>When we make up the message, it's some type of Serif Font - maybe Courier??
...
The thing here is that's the default typeset [Font] I have Netscape set to use on E-Mail and for the Browser [set to "Use My Preferences" in the edit/preferences menu].{/b]
Right. It will be your default fixed pitch font, most likely a Courier.
>[b]Now, on the otherhand, when the message is posted for all to see - it is a Sans Serif Font - looking very much like the common Arial Font.
Right. If you don't have Verdana, it will be Arial.
... unless you have specified that you wish to override the page-specified fonts with your own preferences.
>[afaik], the character we are working on here for ALT / CTRL keystrokes is the original Serif Font.
But it does not matter what you see then.
The character will be displayed from the Verdana or Arial font when we see it.
>Need to know if there will be any change in ALT characters between the default new message body, and the viewed message in a thread
I already told you, yes.
>which could be any Font that's set to be default
No, the page specifies Verdana or Arial in that order. Most people do not specify that their default should override the page settings.
So if you specify character 234, we will see character 234 from Verdana if we have it, otherwise character 234 from Arial.
