RE: Verdana 8 for HTML Help or WebHelp?

[Chuck Martin <CMartin -at- serena -dot- com>]

12-point text is probably too large for mainstream presentation of adequate
amounts of Help text on a limited-space screen. Verdana is one of several
fonts designed for maximum readability, including at smaller sizes, on
low-resolution devices. In WinHelp systems of a few years ago, most Help
authors would use the built-in font MS Sans Serif, another font designed
specifically for screen display.

Designers should shoot for that mainstream, but should also be using Help
presentation technologies that allow individual users to customize their
Help presentations for their needs. In WinHelp 4, for example, users have an
option to make the Help fonts "Small," Normal," or "Large." That setting is
"sticky" within a particular application's Help system, but not system-wide.
I believe HTML-Help has the same capability. For HTML-based Help systems,
major browsers has user-controlled options that set the size (and font) of
standard text.

It is not only 40+ eyes; my left eye is more than -17, which is why I
upgraded my home monitor to one of 19".

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lee Tesdell [mailto:ltesdell -at- eai -dot- com]
> Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 2:37 PM
> Subject: Re: Verdana 8 for HTML Help or WebHelp?
> 
> 
> How about at least 12 point for those of us with 40+ eyes?
> 
> 
> Subject: Re: Verdana 8 for HTML Help or WebHelp?
> 
> 
> > I routinely set the font size for text at 10. After all, I 
> want people to
> be
> > able to see this stuff without either squinting or using a 
> magnifying
> glass!
> >
> > Jo Byrd

> > Lois Patterson wrote:
> >
> > > Verdana 8 seems to be the default font choice for HTML 
> Help and WebHelp
> > > systems. However, it does seem a little small, and I 
> suspect many users
> might
> > > feel the same way.
> > >
> > > How are other help developers approaching this issue?
--
"I don't entirely understand it but it is true: Highly skilled carpenters
don't get insulted when told they are not architects, but highly skilled
programmers do get insulted when they are told they are not UI designers."
     - anonymous programmer quoted in "GUI Bloopers"
       by Jeff Johnson

Chuck Martin, Sr. Technical Writer
cmartin -at- serena -dot- com 


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