Re: Selecting font family (was Re: fixed width Vs relative sizing)

It depends on the browser. Good browsers actually provide a very simple
override interface - effectively processing the user's selections in
presentation preferences as if they are CSS declarations marked !important
(which is technical speak for saying they override the author).

As an example of a style sheet proper that does this, I offer the following:

body { font-family: Sans-serif !important !inherit ; font-size: 54.7pt
!important !inherit }

This should work with browsers such as IE, Conqueror, Opera, Amaya, ...

So I don't think that we should be recommending against setting fonts in CSS
(besides, the alternative that people will / do use is to put all the text
into an image, which is much more difficult to change).

cheers

Charles McCN

On Thu, 2 Nov 2000, Brian Kelly wrote:

  On a related topic.
  
  If an author specifies a font family using CSS, I understand that it is not
  possible for an end user to change the font easily - the user must have a
  local CSS file available (which I suspect not many do) and know how to
  choose it.
  
  Does specification of a font family cause accessibility problems?
  
  Should font families (e.g. Times, Arial, etc) be omitted from CSS (as I have
  heard suggested)?  Or would this be unacceptable for those concerned about
  the design, and possibly case accessibility problems for users who don't
  know how to change the default settings?
  
  Or am I mistaken in how CSS values can be changed?
  
  ta
  
  Brian
  --------------------------------------------------------------
  Brian Kelly
  UKOLN
  University of Bath
  BATH
  BA2 7AY
  Email: B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk
  Phone: (+44) 1225 323943
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Charles McCathieNevile" <charles@w3.org>
  To: <sifyalok@sify.com>
  Cc: "WAI Mailing list" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
  Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2000 2:03 PM
  Subject: Re: fixed width Vs relative sizing
  
  
  > As you say, using the available space is also helpful. On a 1600x1200
  > browser, it is possible to use a large font, and take the available
  > space. But again, with a fixed width layout, this may only appear in half
  the
  > screen, which is a big waste.
  >
  > In fact, the most common way of doing fixed widths is to have tables for
  > column layout. This is not ideal anyway, but if it is going to be used
  then
  > tables are pretty good at reflowing content in most browsers that support
  > them.
  >
  > Cheers (and I think you should revalue it to a few more cents ;-)
  >
  > Charles
  >
  > On 2 Nov 2000 sifyalok@sify.com wrote:
  >
  >   Though I do not agree to the fact so much, but
  >   one reason is that in lower resolutions than what
  >   the site has been designed for, fixed size will
  >   give horizontal scrolling.
  >
  >   Another reason could be greater use of available
  >   space at any resolution.
  >
  >   However,
  >   Working in percentage mode, might increase blank
  >   spaces, and disrupt the layout as well, thus
  >   affecting accessability in a different way
  >
  >   I believe that one has to focus on audience and
  >   then take such decisions. Generalizing, is
  >   probably not the right thing here.
  >
  >   just my 2 cents..
  >
  >   Cheers
  >   alokjain
  >   Cognitive Consulatnt
  >   Satyam Infoway Ltd.
  >   India
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >   Quoting Anthony Quinn <anthony@frontend.com>:
  >
  >   > Hi All,
  >   >
  >   > I\'m new to this group and was wondering if
  >   anyone can explain (in non
  >   > technical lingo please) why fixed width sizing
  >   of web pages is a bad thing
  >   > for accessibility.
  >   >
  >   > thanks in advance,
  >   >
  >   > Anthony
  >   >
  >   >
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  >
  > --
  > Charles McCathieNevile    mailto:charles@w3.org    phone: +61 (0) 409 134
  136
  > W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
  http://www.w3.org/WAI
  > Location: I-cubed, 110 Victoria Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
  > September - November 2000:
  > W3C INRIA, 2004 Route des Lucioles, BP 93, 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex,
  France
  >
  >
  

-- 
Charles McCathieNevile    mailto:charles@w3.org    phone: +61 (0) 409 134 136
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative                      http://www.w3.org/WAI
Location: I-cubed, 110 Victoria Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia
September - November 2000: 
W3C INRIA, 2004 Route des Lucioles, BP 93, 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France

Received on Thursday, 2 November 2000 10:38:19 UTC