# I am computer stupid (word size) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066 "2011-03-26T16:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/1 "2011-03-26T16:32:56Z")
My son is sleeping and I don’t know how to do this. The type on my computer is too small. Please tell me how to make it bigger like it was yesterday. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/2 "2011-03-26T16:37:58Z")
move your face closer to the screen. are you talking about a web browser and which one? what computer, operating system or program are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/3 "2011-03-26T16:39:05Z")
The usual internet explorer. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/4 "2011-03-26T16:39:10Z")
Ctrl-+ (hit Ctrl key and then the + key but you don’t have to use the Shift key so I guess it’s really the “+ =” key) or depending on the browser, View\>Zoom\>Reset or Zoom In. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/5 "2011-03-26T16:39:39Z")
In FireFox: Menu\>View\>Zoom-Check Zoom Text Only\>Zoom In IE8 Page (right hand side) Menu\>Page\>Text Size ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/6 "2011-03-26T16:41:07Z")
> [@missbunny](#): > > Ctrl-+ (hit Ctrl key and then the + key but you don’t have to use the Shift key so I guess it’s really the “+ =” key) or depending on the browser, View\>Zoom\>Reset or Zoom In. That solved it. Bless you! ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/7 "2011-03-26T16:44:03Z")
You’re welcome. That was my first post in about 3 years. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/8 "2011-03-26T16:45:40Z")
Would - make it smaller? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/9 "2011-03-26T16:49:59Z")
> [@missbunny](#): > > Ctrl-+ (hit Ctrl key and then the + key but you don’t have to use the Shift key so I guess it’s really the “+ =” key) … Doesn’t work, unless you _hold the Control key down_ while pressing the + key, then immediately release both. (If you “hit Ctrl, then the + key,” that doesn’t imply they are both depressed together, but sequentially, and if you don’t tell them to release immediately, you may get some repeating functions you didn’t want as they continue to hold the keys down.) I’ve learned you have to be explicit with instructions like this. If you don’t, there will always be someone who doesn’t know how “Control/” functions work, no matter how second-nature it is to you. So, obviously, BigBertha didn’t follow what you said, but what you meant, and it worked by accident. > [@BigBertha](#): > > Would - make it smaller? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/10 "2011-03-26T17:03:10Z")
I find that a thesaurus can help to increase word size, if you’re really concerned about that sort of thing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/11 "2011-03-26T17:04:40Z")
Interesting, your statement “unless you hold the Control key down while pressing the + key, then immediately release both” could be interpreted to mean that while already pressing the + key, one should then also hold down the Control key–not that the Control key needs to be pressed first and then the + key. But that doesn’t work. And, you don’t need to release the two keys immediately both at the same time, but that’s what your instructions imply is necessary. I’ve learned people who correct other people need to be explicit when doing their correcting. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/12 "2011-03-26T17:15:09Z")
Easier method: Hold down Ctrl and roll the wheel on your mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/13 "2011-03-26T19:10:03Z")
> [@missbunny](#): > > And, you don’t need to release the two keys immediately both at the same time, but that’s what your instructions imply is necessary. It is _very_ necessary. If you hold down most any key on most any keyboard, it will begin to repeat. For many purposes, a string of a dozen repeats may not be what you want. I see this happen frequently with newbies. Of course, “immediately” is reasonable human-time, not microseconds, computer time. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/14 "2011-03-26T19:21:47Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Easier method: Hold down Ctrl and roll the wheel on your mouse. Then what? How about releasing the Control key? Is that stupid? You may laugh, but after supporting unsophisticated users for decades, there’s always one who wonders why the text keeps getting bigger and smaller every time they move the mouse “Did you release the Control key?” “No, was I supposed to?” My favorite story is when I told the user to press the up-arrow key a few times to move the cursor around the text. She said, “but all I get is a bunch of '6’s!” I’l leave it to you to figure out just why. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/15 "2011-03-26T19:27:01Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > My favorite story is when I told the user to press the up-arrow key a few times to move the cursor around the text. She said, “but all I get is a bunch of '6’s!” I’l leave it to you to figure out just why. You know, it takes a special kind of talent for a complete newbie to notice the caret at all, let alone confuse it with one of the arrow keys. (Now, how many people here didn’t know what the ^ was called before they read this post?) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/16 "2011-03-26T19:31:52Z")
Internet Explorer has a display at the right hand bottom of the window. Normally it shows a little magnifying glass next to 100% and an arrow. Clicking on the 100% changes it to 125%. Clicking again changes it to 150%. Clicking it a third time returns it to 100%. Clicking on the arrow brings up a menu of choices from 50% to 400%. There’s also a clickable “Custom” that brings up a box into which you can input any specific percentage. I don’t know how large or small it goes, though. That’s the best way to resize something for specific viewing purposes. And you don’t need to know how to work the Ctrl key at all. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/17 "2011-03-26T20:58:07Z")
And here I thought this was a computer architecture question. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/18 "2011-03-26T21:01:54Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > And here I thought this was a computer architecture question. Yeah, I was thinking the answer was 32 bits. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-computer-stupid-word-size/576066/19 "2011-03-26T23:30:24Z")
[QUOTE=Voyager] And here I thought this was a computer architecture question. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=panamajack] Yeah, I was thinking the answer was 32 bits. [/QUOTE] It’s probably for the best that there’s no keystroke to change that.