designers kno^Wwere told to make a suggestion, but make a
bad and overly restrictive one.
start at the optimum if you like but don't try to prevent
each individual changing it to what they prefer.
That's not possible with CSS anyhow.
--
To be or not to be---that's no question, it's a decision.
lime wrote: "rf" wrote Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side.
For you it may be wastage ... for me it was
limiting the length of text for readability.
Ok. How about your user. What's their viewport size? Hmm?
Answer: You dunno.
So what?
On Mon, 15 Nov 2004 17:54:54 -0600, kchayka <us****@c-net.us> wrote: Brian wrote:
p {max-width: 32em}
That's too short for me. Better:
p {max-width: 45em}
I prefer 10,048,373em. Call me funny. I like long lines.
Why not serve it reasonably and allow the user to adjust if it's important
enough?
Neal wrote: kchayka <us****@c-net.us> wrote:
Brian wrote:
p {max-width: 32em}
That's too short for me. Better:
p {max-width: 45em}
Aside: what I wrote is too short for me, too. I just put in 32em as an
example.
Why not serve it reasonably and allow the user to adjust if it's
important enough?
Because setting a max-width for p allows for the total window size to be
as large as the user wants without sacrificing readability.
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 08:38:12 GMT, Brian
<us*****@julietremblay.com.invalid> wrote: Neal wrote: kchayka <us****@c-net.us> wrote:
Brian wrote:
p {max-width: 32em}
That's too short for me. Better:
p {max-width: 45em}
Aside: what I wrote is too short for me, too. I just put in 32em as an
example.
Why not serve it reasonably and allow the user to adjust if it's
important enough?
Because setting a max-width for p allows for the total window size to be
as large as the user wants without sacrificing readability.
How do you KNOW what level ruins readability?
Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote: Why not serve it reasonably and allow the user to adjust if it's
important enough?
How do I make a tab in Firefox smaller while leaving the other tabs
at the old size?
Brian <us*****@julietremblay.com.invalid> wrote: Because setting a max-width for p allows for the total window size
to be as large as the user wants without sacrificing readability.
This reason is only valid, as long as you hold the results of hundreds
of years of typography and the research done in this field as soundly
founded valid.
When you do, and the other part ignores it, argumentation on this
topic is in vain.
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 09:53:50 +0100, Martin Bialasinski
<ag********@uni-koeln.de> wrote: Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote:
Why not serve it reasonably and allow the user to adjust if it's
important enough?
How do I make a tab in Firefox smaller while leaving the other tabs
at the old size?
Dunno. How?
(assuming there's a funny punchline coming...)
Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote: On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 09:53:50 +0100, Martin Bialasinski
<ag********@uni-koeln.de> wrote:
Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote:
Why not serve it reasonably and allow the user to adjust if it's
important enough?
How do I make a tab in Firefox smaller while leaving the other tabs
at the old size?
Dunno. How?
I also don't know. It does not seem possible. This rises the question,
if "let the user adjust" is practically feasibly.
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004 11:07:33 +0100, Martin Bialasinski
<ag********@uni-koeln.de> wrote: How do I make a tab in Firefox smaller while leaving the other tabs
at the old size?
Dunno. How?
I also don't know. It does not seem possible. This rises the question,
if "let the user adjust" is practically feasibly.
But we're discussing width of paragraphs. Your comment is a non-sequitor.
Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote: But we're discussing width of paragraphs. Your comment is a
non-sequitor.
Is it? The webpage originally in question has a nav column on the left
and the main text on the rest of the width.
If you argue, that the main text should not have a max-width set
but the user should adjust it himself, I am interested on how to do
this.
In Firefox, I do not seem to be able to resize the tabs
independently. If this is really the case, this approach is not
feasible IMHO.
Martin Bialasinski <ag********@uni-koeln.de> writes: Brian <us*****@julietremblay.com.invalid> wrote: Because setting a max-width for p allows for the total window size
to be as large as the user wants without sacrificing readability.
Except in cases where there's a large image or large table on the
page, what does this gain except lots of whitespace in a column
somewhere? If someone is running at a large resolution and has their
browser maximised or nearly so I assume they like it that way, even if
the majority of people would find it less readable.
This reason is only valid, as long as you hold the results of hundreds
of years of typography and the research done in this field as soundly
founded valid.
