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This is a collection of web-building resources, focusing on accessibility and CSS-based design.

Billowing Text with CSS and Javascript

posted by jose on December 02, 2003

CSS Fisheye implements Ted Nelson's billowing text using CSS and Javascript. Nelson describes how it can be used to dynamically highlight text, much like OS X's icon zooming highlights an icon. The fisheye page doesn't say much in the way of utility, but points to a Flash implementation of the fisheye for use as menus in constrained spaces.

I'm ambivalent on its usage in this manner. It presents all the choices in the space available, but most of the choices are unreadable, so all the choices are not truly simultaneously presented. The true main strength is avoiding scrolling, which would make it seem the usability has increased, but its nonlinear dynamic motion could be confusing to many users. For now, it seems it is limited to esoteric glitz.

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