RE: .p align=justify

At 09:03 AM 10/29/2002 -1000, you wrote:
>As a former desktop publisher, I would never use justify
>(by that I mean full justification) on a web site. Screen
>displays don't offer enough resolution to make it look
>good. It might be useful if you're doing a style sheet for
>better print output.

I don't think it's so much a matter of resolution as a question of 
controlling the type.

Done carelessly, justifying type (whether via a p=align  or CSS) leads to 
some ugly text as spacing is adjusted (often seemingly at random) to fill 
the container. However, if your willing to forgo usability concerns and fix 
the text size in pixels, and keep it contained in a fixed width space it 
can be effective. I've seen it put to good use on sites that attempt to 
replicate traditional newspaper layout, but that about the only time.

It boils down to how desperately you need control of your text, don't use 
justified text without being willing to consider how your going to control 
the size of the container and an awareness of the *many* usability issues. 
Your also going to have to preview constantly, on at least two platforms 
and several browsers (better get used to changing your resolution just to 
be sure) while considering your wording very carefully to keep it 
consistent, this is a lot of work to make something more difficult for the 
user.

-----------------------------------------
Al Sessions
al(at)oldforgefd.org
http://www.fultonchaindesign.com/mt (personal weblog)
    -- We're ready to defile the temple of multi-cultural consumerism
if you can provide the startup capital. --

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