How close that match is will depend both on the fonts they have installed on their machine, and their browser settings. They may have chosen to display fonts larger or smaller depending on their personal preferences. They may be using a pC, a Mac, or a workstation linked to a large computer.
What's the difference between serif and sans-serif?
Serifs are those little "bars" on the tops and bases of letters such as "f", "i" and "r", in fonts such as Times Roman or Courier. Remember the old typewriter fonts? They make printed documents easier for the human eye to read. Many modern fonts don't have these "bars" - fonts such as Arial and Comic Sans. These are designed to be read on a screen, where apparently the human eye finds them easier to read than the older serif fonts.
What if I put a "fancy" font on my web page? If your visitor does't have the font installed on their PC, their browser will just show a font that's as close as it can find. If they're not using a PC, or the Windows operating system, then again their computer will display a font as close to the one specified as it can.
If you want to use fancy or non-standard fonts on your web site, for example on a banner, you'll have to create a graphics file with the text in it. The banners that you see as headers and ads on web sites are all graphics - even when they look as though they are all text.
Which fonts can I use without using a graphics program?
You need to choose fonts that likely to be installed on the majority of your visitors computers. Windows usually includes Arial, Helvetica, Times Roman, and Verdana, as well as Comic Sans MS, Trebuchet, and Impact!, unless the user has removed them from their PC. Mac users usually have Arial on their machines.
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