Posted by Ed Mullen on 11/27/06 01:47

Ed Seedhouse wrote:
> On Sun, 26 Nov 2006 18:12:10 +0000, patrick j
> <patrick@jamesnews.orangehome.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Well firstly, thank you for your help. I didn't realise I had a problem
>> when people's browsers are set with a minimum font-size. I've now
>> checked this out of course with FireFox and I see that if a minimum
>> font-size is set then all goes wrong as you've described :)
>
>> You've pointed out a problem I didn't know I had.
>
> This should be read *first* by anyone who wants to do web design, in my
> opinion:
>
> http://pages.prodigy.net/chris_beall/TC/You%20don't%20know.html
>
> ... and the rest of that site too. The Web is not paper.
>

Nice link; thanks.

There will always be arguments about Web design. Especially regarding
javascript, Flash, and other modern technologies. But the basics are
the basics: it's NOT print media. A Web page designer cannot control
the presentation at the end-user level: Not in any meaningful way,
ever. Trust me, if you can design it, I can break it at the local level.

This IS a different medium, it is NOT print. Make it fluid, let it flow
for each user. Yes, there will always be some users who are so beyond
the edge that your design breaks. Most won't if you understand the medium.

The only way you can ensure that the user sees what you intend is to
make your page one big picture file. And that won't work either since
every browser will give some control to the user over images. So, stop
thinking print and start thinking fluid design. Google it if you don't
know what that means. The Web is text based, even more basically,
text/code based. And I (we) can control how our browser/eyes render
your craftiest design. Which won't be how you thought it out. Unless
you know the medium for which you are designing.

If you're contemplating these issues see these newsgroups:

alt.html
comp.infosystems.www.authoring.stylesheets

--
Ed Mullen
http://edmullen.net
http://mozilla.edmullen.net
http://abington.edmullen.net
All I ask is that you treat me no differently than you would the King.

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