Time and space – and accessibility

The communication industry is changing quicker than ever, but the future is always informed by the past.

Quirky vocabulary is part and parcel of the history of printing. For instance, nobody really knows why the printers’ traditional annual party is called a wayzgoose, and not so long ago, type sizes were known by picturesque names such as long primer, pearl, minion and double paragon.

So too with measurements… an em is simply the width of a capital letter M and an en is half that. And the sheep? Em for muttons and en for nuts!

Old – but not outdated!

However antiquated all this may seem, ems and ens are bang up to date in the elegant and efficient construction of websites, being relative in size rather than fixed.

If you'd like to get a glimpse of what goes on “under the bonnet” of a well constructed web page, and see what magical transformation happens when it is linked to a different style sheet, enjoy the examples you'll find at http://www.csszengarden.com/

To learn more about the importance of web accessibility, this is a good place to start: http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility

If it all seems confusing…

Don't worry, we're on hand to help you through the process of achieving the website you want. Call 01603 301840 for a quote or a preliminary chat.