Mail.app 2 or Thunderbird 2?

[twister]

I've been using Thunderbird 2 for quite some time now and I'm happy with everything except 1 thing; fonts.

It seems that what I see on screen when I compose an email and what Outlook users see when they get an email is completely different. So bad, that as a designer, I feel embarrassed. Outlook fonts are either a different font face or much larger.

I want all fonts to look the same regardless of who the receiver is.

Even though the font issue is big, I've got some great plugins in Thunderbird and it's working well.

Do you feel it's worth it to convert everything? Or ignore the font issue?

I'm running 10.4 on the machine in question.

Thanks

[Natobasso]

(Fellow designer here)

Remember that shared fonts between macs and pcs are very limited. Try to think of the lowest common denominator as a web page. Use fonts like Georgia, Arial, Trebuchet, and Verdana. I know they aren't very creative, but all PC computers in the entire world have these fonts and you can't go wrong with them.

If you start using your more "designy" fonts your PC recipients of your emails won't view them in anything but the above mentioned fonts.

Hope that helps!

[twister]

Agreed. But Thunderbird doesn't set a font size based on pixel or point. It's smaller or bigger. So what looks like Arial 11 on my screen looks like Arial 14 on Outlook 2007 when received. Not cool.

Example:
Thunderbird Font
Outlook Font

[Natobasso]

Understood, but you don't have much control over that, if at all. A user can set their font to be whatever their computer has and totally override the one you've set. Too big a problem to get around.

Have you thought about creating an HTML email? You can send it yourself through Mail, and I think Thunderbird can manage it as well. All links have to be absolute (starting with http://www.) rather than relative, and styles would need to be "inline" (no linked css, all styles in the html itself).

This seems like your best solution at this point.

[Hughvane]

Originally Posted by twister

Thunderbird doesn't set a font size based on pixel or point. It's smaller or bigger. So what looks like Arial 11 on my screen looks like Arial 14 on Outlook 2007

T-Bird is Eudora in more modern clothes. I use Eudora and the option for font size is, like you say, smaller or larger. If you know the difference between the size you're composing with, and what the Win readers see, then make necessary adjustments. Equally (equivalently?) when I get emails from my Win clients, I darn near need a magnifying glass to read them (thanks OE - not!).

If you like pleasant font style that is compatible between Mac & Win, add Comic Sans MS and to those already mentioned by Nato. And there's always good ol' Times New Roman. Say what you like about it, but for official typed communication it is good - easily read.

[Natobasso]

Please tell me you didn't just mention Comic Sans as a good font to use?

BTW, moving to NZ in November this year and am very excited! Married to a kiwi and our daughter is already; time to become one myself! Noizyland...

[Hughvane]

Originally Posted by Natobasso

Please tell me you didn't just mention Comic Sans as a good font to use?

No, you were seeing things! I simply pointed out that it is compatible with Win. I like Comic Sans.

BTW, moving to NZ in November this year and am very excited! Married to a kiwi and our daughter is already; time to become one myself! Noizyland...

Well, well, welcome in anticipation of your arrival. Have you practised speaking Niu Zild? Apparently the Neanderthals spoke like we do Your good lady wife can teach you how to butcher vowels with consummate skill.

If it's not an impertinent question, in which part of the country do you plan to settle [use PM if you'd rather]. From my sig, you can see that I live in the Mainland, south of the ditch (Cook Str). We tolerate those who live further north, and supply them with electricity.

[twister]

Thanks for the thoughts. I'm going to continue to do some testing and see what can come up with.

Any additional thoughts are welcome.