KDE 4.13.95 Many font defaults are too small, and most Internet sites can not be rea

[Shabakthanai]

I just installed Kubuntu 14.10 on my laptop. I like to run betas there. Nevertheless, the problem is so severe, I am unable to work the problem using my laptop. Basically, the default screen color is a bright white with text an extremely pale blue. It is so pale I have to concentrate, using my bifocals, to read anything. I was unable to see if this is a beta bug; too hard to read. A right-click changes the color of the font from pale blue to red. That is how I was able to negotiate this page.

Fortunately type is black on white when writing my post. If I could read the options, I would surely bump the size a bit as well as perhaps increase to medium or bold print.

Additionally, some of the default font sizes are too small for older folks, like me. Even with correction, I have to struggle to make out the words. Even the smilies are almost too small to tell the difference between them without putting my nose on the screen and reading through my bifocals.

The Background/Font Color problem is too serious a problem to live with, so I will monitor this post from my Desktop PC where I can still read the screen.

Kubuntu is still the best computing system on the planet, IMHO, and you guys the best of the best.

[Kubuntu1404_Singapore]

Interesting. Changing the font sizes in the System Settings did not resolve this, I take it?

[Shabakthanai]

Kmail is the worst offender. In many cases fonts are 8 or less. I set my smallest font size in System Settings to 12 and all the rest of the settings @ 14. In most cases it works, however on internet sites fonts are too small in most cases for me, anyway. Kubuntu distributions are so configuration conscious that I can't understand why they just don't make it a practice to give users the options wherever text appears. It would be nice to have images resize too.

I very much like to use emotions when I write. It allows me to relate my current temperment without getting roudy with words, which I never do anyway. Nevertheless, a quizzling emotion or even a frowning emotion gives understanding to the author's temperment at the time in a friendly way. is that way for me a lot of the time. But until I learn all the shortcuts, I just have to struggle to see them, if I want to use them.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Let me say right off the bat that I feel like I'm missing or misunderstanding something, so bear with me!

Have you adjusted your preferences in the offending applications? For example, I use SeaMonkey as my browser and e-mail client; its preferences let me choose whichever fonts I want and whatever font size I want; they also allow me to set minimum font sizes and choose whether to allow sites to use fonts other than the ones I've chosen.

Basically, the default screen color is a bright white with text an extremely pale blue.

What default screen are you referring to? Is this a terminal application, like Konsole? Or what? And does it not have its own settings that you can adjust?

[jlittle]

... some of the default font sizes are too small for older folks, like me...

(I regard myself as older, but I was given one short-sighted eye, I find the default fonts too big.)

...the default screen color is a bright white with text an extremely pale blue...

If you find a bright white background a problem—I hate them—perhaps you might find my way of coping useful. I use the Invert Window desktop effect, bound to an easily reached ctrl-meta-z, to reverse the colours on a window giving trouble. I view KFN that way.

[Shabakthanai]

Interesting. Changing the font sizes in the System Settings did not resolve this, I take it?

No

[Shabakthanai]

It is Browser data that is the problem, mostly. I use Firefox.

Let me say right off the bat that I feel like I'm missing or misunderstanding something, so bear with me!

Have you adjusted your preferences in the offending applications? For example, I use SeaMonkey as my browser and e-mail client; its preferences let me choose whichever fonts I want and whatever font size I want; they also allow me to set minimum font sizes and choose whether to allow sites to use fonts other than the ones I've chosen.


What default screen are you referring to? Is this a terminal application, like Konsole? Or what? And does it not have its own settings that you can adjust?

[DoYouKubuntu]

It is Browser data that is the problem, mostly. I use Firefox and Rekonq and both have the selfsame problem.

Okay, both Firefox and reKonq have their own settings for things like fonts. So have you adjusted those settings, or not?

