Re: Question of format style

Somebody over on the techniques list suggested that a 60% majority use
800x600 and then the next 30% use 1024x768.  While I agree that the Web
should be a universal medium in catering for everyone regardless of their
browser or configuration there are practical reasons why this cannot be the
case all the time.  For instance a title image that fits 1024x768 perfectly
will scroll off the screen at lower resolutions, however an image designed
to fit 800x600 will look ridiculously small on 1600x1200.  In this case I'll
design for 800x600.  (My screen is set to 1152x864 but I usually adjust the
browser window to suit the page I'm viewing, in my experience usually
800x600 ish)  I definitely agree that text should wrap depending on the
browser window size but I don't think there's a way of automatically scaling
the font size depending on screen resolution.  ( I wish there was!)  The
best you can do is leave it up to the individual to configure their browser
to suit their configuration.  Unfortunately you then don't have full control
over the appearance of your page, but that's just how it is...

Nick Doylend

nick(at)hashishin.net
http://www.hashishin.net/ndoylend

----- Original Message -----
From: Teri A. Ward <taw0200(at)eeidf002.ca.boeing.com>
To: <hwg-style(at)hwg.org>; <peterb(at)val-tech.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2000 7:18 PM
Subject: Re: Question of format style


> Peter Bouvier asked:
>
> > ... what should be the default size of
> > a modern web page.  Some in our company say it should be
> > 800x600 and some say 1024x768.
> _____________________________________________________
>
> One of the great things about the web is it's ability to
> wrap text and adjust a web page to any size monitor. Instead
> of designing for one specific size, why not take advantage
> of this capability and lay out your pages so they can be
> viewed on any size monitor? I've heard this referred to by
> some in the web community as "liquid text".
>
> These are the guidelines I try to follow, at least whenever
> possible:
>
>   o  Keep graphics to less than 700 pixels wide, so
>      they will not require horizontal scrolling for the
>      lower resolution monitors.
>
>   o  Use percentages for widths, whether you are using
>      tables or style sheets for layout.
>
>   o  Think twice about specifying small fonts. I use a
>      1200x1600 monitor, and many many web sites are
>      unreadable unless I override the document-
>      specified fonts and enlarge them (a pain to keep
>      doing over and over again).
>
> Just my opinion ... I'm sure you'll get plenty of others!!
>
> Tammie Ward
> Technical Writer/Web Designer
> Seattle

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