Netscape Navigator 7.0
Changing Font Attributes
Netscape uses a variety of font options to display text. The Netscape Preferences dialog box allows you to choose the size and type among the various font options to view web pages. Changing the font of a document may improve the on-screen readability of a document or reduce the number of pages required when printing.
Understanding Font Types
Fonts are divided into font families or types: serif, sans serif, proportional, monospace, cursive, and fantasy. This section will help you to understand the six different font types as well as provide examples of each type.
Serif and Sans Serif
Serif fonts have small strokes called serifs on the ends of each letter; sans serif fonts do not. Both types have a different purpose and appearance as explained in the following table.
Proportional and Monospace
Proportional or variable width fonts give each letter a different amount of space based on the size and shape of that particular character. On paper, proportional fonts use less space and, therefore, less paper to print. Two commonly used proportional fonts are Times New Roman and Arial.
Some text, such as a paragraph the author wanted complete control over, is displayed in a monospace or fixed width font. Monospace fonts look like typewritten text because each letter uses the same amount of space on the page (e.g., W and I both take up the same amount of space). A commonly used monospace font is Courier.
Cursive and Fantasy
Cursive fonts are meant to resemble handwritten or script letters and are usually characterized by at least partially joining strokes of each letter. Cursive font letters are usually proportionately spaced, serif, and leaning to the right. The most commonly used cursive font is Comic Sans MS.
Fantasy fonts are intended to be especially decorative and are sometimes also called display fonts. These fonts are not often used for text in typical web pages. One such fantasy font is Algerian.
Font Examples
The table below summarizes the qualities of some commonly used fonts. Each font and its description are displayed in that font type at 12-point.
Changing Font Typefaces
The Preferences dialog box allows you to change the typeface and size for each default font type.
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From the Edit menu, select Preferences...
The Preferences dialog box appears.
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In the Category list, double click APPEARANCE
The Appearance list appears. -
From the Appearance list, select Fonts
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From the appropriate Typeface pull-down list, select a desired font
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From the corresponding Size (pixels) pull-down list, select a font size
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To permit a web page's own settings to override your font preferences, select Allow documents to use other fonts
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To confirm changes and return to your document, click OK
You are returned to your Netscape document. The font changes you have made should be visible in your document.