[Shabakthanai]

Of couse to the limit of their ability, but having to zoom in on every page I enter is a bit annoying. Basically they keep the minimum font size way smaller than I need to be able to read the page, so I always have to either enter their menu and advance font size by multiple re-entries of the "zoom-in" feature or click on the zoom feature that increases magnification upper right on the google screen or the like. No where can I make the minimum font size 14, which is what I use in my Kubuntu applications, excepting Kmail, my favorite email applications that insists on maintaining 6 to 8 for their default menu and the box where inbox is shown, don't know the name of that part of the application.

One thing that confuses me is, when I open Google, my start page, it is always with an agreeable font size, or when I read the research that Google has provided, but linking to any other site, usually ends up with the zoom in pain-in-the-nickta. Additionally, this site maintains a readeable font size without zooming in.

Also when I link to almost anything, except a folder in my own data base, I have to deal with zooming in. Even shortly after my last eye-glass upgrade, I still had the problem, so I am not too confident replacing my glasses will help anymore. Strangely enough, when the font is large enough, I see things crystal. As the grandkids would say, go figure.

I have a large monitor, 27" to handle larger fonts, but another annoying feature of websites is that if you increase font size by zooming in, all the data stays on the normal width of a page. It sure would be nice if when you zoom in the page would enlargen to fill the screen. All that white space on either side of the text seems a waste. And if you magnify enough, you end up with 3 to 4 word sentenses sometimes. And sometimes the magnification puts text over text. That kind of thing doesn't make any sense to me, but I am not smart enough to be able to program a cure, so I live with the current result. If you haven't done what I must do, you probably wouldn't understand what I am talking about, but try zooming in 4 to 5 clicks and see what happens to the data and images onscreen.

Thanks for your interest; some day you will probably have a like experience, and then will understand.

Okay, both Firefox and reKonq have their own settings for things like fonts. So have you adjusted those settings, or not?

[DoYouKubuntu]

Of couse to the limit of their ability, but having to zoom in on every page I enter is a bit annoying. Basically they keep the minimum font size way smaller than I need to be able to read the page, so I always have to either enter their menu and advance font size by multiple re-entries of the "zoom-in" feature or click on the zoom feature that increases magnification upper right on the google screen or the like. No where can I make the minimum font size 14, which is what I use in my Kubuntu applications, excepting Kmail, my favorite email applications that insists on maintaining 6 to 8 for their default menu and the box where inbox is shown, don't know the name of that part of the application.

So your Firefox doesn't have these in its settings?:

Thanks for your interest; some day you will probably have a like experience, and then will understand.

I've been using UNIX/Linux for almost 30 years, but you never know what might come up one day.

[Shabakthanai]

I am reviewing your reply. The image you presented has a font too small for me to read. When I lean forward and look through my bifocal, I am able to make out the content of the attachment. That is unreasonable, in my opinion. I live with it, and I am very grateful to have the wonderful Kubuntu Operating System, but being able to configure the minimum font size would make it easy for me to not have to do that. It happens all the time, even on the 27"monitor of my Desktop computer.

I am sure most people do not have my problem, but for those who do, and because correcting the problem could be rather simple for the programmers, it doesn't seem unreasonable to have the ability to control minimum font size for those of us who need that capability. I also select medium or bold for font intensity, because it helps a lot when struggling with the small fonts. And when increasing the font does not also increase the Icon images and smilies and emotions, that is a problem too.

I use emotions because they help reflect my state of mind without unpleasant words when caused to be frustrated or angry. or speak bundles. I am 71 years and have been computing for about 20 years. You are probably much younger with many more years experience, but if you haven't experienced the problem of having to put your nose on the screen, just to confirm that you are reading the written word accurately, you probably can't relate to my problem.

Sound has it's difficulties too. I have to play sound at an elevated state to be able to hear what is presented. Even at loud settings, sometimes background sounds, which are designed to emphasize excitement, make it difficult to find a balance where I can stand the explosions and voice without continually adjusting the volume.

I have also tried to find a suitable mixer, because if I could adjust the highs and lows selectively, I could get my computer to present sounds that I could understand at lower volumes. Sometimes no matter how high I tune the volume, I cannot understand the voices, when people do not enunciate. Certain actors do not enunciate very well; it makes their voices very recognizable for most, while not understandable to some.

