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Subject:Re: Website readability From:"Eric J. Ray" <ejray -at- RAYCOMM -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 19 Aug 1998 08:14:40 -0600
At 03:21 AM 8/19/98 -0400, Roy Anderson wrote:
<SNIP>
>Apparently, you are unaware of the fact that modern browsers provide
>you with significant capability to customize your personal web viewing
>environment. You can specify your choice of fonts, font sizes, font
>colors, visited/unvisited link colors, and background colors. You can
>set preferences to override the fonts, colors, and backgrounds of any
>web site you visit. I suggest exploring your browser's "preferences"
>or "options" section at you earliest convenience. You'll be delighted
>by what you find.
I hear this fairly frequently from designers, Webmasters,
and other HTML/Web page developers. Every time I hear this,
I wonder just how well the designers know their audience,
because if I'm the audience, they just lost me.
<RANT>
I'm likely as much of a power Web surfer as you're likely
to find and am fully aware of the "customization" options
(note that these aren't labeled "accommodate for designer's
laziness" options), but I won't do it.
FWIW, here's my Web surfing philosophy.
Sound=off If I want music, I'll play my own CDs.
Plug-ins=no I don't download software just to accommodate
some designer's concept of how I should see
a page. If they won't give me the information
how I want it (plug-in free, fast, and clear),
I simply won't use the site. Acrobat is the only
exception to this.
Resetting my browser=never
I won't reset my personal browser preferences
for any site. If it's marginally usable but looks
stupid and I need the information, I'll deal with
it. If it's unusable, I'll find another site.
ActiveX/Java=rarely
Only if the ActiveX control or Java applet
actually makes information more usable or
accessible will I use it--see some of the
home user oriented ZDnet sites for examples.
I tolerate ActiveX from MS only because I
need their information more than they need
me.
I comment to the developers or companies only rarely--
I assume that if they're not willing to accommodate my
needs, my browser, my settings, my software, and my
preferences, they'll also not entertain my feedback. So
I don't bother.
In closing, I find the argument that "users can change their
preferences" disingenuous, simply because many users don't
know how. Of those who DO know how, most know that
they _need not_ do that--designers _can_ accommodate all
users and all browsers, if they choose to do so, and if they
choose not to accommodate me (with a very mainstream
platform and browser), I'll simply go elsewhere.
</RANT>
Eric
*********************************************************
* Eric J. Ray, ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com, http://www.raycomm.com/
* TECHWR-L Listowner, co-author _Mastering HTML 4.0_
* _HTML 4 for Dummies Quick Reference_, and others.
* See our overhauled Web site at http://www.raycomm.com
