A discussion about interfering with standard browser behavior over at alexking.org led to the following statement: “You don’t own your visitor’s browsing experience, they do.”
But do they? At least, do they completely? After all, when a user decides to point their browser at any given site, they are inviting the designer of that site into their browser. Furthermore, while the image toolbar in IE, for example, is a part of standard browser behavior, the ability to disable it is just as much a feature of the browser. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean every feature should be taken advantage of; it’s a matter of choice.
For example, look at DVDs. There are a number of DVDs out there which disable the menu, fast forward, and chapter skip buttons until after the previews. Others let you skip the previews, while others just leave the decision to view the previews at all up to you by putting them in the menu. Now, if a viewer really dislikes not having the ability to skip the previews (having standard DVD player behavior changed) then they can choose not to purchase DVDs from companies that do that. Is disabling the image toolbar in IE the same as making somebody sit through movie trailers? That’s a judgement call.
Yes, the visitor does have an important say in things, because a visitor can always decide not to return. The browsing experience ultimately belongs to the visitor, but during his or her visit it is given to the designer for safe-keeping. Remember, possession is nine-tenths of the law. If the designer tries to go too far, though, the visitor can always steal the experience back by means of the back button.
The verdict? I’m not sure there can be a clear-cut rule as to whether this sort of things is ok or not. It depends on the designer and his or her intended audience. Just like so many other things.
“After all, when a user decides to point their browser at any given site, they are inviting the designer of that site into their browser.”
No, they’re not. They’re seeking information. That little thing the internet was built on and grew because of.
And for crying out loud, if I specify 13px as my default font-size, why is all your site text half that size at most?!
Yes, they are seeking information, but they do so knowing that the presentation of that information has been shaped by someone other than themselves. To go back to the DVD analogy, when I rent a DVD I’m seeking entertainment, but in doing so I’m implicity inviting the director into my TV. Just as I may not rent a DVD with artistic techniques in mind, a visitor might not have a site’s design in mind when they follow a link, but he or she is still asking to be shown what’s on the other side of the link. As I said, that doesn’t mean designers should do things just because they can.
As for the font-size, I like a smaller size. This redesign is relatively young, so I’ll look into how things look with different default font-sizes and make adjustments as needed. In the meantime I’ll make things a little larger so you don’t have to squint.
“In the meantime I’ll make things a little larger so you don’t have to squint.”
Thankyou. As for checking font-sizes, why do you not just use the users settings? They’ve already specified what size they want, why change it based on your settings, your monitor and your eye-sight?
Why not just use the user’s settings? Well, in my experience most people haven’t set the size they want, they just keep the default. Second, when I change my preferred font-size to make my site look the way I want, other sites suddenly have text that is too small (because they do the same thing I’m doing currently.) In the end this is my site, so I want to enjoy it. I know, that means I’m kind of giving in, but I too do not want to change font sizes when I look at sites other than my own.
I’m thinking about having two style-sheets, one with specified font-sizes and one that uses user settings.