DORSET-L Archives

Archiver > DORSET > 2001-07 > 0994235302


From: "Syd Norris" <>
Subject: Re: [DOR] Font size
Date: Wed, 4 Jul 2001 18:28:22 +1000
References: <NCBBJKAGLGPBOEBAKBKIMECFDBAA.dorset.list@ajbrown.eu.com>


In Outlook Express by sending a reply as "New Mail" rather than clicking on
"Reply" or "Reply all" one can select an appropriate font - blackness and/or
size.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan J Brown" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2001 5:41 PM
Subject: [DOR] Font size


> 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
>
>
> ==== DORSET Mailing List ====
> The homepage of the Dorset Family History Society is at:
> http://www.dfhs.freeserve.co.uk
>


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