Comments on: How To Optimize Your Body Text For Readability http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/ Patrick Burt Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:05:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Patrick Burt http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-256 Patrick Burt Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:42:11 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-256 Very true webgeekgirl. I may end up doing a Part 2, and I'll include headings, typeface and subheadings. Good idea. :) I do remember reading a study that showed Verdana was more readable then Arial. :) Very true webgeekgirl. I may end up doing a Part 2, and I’ll include headings, typeface and subheadings. Good idea. :)

I do remember reading a study that showed Verdana was more readable then Arial. :)

]]> By: webgeekgirl http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-248 webgeekgirl Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:38:13 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-248 We can't both be right, can we? ;-) I guess it depends on the sort of sites you frequent. I'm probably thinking more about ecommerce sites than anything else. Also a couple of things that I would add to your list: headings and typeface. Using appropriate headings and subheadings help to break up large blocks of text and make it easier to scan the content IMHO. As for typeface some are easier on the eye than others. I have a liking of Verdana personally, but I guess it can get a bit boring if overused. We can’t both be right, can we? ;-) I guess it depends on the sort of sites you frequent. I’m probably thinking more about ecommerce sites than anything else.

Also a couple of things that I would add to your list: headings and typeface. Using appropriate headings and subheadings help to break up large blocks of text and make it easier to scan the content IMHO. As for typeface some are easier on the eye than others. I have a liking of Verdana personally, but I guess it can get a bit boring if overused.

]]> By: Patrick Burt http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-247 Patrick Burt Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:07:19 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-247 I'm thinking the opposite webgeekgirl. I think smaller font sizes were trendy when everyone wanted their site to look like a spaceship, and pixel fonts were all the rage. I think we're moving to bigger fonts now because of the whole "web 2.0" thing. I’m thinking the opposite webgeekgirl. I think smaller font sizes were trendy when everyone wanted their site to look like a spaceship, and pixel fonts were all the rage. I think we’re moving to bigger fonts now because of the whole “web 2.0″ thing.

]]> By: webgeekgirl http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-246 webgeekgirl Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:23:44 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-246 There seems to be a trend towards using ever smaller font sizes nowadays. Many sites seem quite uncomfortable to read for that reason (well, before resizing the text with the browser). Am I alone in thinking this? There seems to be a trend towards using ever smaller font sizes nowadays. Many sites seem quite uncomfortable to read for that reason (well, before resizing the text with the browser). Am I alone in thinking this?

]]> By: Patrick Burt http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-212 Patrick Burt Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:15:42 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-212 Cheers cooliojones, really appreciate it. :D Cheers cooliojones, really appreciate it. :D

]]> By: cooliojones http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-208 cooliojones Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:52:19 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-208 Ok I need to come to this site more and recommend some things for my readers who are just starting out and need to know these things. You've got some great tips here. Ok I need to come to this site more and recommend some things for my readers who are just starting out and need to know these things. You’ve got some great tips here.

]]> By: Patrick Burt http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-137 Patrick Burt Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:13:56 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-137 Hi Jan, I definitely agree. Regarding the comments, I think I found a plugin that does the job. Let me know if it works. Cheers. Hi Jan,

I definitely agree.

Regarding the comments, I think I found a plugin that does the job. Let me know if it works. Cheers.

]]> By: Jan from aquarium http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-136 Jan from aquarium Mon, 13 Aug 2007 07:49:10 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-136 Hi Patrick, I agree that variable sizes may suck sometimes. My primary site uses fixed fonts because I found it to be the best solution right now. However, my other sites are using sizes like "small", "x-small" and so on for fonts. If every browser supported w3 standrads in the same way, it would be gr8 :) for webmasters. BTW, maybe you could install some plugin which would inform people about replies on their comments. :) Just a thought. Hi Patrick, I agree that variable sizes may suck sometimes. My primary site uses fixed fonts because I found it to be the best solution right now. However, my other sites are using sizes like “small”, “x-small” and so on for fonts.

If every browser supported w3 standrads in the same way, it would be gr8 :) for webmasters.

BTW, maybe you could install some plugin which would inform people about replies on their comments. :) Just a thought.

]]> By: Patrick Burt http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-135 Patrick Burt Mon, 13 Aug 2007 01:21:37 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-135 Hi Jan, I've done the 62.5% font size trick, which I think makes 1em = 10pixels/10points. I just found the whole thing working multiplicatively a big hassle for me, and stuck with pixels. Something strange happened about a month ago, where without playing with my stylesheet, all my font sizes were cut in half. I can't explain it, but it made me go to back to fixed sizes. Hi Jan,

I’ve done the 62.5% font size trick, which I think makes 1em = 10pixels/10points. I just found the whole thing working multiplicatively a big hassle for me, and stuck with pixels.

Something strange happened about a month ago, where without playing with my stylesheet, all my font sizes were cut in half. I can’t explain it, but it made me go to back to fixed sizes.

]]> By: Jan from aquarium http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-132 Jan from aquarium Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:00:05 +0000 http://www.pat-burt.com/web-usability/how-to-optimize-your-body-text-for-readability/#comment-132 I would recommend to use variable sizes instead of fixed ones (use em instead of px for instance). This is just for "all OS/monitors" purpose since what looks well under 800x600 might look weird under 1600x1200 on another OS than Windows. I would recommend to use variable sizes instead of fixed ones (use em instead of px for instance).

This is just for “all OS/monitors” purpose since what looks well under 800×600 might look weird under 1600×1200 on another OS than Windows.

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