64 replies to this topic

[bwelford]

I have a client who is going through hoops to keep the 800 x 600 resolution people happy. Some of his potential clients are still at that level, although when they buy his systems they upgrade to a higher resolution. So I'm sure it's the right decision for him.

What about you? :?

[amjid]

Hi Barry,

Its funny.. I had this exact discussion with our web designer this morning who is currently redesigning the company home page.

I have always believed that you should design for an 800x600 screen because invariably there will be people using that resolution.

The designer, on the other hand, wants to design to a higher resolution stating that he can get 'more' on the page. I understand his arguments.

As a compromise, it has been suggested that while the page will be designed for 1024, all key information will be above the page fold so that if a user was using a 800 screen he would see all the key information without scrolling... time will tell if this is the 'right decision'.

The absolute key thing for me is there be no horizontal scrolling on the page. I think users may be willing to put up with some vertical scrolling (?).

How do others approach this?

Amjid

[3rdeye5]

Lately I've seen a couple of sites developed for a browser width of 1024. As my screen has a width of 1024, and I have my Windows taskbar at the right side of my screen, that annoys me, as a horizontal scrollbar appears.

Personally, I find a page width of over 800 pixels or so unpleasant, and that's why I have my taskbar at the right, instead of at the bottom as usual. I like to have more vertical space for viewing webpages, and not so much horizontal space.
Also, with my taskbar at the right, the window titles in the buttons stay more readable as more programs are open.

Ewald

[cline]

I was dealing with the designer for one of my clients recently and he insisted on designing to a 600 pixel width, and got huffy when I wanted to take it up to 800.

Although there are certainly lots of exceptions, I like fluid designs best. Let the user determine resolution.

[Ruud]

Fluid. Most definitely.

Ruud

[Ruud]

I like to have more vertical space for viewing webpages, and not so much horizontal space.  
Also, with my taskbar at the right, the window titles in the buttons stay more readable as more programs are open.

Hoi Ewald!

Interesting... I'll give this some time to get used to and then see if I like it. Certainly the window titles with many open programs is handy... and I suddenly have more place form my quicklaunch icons as well. Hmmm, not bad, not bad at all.

Ruud

ps: know how to get the Start button more towards the bottom of the bar?

[3rdeye5]

Hoi Ruud
I've also tried it at the left side of my screen, but I don't quite like that, as webpages usually have their navigation at the left as well. At the right it's conveniently out of the way.

[Added:]
I have no idea about how to move the Start button. I've just gotten used to it being in the top right corner.

Ewald

[Adrian]

Last stats I saw there were still a very large percentage of people using 800x600, and I can't see it ever dissapearing, because many older people (and some younger ones) have trouble with 1024x768 anyway.

I think the slight majority now is 1024x768, but I'm confused that anyone would think its worth ignoring 800x600 now.

And with more and more small screen devices (PDA's and the like), you probably want to be taking account of that as well.

[Respree]

I'm also for fluid designs. I think it has the advantage of more real-estate on the larger resolutions, pushing text that would have otherwise been below the fold, above the fold. My 2 cents.

[bwelford]

3rdeye5, that really is an intriguing idea to put the Task Bar at the right. Interestingly the thing that broke it for me was my HotBot deskbar. I use both this and the Google deskbar, both of which I find invaluable for certain small tasks. The Hotbot deskbar is not pretty when you put it in a vertical Task Bar. That's a shame.

[trevHCS]

The subject line makes it sound like we're some weird bunch of people on the fringes of computer society...

I can see the advantages of 1024 but how anyone can work at anything about 800 x 600 I'm really not sure - its not ideal for reading text for many hours a day or do people just having bigger monitors than 17" these days?

So, I would like to add my vote to the keep 800 x 600 campaign (and my eyesight) although admittidly I said something similar about Netscape 4 vs IE...ahem.

Trev

[sanity]

I'm also a fluid designer. Recent stats have 800 x 600 and 1024 x 768 at about 40-45% each so you need to design for both.

My husband runs a computer support company and he's said he rarely if ever sees anyone on anthing above 800 x 600 which I found interesting. Makes me wonder if most people on higher resolutions are more tech orientated.

[tam]

My screen is 1024x800 but with a search sidebar it drops dwn to 800px wide. Fluid is good in theory but if I do browse at a res higher than 800px wide I find the lines of text to long to read comfortably. Max-width still isn't supported widely

I wouldn't build a page that had a horizontal scroll at 800x600.

Tam

[Sharondippity]

Can I ask what is it that you all need these extra toolbars for? Is it something you use all day long? I only surf at night, and occasionally during the day when I'm babysitting a long process. I want as much space open as possible.

[iKwak]

Many of the pc in the computers labs are in 800x600 and same goes for all the pc in one of the nearby library.

[Eddie]

I maintain about 30 sites for different clients. The server logs still show a minimum of 80% of viitors to those sites are using an 800 x 600 screen.

I'm using a monster PC at the moment with a 19" monitor, and I only up the screen resolution when I'm editing videos. For general use 800 x 600 is without any doubt the most comfortable for general use. I''m in my 50's, and the over 50's are the fastest growing sector of new users at the moment.

[sanity]

I''m in my 50's, and the over 50's are the fastest growing sector of new users at the moment.

I think part of the decision comes from your audience. If your audience is young adults in their early 20's then a higher resolution may be in order. If the site is about pensioner's insurance a lower resolution would probably be best.

[The Alien]

Is there any other way but........ FLUID????????????

[tam]

Toolbars.....

The search bar at the side (which takes my screen down to 800px) is a quick way of searching google and viewing results. I use google a far amount, researching things or solving code errors etc It also does bookmarks etc. though I tend to head for the top menu for those. Then at the bottom of the screen I have to standard windows toolbar with the open windows listed, I have six programs open at the moment and flick between. Up the top I have tabs for the different windows I have open to different sites, only 3 atm. Then of course there is the back/forward buttons and the address bar.

Altogether that knocks about 160px of the left, 120px of the top, scroll bar takes another 15px on the right and theres about 45px off at the bottom.

Tam

[Arnvid]

Always build for an 800x600 resolution even if I with a 19" monitor use a 1024 resolution. Come on, most of us always check pages in Netscape/Mozilla and Opera even if users of these browsers are FAR below a 40% number - LOL

Honestly, I will not leave that concept before the 800 resolution people are far below the magic 1%. Feel this is a matter of "user respect" more than per cent numbers alone.

In fact I always make sure that my left navigation bar and the main section is visible so even no 600 user have to make a horizontal scroll to read the middle section (even if 600 resolution users miss the right side table).

Still, I use the align="center" function on the main frame so when having a 1024-plus resolution it should not be a page with a set-up falling on one of side of the monitor.

Important question Barry!