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Who at Yahoo decided that a 12px font size was readable? Maybe start by firing that person? http://hn.explodie.org/writings/stop-using-small-font-size.html htt

by clobber 14y ago

Who at Yahoo decided that a 12px font size was readable? Maybe start by firing that person? http://hn.explodie.org/writings/stop-using-small-font-size.html http://hn.explodie.org/writings/stop-using-small-font-size.h... http://contrastrebellion.com/ http://contrastrebellion.com/

markdown 14y ago
In case you're too young to remember, 12px was the standard for a very long time. It's only in the last 2-3yrs that font-sizes have grown. I'm sure that if the website was redesigned today, a larger font would be implemented.
- clobber 14y ago
  > 12px was the standard for a very long time. Yeah, errrr....there is no "standard" on the web. Make your font sizes readable. It's really not hard.
  - markdown 14y ago
    Standard (Adjective): Used or accepted as normal or average. 12px was very readable for a very long time. FYI, screen resolutions weren't always as good as they are now. In fact, if you go further back in time, many "webmasters" (what we called ourselves because you young'uns decided you were "engineers" of usability) even gasp used 11px. Oh the days of the CRT... good times... good times.
    - clobber 14y ago
      Dinosaur (Noun): A person or thing that is outdated or has become obsolete because of failure to adapt to changing circumstances. I'm not sure why you think I'm a "young'un" but, please get over yourself, "old timer." So because 12px font was super readable on 640x480 CRT on Win95, we should continue to use that and never update our blogs? Are you seriously trying to defend shitty readability in 2013? What a weirdo.
      - markdown 14y ago
        > So because 12px font was super readable on 640x480 CRT on Win95, we should continue to use that and never update our blogs? Nope. > Are you seriously trying to defend shitty readability in 2013? Nope, not as far as I can tell. Do read my original post. In case you're too young to understand why I wrote... I was explaining a possible reason why the site has the font-size it currently has. I went on to say that I'm sure that were the site redesigned today, it would have a larger font... JUST LIKE ALL THE WEBSITES YOU LIKE THAT HAVE 16px FONTS... YES, THEY PROBABLY HAD 12 or 13px FONTS IN THEIR PREVIOUS ITERATIONS.
Sujan 14y ago
Funny to see how this comment is downvoted and loses its contrast as a result ;)
- clobber 14y ago
  Yep, not only that but Hacker News is used as an example on Contrast Rebellion: http://contrastrebellion.com/public/images/page2-img4.jpg http://contrastrebellion.com/public/images/page2-img4.jpg
  - pg 14y ago
    We don't do it to look cool. We know low contrast is less readable, and we use it to discourage self-posts.
    - clobber 14y ago
      Sure, I get the reason. I was using the example to relate to parent's comment.

by clobber 14y ago

markdown 14y ago

In case you're too young to remember, 12px was the standard for a very long time. It's only in the last 2-3yrs that font-sizes have grown. I'm sure that if the website was redesigned today, a larger font would be implemented.

clobber 14y ago
> 12px was the standard for a very long time. Yeah, errrr....there is no "standard" on the web. Make your font sizes readable. It's really not hard.
- markdown 14y ago
  Standard (Adjective): Used or accepted as normal or average. 12px was very readable for a very long time. FYI, screen resolutions weren't always as good as they are now. In fact, if you go further back in time, many "webmasters" (what we called ourselves because you young'uns decided you were "engineers" of usability) even gasp used 11px. Oh the days of the CRT... good times... good times.
  - clobber 14y ago
    Dinosaur (Noun): A person or thing that is outdated or has become obsolete because of failure to adapt to changing circumstances. I'm not sure why you think I'm a "young'un" but, please get over yourself, "old timer." So because 12px font was super readable on 640x480 CRT on Win95, we should continue to use that and never update our blogs? Are you seriously trying to defend shitty readability in 2013? What a weirdo.
    - markdown 14y ago
      > So because 12px font was super readable on 640x480 CRT on Win95, we should continue to use that and never update our blogs? Nope. > Are you seriously trying to defend shitty readability in 2013? Nope, not as far as I can tell. Do read my original post. In case you're too young to understand why I wrote... I was explaining a possible reason why the site has the font-size it currently has. I went on to say that I'm sure that were the site redesigned today, it would have a larger font... JUST LIKE ALL THE WEBSITES YOU LIKE THAT HAVE 16px FONTS... YES, THEY PROBABLY HAD 12 or 13px FONTS IN THEIR PREVIOUS ITERATIONS.

Sujan 14y ago

Funny to see how this comment is downvoted and loses its contrast as a result ;)

clobber 14y ago
Yep, not only that but Hacker News is used as an example on Contrast Rebellion: http://contrastrebellion.com/public/images/page2-img4.jpg http://contrastrebellion.com/public/images/page2-img4.jpg
- pg 14y ago
  We don't do it to look cool. We know low contrast is less readable, and we use it to discourage self-posts.
  - clobber 14y ago
    Sure, I get the reason. I was using the example to relate to parent's comment.