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Q&A

Q1:

Is there a limit to the point size that can be used for text?

A1:

The limiting factor is the height and width of your component. Point sizes typically range from 9-point text for small lines that are readable to 48-point text for large headlines. Choosing the right size depends on the font typeface as well as the size, so it's largely a matter of trial and error.

Q2:

What happens if a color defined in a Java program can't be displayed on the monitor of someone displaying the program? For example, if my monitor is set to display only 256 colors, what will occur if I choose one of the 16.5 million colors that isn't in those 256?

A2:

When a monitor can't display a color selected with a setColor() or setBackground() method, it shows the closest existing color as a substitute. An example of this kind of substitution is the Danger application, which runs differently depending on the number of colors that can be shown as the text cycles from black to light blue to white.

Q3:

What causes brain freeze, the splitting headache you get when you drink something cold?

A3:

That condition, known medically as "ice cream headache," is caused by the soft palate at the back of your mouth dropping from a warm temperature to a cold one very quickly.

The temperature in the forehead briefly drops a few degrees during the headache, a condition similar to what happens in a migraine. Brain freeze is much less likely to happen on a cold day.

As I tell my kids, the best way to make one go away as quickly as possible is to close your mouth and breathe through your nose, warming up your forehead.

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