There's a slight problem with setting a max-width in em, though (not
that the problems with other units aren't even worse), which is that
depending on the font, an em-set width may allow considerably
different words/line ratios.
--
Chris
On Tue, 16 Nov 2004, Chris Morris wrote: If someone is running at a large resolution and has their
browser maximised or nearly so I assume they like it that way, even if
the majority of people would find it less readable.
I suspect we have different scenarios in mind here. If you're
accustomed to reading pages that are cluttered with large numbers of
unrelated bits of detail, in the popular multi-column format, then
maybe you tend to set a rather wide window - and then when you visit a
page that's basically plain text with modest margins, the lines of
text do tend to get far too wide for reading comfort.
As a "back-stop", it seems to me quite reasonable to set a *max*
width in em or ex units, on the basis that most readers will be
unaffected by it, while a few might find it a benefit.
There's a slight problem with setting a max-width in em, though (not
that the problems with other units aren't even worse), which is that
depending on the font, an em-set width may allow considerably
different words/line ratios.
I don't disagree, but - as a backstop, it's still arguable that it's
better than nothing. And far, far better than a fixed width in
pixels - but I don't expect you to argue with that ;-)
in comp.infosystems. www.authoring.stylesheets, brucie wrote: In comp.infosystems.www.authoring.stylesheets Christoph Paeper said:
Users shouldn't be forced to resize their window to get a comfortable
line length when authors can make a suggestion. ACK, after all knowledgable people can overwrite the 'max-width'
*suggestion* in their user stylesheet.
user stylesheet are only practical in a very limited way such as font
sizes. using them for much of anything else risks screwing up many sites
just to accommodate one. site by site styles are only practical if you
use the site often.
I have overriden max-width for P for 3 years, never seen where it would
not work nicely, exeption being of course when my window / max-width etc
just is not wide enaugh. Totally different, if you override some other
max-widths.
I would say, that one should never set max-width for stuff that don't
directly contain text. That is because overriding such elements is hard.
This is also reson I don't like people using their P element to contain
whatever.
So you don't believe in ergonomy studies at all? They tell us there's a
maximum useful line width, depending on certain other typographic
properties.
i'm surprised it took so long for someone to mention "the studies". i
don't disagree with them. what i disagree with is people using them to
justify one size to fit all.
IIRC, I saw some time ago a study, which said that readers prefer
somewhat short lines, but people still read much longer lines just as
fast.
Anyway, IMHO, authotr set max-width should be wider than 32em, I think
something like 80-100ex would be good. Some people use windows that are
not as high (me, I use 60ex and 800*1150 window...), and then optimally
short lines are pain, as it requires much more scrolling.
--
Lauri Raittila <http://www.iki.fi/lr> <http://www.iki.fi/zwak/fonts>
in comp.infosystems. www.authoring.stylesheets, Chris Morris wrote: Martin Bialasinski <ag********@uni-koeln.de> writes: Brian <us*****@julietremblay.com.invalid> wrote: Because setting a max-width for p allows for the total window size
to be as large as the user wants without sacrificing readability.
Except in cases where there's a large image or large table on the
page, what does this gain except lots of whitespace in a column
somewhere? If someone is running at a large resolution and has their
browser maximised or nearly so I assume they like it that way, even if
the majority of people would find it less readable.
I run my browser sometimes fullscreen. That is only way to look at some
image galleries as they have 1600*1200 images...
If site has much text (descriptions of those images in gallerypage), I
certainly can't read it, unless width of text is limited, or if
extreamily big line height is used.... And if line-height is 2 or 3, it
will look horrible when looked on smaller window.
This reason is only valid, as long as you hold the results of hundreds
of years of typography and the research done in this field as soundly
founded valid.
There's a slight problem with setting a max-width in em, though (not
that the problems with other units aren't even worse), which is that
depending on the font, an em-set width may allow considerably
different words/line ratios.
That's why I use ex. Not that it is much better. But this is mostly
irrelevant, unless someone uses Verdana. And using Verdana is bad idea in
first place. (any other font with diffent ratio is irrelevant as it don't
work on web either...)
--
Lauri Raittila <http://www.iki.fi/lr> <http://www.iki.fi/zwak/fonts>
in comp.infosystems. www.authoring.stylesheets, Martin Bialasinski wrote: "Rijk van Geijtenbeek" <ri**@operaremovethiz.com> wrote:
Btw, min-width isn't going to work for limiting width.
