The WinXP and older versions primary setting for font size is in the Control Panel at Display. This is the same panel that you get by right clicking the desktop and clicking Properities.

In Vista, if you right click on a blank space on the desktop, you get a choice labelled "Personalize." This gets you a window that performs the same functions as the old Display, except that there are Seven separate "Choices" that have to be opened individually to change the settings that were all on one panel in older versions. Due to the sub-teen vocabulary used in Vista, you kind of have to "guess" which of these crippled screens might possibly have the function you want to change - but Font Size isn't one of them until you drill down through several layers in one.

There is an disguised button in a separate list on the left where you can "Change desktop icons" or "Adjust font size (DPI)". At this setting you CANNOT CHANGE THE FONT SIZE, but you can change the screen resolution to make the fonts look bigger or smaller. Of course that also makes EVERYTHING look bigger or smaller.

If you choose the "Window Color and Appearance" option, there may be an "Advanced" button where you would change the font size, if you could; but Vista has decided that you don't know what you want so the choice is locked out in the setup I have running.

So the big improvement in Vista is that you have 7 menus (13 if you count the "little buttons that aren't buttons") with stuff buried three layers deep in each of them, to do what WinXP did on ONE menu, and in Vista each click requires you to "confirm or log-on Administrator action" so you won't hurt yourself, and lots of the old choices that were helpful don't work or are disabled because MICROSOFT KNOWS WHAT YOU WANT.

IMMMMMMPRESSIVVVE. (If you're an idiot as Microsoft assumes you are.)

Note: I'm running¹ my Vista in "Classic View" to try to get rid of some of the more obnoxious "features." Choices probably will be different if you change to another "mode" but there is NO USEFUL information in Vista HELP to give any guidance.

¹ "running" is a euphemism for trying to make Vista operable. I have NOT SUCCEEDED in getting anything productive done with it.

Your browser should still have the ability to select a range of font sizes (View|Text Size) but of course that would be expected to affect only text in your browser. That's not "ironclad" though, since Internet Explorer is the "core" for Windows Explorer, and most Control Panel features show as Windows Explorer "views." I don't see an effect outside the browser, for changes in browser text size, but ... we are talking Vista so one can't assume anything.

Several generations of Windows versions have had enlarged text, sticky keys, and other aids for those who need them. A "magnifier" that may be what The Villan described, or at least is something similar, is one of the usual options. These have generally been found under a heading called "Accessibility."

Vista Start|Help, search on "Accessibility" gives you at least 30 "Vista Advertisements" for "things that Vista can do for you." I don't see one that's obviously related to font size setup or the magnifier, but it may be there. I've given up trying to guess what the "descriptions mean" since I'm not fluent in preadolescent speech conventions. My past experience with Vista is that at least one out of 11 of the advertisements may give you a clue, if you're clever, as to where to look to actually find out HOW TO DO WHAT'S ADVERTISED. The rest of them are just included to make you believe that Microsoft is takin' care of you (and you'll belive if you're a total idiot as Microsoft assumes you are).

Sorry I can't be of any real help here, but I'm still too busy being impressed by how Microsoft took care of me with Vista.... [do I have to tag sarcasm here?]

John