[drupal-devel] End of lifeing the fontsize module

[Mike Gifford]

On 23-Aug-05, at 10:05 PM, neil at civicspacelabs.org wrote:
> Unless someone else decides to take over the fontsize module I will  
> end
> of life it. Here is why:

Ooo..  Can't say I'm willing to step up to the plate on this one..   
But I do like the module..  Not to say that this functionality  
couldn't be accomplished through a theme, but the module makes it so,  
so damn easy to implement.

> - All web browsers with sizable text have usable sizing controls.

Which most of our mothers/fathers will not be able to find on their  
own browser, let alone if they are at someone else's computer.

> - I can't actually find anything in US Sec. 508 or W3C WAI saying  
> these
>   resizing thingers are recomended.

Haven't dug into those recommendations.   But a few on the other side.

Now, this is from 2002, but:
     http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20020819.html

"Consider adding a button that loads an alternate style sheet with  
really big font sizes if most of your site's visitors are senior  
citizens or low-vision users. Few users know how to find or use the  
built-in font size feature in current browsers, and adding such a  
button within your pages will help users easily increase text size.  
However, because every extra feature takes away from the rest of the  
page, I don't recommend such a button for mainstream websites."

Slightly more recent (2004):
     http://www.alistapart.com/articles/relafont/

"Relative font sizes make websites more accessible and easier to read  
— but they’re not much help unless the person using the site can find  
a way to actually change text size."

> - It can be baked into your theme if necessary.

Yeah..  You just have a nice solution right now that helps bridge  
what a designer (or client) wants and what a visitor can easily  
understand.

Mike
--
Mike Gifford, OpenConcept Consulting
Free Software for Social Change -> http://www.openconcept.ca
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