That's what the original 60% width rule was for.
But using both a minimum and a maximum width makes more sense.
Hmm. With max-width as a percentage, this is not that good.
I did a test with min-width: 40em; max-width: 60% and then made the
window smaller.
Min-width of 40em is too big IMHO. I use font big enaugh to make it
overflow my window sometimes. Something like min-width: 15em makes
sence, as text is very hard to read if shorter
In Opera, when 40em got larger than 60%, there was quite some reflow
and you have to scroll horizontally, which is a major no-go IMHO.
Firefox disregards max-width, when 40em got larger than 60% and kept
the linewidth at 40em, which ultimately caused the scrollbar.
As per spec. It is unfortunate that there is no way to make max-width
more important than min-width.
I do not see min-width as useful here.
You use too big value for it. It is useful, when there is only one word
on line.
--
Lauri Raittila <http://www.iki.fi/lr> <http://www.iki.fi/zwak/fonts>
Lauri Raittila <la***@raittila.cjb.net> wrote: And using Verdana is bad idea in first place.
Why is that so?
"kchayka" wrote in message ... lime wrote: "rf" wrote in message ... lime wrote:
http://www.limelightstudio.com.au/iss/8/
Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side.
For you it may be wastage (such a pessimist aren't you ;o)) for me it was
limiting the length of text for readability.
You must be assuming a certain window size and/or text size. Don't.
With smaller windows, 60% width for the content area can make for
too-short lines of text, which is also a readability problem. Ditto with
larger text sizes. BTW, your body text size is still much too small.
True - you have a point.
"Neal" wrote in message : lime wrote: "rf" wrote Why do you waste about 20% if my canvas, on the right hand side. For you it may be wastage ... for me it was
limiting the length of text for readability.
Ok. How about your user. What's their viewport size? Hmm?
Answer: You dunno.
True.
So what?
put it back to normal...
lime wrote: For you it may be wastage (such a pessimist aren't you ;o)) for me it was
limiting the length of text for readability.
Here's a quote on the subject:
"Line length
The recommended number of characters in a
line does not vary between the medium of
paper and screen, however. A range of 65–75
characters per line is a comfortable maximum
for a single column of text in print, with a
range of 30-40 characters per line common in
multicolumn layouts. The reason for this maximum
is based on the characteristics of our
visual system. We scan a line of text in groups
of letters, first picking up the exterior shapes of
word groups, then decoding words as our eye
bounces along from left to right. The sweeping
motion of turning our eye back to the left
becomes increasingly difficult as the line gets
longer. Our ability to pick the start of the next
line is decreased by combinations of long lines,
tight line spacing, and lack of white space on
the left-hand margin."
This is from http://www.kahnplus.com/download/pdf...teractions.pdf, which has
lots of discussion of text presentation considerations.
Another rule of thumb I vaguely recall is that line length in any given
font should not exceed the length of the combined upper and lower case
alphabet in that font.
In either case, you have to express the desired max-width in terms of
ems, so that it will scale with the choice of font and font size. And
the results will vary a bit depending on which font is actually used by
the browser. Max-width: 30em seems to come pretty close for most cases
I tested.
And, of course, the browser has to support max-width...
Chris Beall
*Chris Beall* <Ch*********@prodigy.net>:
In either case, you have to express the desired max-width in terms of
ems, so that it will scale with the choice of font and font size.
'ex' should be even more appropriate.
Max-width: 30em seems to come pretty close for most cases
Although it comes often close to the traditional recommendation, it's too
narrow, because scrolling is also a (negative) factor, that doesn't have
to be considered in paged media, where it's easier to find the next first
word of a page or column.
--
"The squeaking wheel doesn't always get the grease.
Sometimes it gets replaced."
Vic Gold
Christoph Paeper wrote:
(snip) 'ex' should be even more appropriate.
Agreed. That might resolve a problem I had with a couple of the fonts I
tested. 'ex' hasn't been brought up much here; I had to go look it up. Max-width: 30em seems to come pretty close for most cases
Although it comes often close to the traditional recommendation, it's
too narrow, because scrolling is also a (negative) factor, that doesn't
have to be considered in paged media, where it's easier to find the
next first word of a page or column.
We're into a very subjective area here. I see two conflicting goals.
