Exploring fonts with Microsoft (Not!) Have you ever noticed that the fonts on the web pages you browse seem too big, especially if you use Microsoft's Internet Explorer? What about the opposite, where the type on some pages seems so small that you contemplate glasses? We can fix both. They're too big! They're too small! In Explorer, it's easy to change the font size. Use the cmd - and cmd + sequences to change them to your liking. Note that these changes stick, so you'll have to change it back when you get to the next site. (For those of you used to Explorer 4.5, the "forms autofill" has moved to cmd ' from the cmd + position.) Now, when you get to sites where the font is just too small (like CNet.com), simply make it bigger until you're done. Or, if you're at a site like ours, where the size of the columns is depended on the size of the font, and things don't necessarily line up if the font is more than two sizes too big, it's wasy to make it smaller until you move on. (And if you're using a 1600x1200 monitor--and you know who you are--let us show you how easy it is to hook a second or even third monitor to your Mac. Goodbye eyestrain!) Changing the preferences Now that you know how to change the font temporarily, let's discuss why this happened and how your browser should really be set. In Explorer, choose Preferences from the Edit menu. Once there, note the list of items to select in the left-hand pane, and click on Language/Fonts. You'll get a panel similar to this: 
Now, notice the Fonts and Size panel on the lower right. Change the first two settings to "12" and "72dpi" respectively. You know now how to make the font larger without coming to this panel if you need, so it should be set at the Mac default (it ships with the Windows default of "16"). Likewise with the "dpi" setting--72 is the Mac default and 96 is the Windows default, mostly because of all those people with desktops set to really, really high resolution who spend time wondering why they can't read anything. Set the font choices in this panel as you choose. Notice that I've used another font (Novarese Book) in place of the standard Times--try some different ones until you decide which you like best or leave it on Times, as you choose. Happy surfing! | 