I never can be confused with the gurus of this site, I have never been that intelligent, but I have been computing long enough using Kubuntu to know that allowing a user to establish minimums for fonts is a doable thing, and I believe not that difficult. The programmer just has to believe the problem the user has is real and that the problem affects their enjoyment of the system, as well as, their being able to distinguish the written word without having to Microsoft and make bunches of extra clicks to get a thing to happen.

Unfortunately I think these thoughts quite often but rarely state them, and I also don't believe I deserve the special consideration, but this post just doesn't seem to believe me when I state something, and I just don't know that many different ways to word the truth.

I suspect that many or most of you will have to face similar problems when your bodies start wearing out and your life nears its end. My greatest problem is, I don't think any of this is unique. I believe it already is a solved issue. I just need to find out how to access the technology that makes my use of the computer pretty much as easy as your use of your computer.

I am and always will be very grateful for any help you guys provide, and am sorry for my frustration.

So your Firefox doesn't have these in its settings?:




I've been using UNIX/Linux for almost 30 years, but you never know what might come up one day.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Sorry, but I think you're simply not configuring your apps via their own settings/preferences. You're talking about age-related vision problems, but--trust me on this!--that's perfectly fixable on Kubuntu. (Or any Linux.) My vision degraded significantly following a craniotomy to remove a brain tumor--but I do fine with all of my computers, because I adjust their fonts and other settings to my liking.

Please check the settings for the applications you're having problems with. Start with Firefox. If you don't know how to get to its settings, post and let us know. We'll walk you through it.

[Teunis]

Sorry to hear about your problems reading text or better, adjusting it to your requirements.

Since about ten years I also need reading glasses and depending on what I'm doing I might select a pair with a different correction, +1.5 are fine for my external 24"HD screen but in case of a small phone I prefer to use +2.0 correction.
For some small instrumental work like soldering I will use +2.5 (and get really close).
Would I use 2.0 or even 2.5 on my regular computer work I'd have to get really close up to have focus.
For me this is easy as I'm perfectly fine with € 5.00 glasses from the supermarket.

Soooo, reading you have to get closer to the screen to get things in focus I have to conclude your glasses are too strong for this particular purpose, a 27"screen at a reasonable distance.

About the sound, it's a couple of years ago I've last seen a KDE general volume control application with a frequency equaliser.
Until someone can point to such I would suggest to get some ear or headphones, some have a sort of acoustical shunt included.
Installing pavucontrol might also help because it has the option to increase volume to at least 150%.

[Shabakthanai]

I see the point you are making in the settings; I have done the same, however many fonts still appear at around 6 to 8 point, so the minimum font size only affects a portion of the text. The trouble with that is, I can only see to a certain point of smallness, after that, eye strain or putting my nose on the screen to read through my bifocals, or just plain not being able to read portions at all are my options. I sometimes miss some important data. Additionally, sometimes only the print is affected by the zoom feature, or the width of total text remains constant, leaving greater white space on either side of the presentation of the site. With a large screen monitor, ideal would be to have things increase in size to fill the space, especially for us older folk. It surprises me that my preference did not make a natural transition on this issue when larger screens became dominant. It also surprises me that it doesn't bother more users. It makes me feel guilty for bringing the topic up. Oh well! Hope I am not annoying anyone.

So your Firefox doesn't have these in its settings?:




I've been using UNIX/Linux for almost 30 years, but you never know what might come up one day.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Silly, you're not annoying anyone! Certainly not me, anyway.

Look, I'm convinced that it's a settings and/or configuration problem. If you log in as a different user, do the same apps appear the same way, with fonts too small to read? If you haven't tried logging in as a different user, try that. Make SURE that you don't copy any settings or config files from your account to their account. Create a new user if need be. Then log in with just its bare-bones initial settings and see if changing the font size, in Firefox for example, fixes the problem. If so, then we're on to something!