To minimize the NEED for vertical scrolling, we want the longest
possible line length, so as to get as much text as possible 'above the
fold', but once scrolling is required, we've aggravated the normal
printed-media situation, since all of our visual reference points will
jump during the scroll, giving our visual system a real challenge to
keep its place. That would argue for shorter-than-print-media lines.
Since we can't control the window or font size, I'd vote for assuming
that we have little control over what stays above the fold and thus
should assume vertical scrolling WILL be needed and thus opt for short
line lengths. But that's my abstract opinion. In any given case I'd
want to look at the page in totality to see what works best (under a
wide variety of conditions).
30em or about 65ex seems like a good starting point.
Chris Beall
On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 04:00:12 GMT, Chris Beall <Ch*********@prodigy.net>
wrote: Christoph Paeper wrote:
(snip) 'ex' should be even more appropriate.
Agreed. That might resolve a problem I had with a couple of the fonts I
tested. 'ex' hasn't been brought up much here; I had to go look it up.
Not agreed. I spent sometime investigating this and came to the
conclusion that ex was no improvement at all. It might be for some
specific fonts, but worse for other fonts - and for most browsers it
just seems irrelevant anyway. See http://www.xs4all.nl/~sbpoley/webmatters/emex.html
--
Stephen Poley http://www.xs4all.nl/~sbpoley/webmatters/
Neal wrote: Martin Bialasinski <ag********@uni-koeln.de> wrote:
How do I make a tab in Firefox smaller while leaving the other
tabs at the old size?
Dunno. How?
I also don't know. It does not seem possible. This rises the
question, if "let the user adjust" is practically feasibly.
But we're discussing width of paragraphs. Your comment is a
non-sequitor.
His point is this: If a Firefox/Safari etc. user has mulitiple tabs
open, they may want a smaller window for a text page, to improve
readability, but a wider window for an image gallery. To achieve this,
they need either max-width on <p>, or they'll have to change the window
size each time they switch tabs.
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
Neal wrote: Brian wrote:
Neal wrote:
Why not serve it reasonably and allow the user to adjust if it's
important enough?
Because setting a max-width for p allows for the total window size
to be as large as the user wants without sacrificing readability.
How do you KNOW what level ruins readability?
The same way that I KNOW lots of things: by reading about them. In other
words, I have not conducted my own usability studies on this particular
matter, but I've read the results of others' studies.
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
Chris Morris wrote: Martin Bialasinski <ag********@uni-koeln.de> writes:
Brian wrote:
Because setting a max-width for p allows for the total window
size to be as large as the user wants without sacrificing
readability.
Except in cases where there's a large image or large table on the
page, what does this gain except lots of whitespace in a column
somewhere?
Hopefully, improved readability. And in any case, not much is lost since
I use max-width (not width) set in em units.
If someone is running at a large resolution and has their browser
maximised or nearly so I assume they like it that way
So do I. I do not assume, however, that a large window necessarily means
they like long lines of text in paragraphs. They may like wide windows
for other reasons (more image content per screenful, large font
size...).
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
Brian wrote:
His point is this: If a Firefox/Safari etc. user has mulitiple tabs
open, they may want a smaller window for a text page, to improve
readability, but a wider window for an image gallery. To achieve this,
they need either max-width on <p>, or they'll have to change the window
size each time they switch tabs.
Is there a rule that says if you're using tabbed browsing you can't have
multiple windows open?
I often open certain kinds of sites in separate windows, usually because
they need something extra wide. I can't believe nobody else does this.
--
Reply email address is a bottomless spam bucket.
Please reply to the group so everyone can share.
kchayka wrote: Brian wrote:
If a Firefox/Safari etc. user has mulitiple tabs open, they may
want a smaller window for a text page, to improve readability, but
a wider window for an image gallery.
Is there a rule that says if you're using tabbed browsing you can't
have multiple windows open?
Of course not. And nothing I wrote makes that case.
I often open certain kinds of sites in separate windows, usually
because they need something extra wide. I can't believe nobody else
does this.
I'm sure they do. I don't, though, because I prefer having one window,
and one taskbar item, regardless of the content in the tabs.
--
Brian (remove "invalid" to email me)
(Martin Bialasinski in comp.infosystems. www.authoring.stylesheets) How do I make a tab in Firefox smaller while leaving the other tabs
at the old size?
Use Opera.
I also don't know. It does not seem possible. This rises the question,
if "let the user adjust" is practically feasibly.
It is. Use Opera.
SCNR,
Tilman
--
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