DORSET-L Archives

Archiver > DORSET > 2001-07 > 0994205497


From: "Pauline" <>
Subject: Re: [DOR] Re Font size: (was Earlier e-mail).
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 01:11:37 +0100
References: <NCBBJKAGLGPBOEBAKBKIGECEDBAA.dorset.list@ajbrown.eu.com>


Hi Wendy and list,

I use outlook express 5.5 and it is easy to enlarge the print of an email by
holding down "ctrl "whilst scrolling, so Wendy might be able to do this and
enlarge the mails.
On the other hand she might not have a scroll wheel.

Pauline,


I use the following for my research.
The Archive CD Books Project
http://www.archivecdbooks.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan J Brown" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 9:26 PM
Subject: RE: [DOR] Re Font size: (was Earlier e-mail).


> As the lady with impaired vision has now posted to the List, I thought I'd
> better put up a few notes about formatting e-mails.
>
> As Helen has said, e-mails to the List appear as plain text, no matter how
> they are originally formatted, and with most e-mail programs that means
> virtually no formatting at all! It is possible in some programs to change
> the font size by default (i.e. all you outgoing e-mails will be that size
> until you change it back) but that is about all; no bold, underline etc.
>
> Many e-mail programs which I have had experience with have an option in
the
> m somewhere which allows e-mails to be sent as html files. This means
almost
> unlimited capabilities - if you can do it on a Web Page you can do it in
an
> e-mail. Font size, colour, bold underline etc. can be used, and graphics
can
> be embedded in the body of the e-mail, they don't have to be sent as
> attachments. This would appear to be the ideal way to send an e-mail to
> someone with a vision problem, as you could use a quite large font.
>
> HOWEVER, it's not as straight forward as that! Not all e-mail programs can
> read html files. Some will convert them to normal text, other just produce
a
> load of garbage on the screen; so you need to check with the recipient
that
> they can read html e-mails. Html e-mails are much larger files than text
> ones, so more time uploading and downloading, especially those pesky thing
> where the writer has gone mad and included background pictures, pretty
> borders etc. - sorry if I'm offending anyone:-)) - those are fine for
family
> greetings etc., but personally I don't think they are the thing for more
> everyday e-mails.
>
> The biggest problem with html e-mails is viruses. We are constantly being
> reminded not to open attachments unless we are absolutely certain what
they
> are as that is how viruses spread. What few people realise is that a virus
> can be spread as part of an html e-mail and it only has to be read and you
> are infected; if you have the browser pane open on Outlook Express or
> Outlook you don't even have to read the e-mail! Good virus checkers will
> catch these, but then as we know not everyone is adequately protected...
>
> So, my personal advice would always be use plain text for e-mails unless
you
> have a particular reason for using html, and then be sure the recipient
can
> read it. Of course, if you reply to an e-mail in html format, your reply
> will be also unless you switch over to plain text, but that is up to you.
>
> Hope this is of help and not too long, Helen!
>
> Alan
> A J Brown
> Living in Bournemouth, England
> http://www.ajbrown.eu.com
>



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