Font size when creating a new message

[jean06]

I am very new to Mac. When creating a new message, I use a 10 font
size, but it is too small to read while writing the message. when
reading a message, I can make the font bigger. Is there a way to
enlarge the font size while creating a new message, without it being
teh same size when sent?

Please help.

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

I am very new to Mac. When creating a new message, I use a 10 font
size, but it is too small to read while writing the message. when
reading a message, I can make the font bigger. Is there a way to
enlarge the font size while creating a new message, without it being
teh same size when sent?

Please help.

If you are creating nd sending in plain text rather than HTML, hat font size
you display in Entourage is immaterial no size info is sent with plain
text, just a stream of ascii characters. What your recipients see is
dependent on their mail client settings.

In HTML, things are different - there, what you see is something like what
they get. Trouble is, there are so many variations in the way different
clients encode HTML (is size set as an arbitrary 'size' attribute, a point
size, a pixel size or something else?) and in the ay they interpret those
settings (do they recalculate the intended size based on screen resolution,
on platform, since windows and mac do sizes differently, or on some other
arcane precepts?) that there I no way to tell precisely what the other
person will see. HML is nothing better than a rough guide - one that can
always be over-ridden by the receiving party. One more goo reason why Plain
Text is better

If you want to adjust the font selection for plain text or HTML, there's a
section in the Entourage preferences for this.

 

[Ed Kimball]

I have found that I need to push my standard typeface (Arial) in Entourage
up to 14 points to avoid complaints from recipients that it's too small,
when sending HTML.

 

[Diane]

I have found that I need to push my standard typeface (Arial) in Entourage
up to 14 points to avoid complaints from recipients that it's too small,
when sending HTML.

Fonts can be set for plain text and HTML. The settings for plain text only
affect what YOU see and not what the sender receives. The receiver will see
the messages with THEIR preferences. When setting plain text, choose what
you like. This is a great feature, especially if you like larger fonts for
easy viewing. However, the font and size you choose for "HTML messages
(proportional)" do reflect the default font for outgoing HTML mail and is
what the recipient will see.

HTML font size can sometimes be misinterpreted when sent from a Mac to PC.
This has been improved with the latest updates to Office X and 2004, but can
still cause problems. This is why plain text is preferred.Hopefully with
Office 2008 we will see improvements in handling HTML and font sizes.

 

[Ed Kimball]

Some of the newsgroups I use for teaching require HTML posting, in order to
post embedded images. And most of my other correspondents use HTML
themselves.

I understand the logic behind encouraging people to use plain text; I just
don't happen to agree in general.

As you can probably guess, I use Entourage's "reply in same mode" option, so
that those who send me plain text, like most in this newsgroup, get plain
text in return.

 

[Diane]

Some of the newsgroups I use for teaching require HTML posting, in order to
post embedded images. And most of my other correspondents use HTML
themselves.

When you think about it, the fact that you can bypass sending attachments by
embedding them into a message is a bug. Images certainly do help explaining
a problem and I fully understand why using HTML under these circumstances is
needed.

The debate over plain text vs. HTML is much like top posting vs. bottom
posting. Feeling run high on what is acceptable. Personally, I use plain
text whenever possible, but often use HTML when I need to specifically
respond in a certain way. I guess what I object to the most from many HTML
messages is the overuse of color and size. Both formats are here to stay and
it's up to users to be considerate of their recipients on how they are used.

My goal is to educate users on what and how they work. I know many users
that have bad eyesight and use really large fonts in HTML because that's
what they can see. Once they realize they can set plain text for their
preference and not force their readers to view the large fonts it's a
win-win situation.