This forum is difficult to read

[Spider]

I thought I would just draw your attention to the difficulties some people have in reading this forum. If you are not sight-impaired, you wouldn't notice it, but SBF.net is not easy to read.

1. The font appears to be fixed size. The 'size' tool in the tool bar of the MSIE web browzer in inoperative, so someone like myself who needs the screen font to be larger for comfortable reading has difficulty. It is such an easy matter to write the code leaving the font size unfixed that I always wonder why programmers commonly add this hurdle for their visitors.

2. Clearly, this has become such a problem all over the Web that Microsft (and other browzer makers, I presume) have added the magnification control to their browsers. (Found in the bottom righthand corner of MSIE browsers.) However, in the case of SBF.net, this solves one problem and causes another. Even when making a small adjustment of 125% size, the SBF screen width is greater than the monitor screen width, requiring constant left-to-right scrolling. I think this indicates that SBF.net also has a fixed page width, instead of leaving it to fit the available space on the monitor.

Both the fixed font size and fixed page width make it extremely difficult for someone with even minor eye problems to use this forum comfortably.

It would be nice - and I believe very simple - if the code could be modified accordingly.

[vangogh]

It's not a simple fix. It would mean developing a new theme for the forum, which I just don't have the time to do at the moment. It's something on my list, but it will be awhile before I can get to it.

I'm viewing the forum in Firefox right now and when I increase the font-size by holding ctrl and clicking the + sign the font increases without having to scroll. After clicking a few times I do see a horizontal scroll bar, but all of the actual forum content is still visible in the monitor. The only thing off to the side is the background color behind the content. That might be somewhat different then what you're seeing in Internet Explorer though.

Do you have the same problem on other forums? We're using the default vBulletin theme, which is what the majority of forums end up using. The old SBF used it as well until the recent changes there.

Is anyone else having difficulty reading the forum?

[Spider]

Yes, we have the same problem on other forum and indeed on a majority of websites. I believe American companies on the web are supposed to conform to the Americans With Disabilities Act, but I guess no-one enforces it.

The code I see shows --

background: #E1E1E2;
color: #000000;
font: 10pt verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;
margin: 5px 10px 10px 10px;
padding: 0px;

(my highlight.) And that is the problem for the font. Just removing the 10pt would allow the font to be sized by the viewer. But this size-fixing repeats many times throughout the code. I didn't see where the page width was fixed.

As for SBF.com, they have fixed font but not fixed page width, it seems. At least, when one uses the magnifier (bottom right of MSIE window pane) the enlarged font wraps automatically and one has no need for horizontal scroll..

Any way, you are right - Firefox does a better job in this regard. However, most people use MSIE because that's what comes with their computer.

[vangogh]

I'm aware of the difference in fixed and relative font and don't need them pointed out to me. I'm also aware of accessibility issues.

The main issue here is that as soon as you start making changes to the template you inevitably have to make more than one. I don't have the time to work on the template now as I explained above.

You'll have to live with the current font-size.

[orion_joel]

Frederick, i think that you will find the issue of the width of the site is not anything to do with the template used on the site, but more so to do with how MSIE actually magnifies the page. Because if i do not have the site on full screen the page adjusts just fine to fit in the window, however when i use the magnifier in MSIE it throws the left right scroll bar no matter if the window is full screen or not.

Both of the issues with font size, and the left right scroll bar when magnifying the site, can be resolved by using a more versatile browser like Firefox. I am using firefox, and can use the zoom setting to increase the font size for better reading, and it does adjust to fit within the window.

So the issue is not really that the forum is designed in a way to inhibit the access or people with a degree of problems with their site, but more so that the site works differently within different browsers. Which is maybe something Microsoft may be able to fix for you in their browser which is actually what is causing your problem.

[Steve B]

Can't you just buy a bigger monitor? I know this isn't a very technical response, but sometimes the simple answers are overlooked by the technical folks.

[orion_joel]

I do not think that this would work, as the issue that seems to lie with MSIE i can recreate with any monitor, the magnifier adds the horizontal scroll bar, by default. Firefox doesn't do this.

[Steve B]

My 20" monitor sure is easier to read than my old 15" monitor.

[Spider]

I'm aware of the difference in fixed and relative font and don't need them pointed out to me. I'm also aware of accessibility issues.
The main issue here is that as soon as you start making changed to the template you inevitably have to make more than one. I don't have the time to work on the template now as I explained above.
You'll have to live with the current font-size.No need to snap at me, VG. I'm trying to hold a conversation with you and answer your questions, not teach you how to do your job.

And I started out trying to inform you of something about your forum of which you might not have beem aware. Sorry I spoke.

[vangogh]

Frederick if I snapped I apologize, but I had previously mentioned the change wasn't quite the quick fix you thought and that it would involve changing more than just the one setting. There was no need to point out the code. Nowhere did I imply that I wasn't aware of how to change the font. When you point out the code you're implying that the reason I'm not changing things is because I don't know what code needs to be changed. Whether it was intended or not it comes across as a slap at my skills as a web developer. I find that insulting.

I also felt that mentioning the Americans With Disabilities Act was uncalled for and meant more as a dig at the forum than a suggestion to help. Again, intended or not it comes across as insulting.

[BillR]

In Windows XP:

Right click on Desktop, go to "Properties"

General tab > DPI Setting > Change to 120 DPI.

That should help...

[Spider]

Thank you, Bill. That was very helpful. In case anyone is reading this later, I found the DPI setting here -

Right click on Desktop, go to "Properties"
> Settings > Advanced > General tab > DPI Setting > Change to 120 DPI.

Actually, 120 DPI made it too large for me so I went for a Custom setting of 105% (101dpi) Now it's perfect - big enough to read while getting maximum use of the screen real estate.

I noticed, though, that FireFox does not respond to this setting. Strange!