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jbms_at_[hidden]

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I don't know whether this has been mentioned and/or discussed
previously, but I think it would be better to stick with the default
font styles both for the text and more importantly for the links in the new
home page design.  Although the alternate font styles and colors to some
extent make the home page prettier, I find that they actually make it
harder to read and use.
The default font style is generally one in which text is easily read by
the user while still being small enough that a large amount of text can
fit on the screen at once.  A custom font, such as the one selected for
the normal text in the new design, may display either smaller or larger
than the user would like.
I find that the custom link styling is a greater problem.  The black
text with a light blue underline is far less effective at identifying a
link than my default link style, both because it does not stand out from
the rest of the text as my default style of blue text with a blue
underline, and also because I am not as familiar with it identifying a
link as I am with my default style.  Furthermore, some of the links
(such as in the right-side boxes) do not even have an underline, which
makes them even less identifiable as links, and some non-link pieces of
text appear to be links because of the styling.  For example, the
headings in the right-side boxes are in blue text with a blue underline
and change color when the mouse is moved over them, a style that is
commonly used only for links, and similarly, the "Revised 8 May, 2005"
notice at the bottom right is in the same style as the links on the left
side, and even changes color when the mouse is moved over it, but is not
a link.
Less strongly than in regards to the text styling, I also suggest
that the left and right margins currently filled by gradient images be
eliminated, since they take up space and don't really improve the
appearance of the page.
-- 
Jeremy Maitin-Shepard