Re: FAQ Intranet site tips on visuals

[John Gilger <jgilger_it -at- NV -dot- DOE -dot- GOV>]

The On-Line Writers list has had several long discussions on this topic.
Most of it was good info from actual usability studies.  I don't recall
whether that list has an archive.

I don't have the address here at work.  I'll find it at home and send it
out tomorrow or you can look it up at http://www.liszt.com
<http://www.liszt.com>

Basically, the gist of these discussions has been that a line length of
~40 characters and a font like Georgia, Arial/Helvetica, or Times Roman
in 12 point is easiest to read with the least eye strain.

Although you can specify font size in pixels, it is not a good idea.
Most users of a browser, whether Internet or Intranet like the option
(if they know how) of selecting their own preferred font and size.
Showing people haw to set their preferences is something that can be
easily handled by your IS people on an Intranet.

Another reason to refrain from defining font size in pixels, is that it
tends to defeat many of the accessibility/ADA helps that some of our
readers use.

HTH

John

        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Comeau, Lisa [SMTP:ComeauL -at- MOHYF-MX1 -dot- MOHDEV -dot- GOV -dot- ON -dot- CA]
        Sent:   Thursday, January 07, 1999 1:03 PM
        To:     TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
        Subject:        FAQ Intranet site tips on visuals


        Anyone know if there have been any studies done on which fonts
or styles of
        web pages are most easily read and understood?



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