Font settings in Thunderbird: Difference between revisions

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First of all, a few terms/concept you need to know.
First of all, a few terms/concept you need to know.
* format: plain text vs. HTML
* format: plain text vs. HTML
* proportional vs. monospace, aka variable-width vs. fixed width (and yes, TB uses both sets of terms)
* proportional vs. monospace, aka variable width vs. fixed width (and yes, TB uses both sets of terms [https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=323517])
* serif vs. sans-serif
* serif vs. sans-serif
* size: pixels vs. small-medium-large (in HTML options; note the absence of ''points'')
* size: pixels vs. small-medium-large (in HTML options; note the absence of ''points'')

Revision as of 13:40, 15 January 2006

UNDER CONSTRUCTION...
(please don't categorize this page yet)

This article provides an overview of the various font/character settings in Thunderbird, which are often a source of confusion for new users. Broadly speaking, font settings can apply to three things in Thunderbird: message display, message composition, and the Thunderbird user-interface.

Basic terminology

First of all, a few terms/concept you need to know.

  • format: plain text vs. HTML
  • proportional vs. monospace, aka variable width vs. fixed width (and yes, TB uses both sets of terms [1])
  • serif vs. sans-serif
  • size: pixels vs. small-medium-large (in HTML options; note the absence of points)
  • character encoding (both for display and composition)

Message display

This refers to what messages look like when you view them. (But can also affect outgoing mail, in terms of font selection but not size.)


Things to include:

  • plain text vs. HTML
  • character encoding
  • using Serif for Proportional display seems to be broken in 1.5rc2 (works only when composing)
  • text size zoom (via menu or keyboard)
  • view > message body as > original html/simple html/plain text

Message composition

This refers to the font/character settings that you use in messages that you compose and send to others.


Things to include:

  • plain text vs. HTML settings (incl. account-specific HTML/plain text choice for comose)
  • terminological inconsistency in the UI: uses both proportional/monospace AND variable width/fixed width
  • non-bug bug where using a proportional font with plain text doesn't wrap properly
  • sigs
  • character encoding (note that outgoing encoding is under Display rather than Composition!)
  • Why doesn't TB use points instead of small-medium-large? (frequent Q)

Thunderbird user-interface

This refers to the font settings that are used in the menus, folder pane, message-list pane, and other parts of the Thunderbird user-interface.

Related articles

External links

Wikipedia articles: