[thelist] DEBATE: Fixed Width Vs Liquid

[Ward_Conant at URSCorp.com]

Actually, there is some justification for the claim that
long lines of text are more difficult to read. Most study
results that I've seen, however, refer to offline reading
(i.e., hard-copy, high-res print on paper). Maybe someone
else will be able to reference some salient research RE:
reading from a screen ...

IMO, this is really a debate about whether developers/
designers should allow/force users to manipulate their
browser's environment or not (i.e., force them to resize
their browser window). Some will argue that we should
*never* require users to do this, others will argue that,
since everyone is different, this is the only way to
successfully accommodate everyone (let *each user* decide
how long those lines of text should be for him/herself).
Are your users the type to balk at being asked to resize
their browser windows? Are they the type to not only *not*
do this, but to also fail to recognize that they are
missing something by not doing so?

"Let the user decide" vs. "Force the user to adapt." Two
takes on a single approach ... both applicable, perhaps, in
various situations. So, as usual, the correct answer would
appear to be, "It Depends."



Ward Conant
Solution Design and Production, IT Services
URS - Oak Ridge, TN
tel 865.220.8154
fax 865.483.9061







"Tom Dell'Aringa" <pixelmech at yahoo.com>
Sent by: thelist-admin at lists.evolt.org
06/04/2002 12:35 PM
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        Subject:        Re: [thelist] DEBATE: Fixed Width Vs Liquid


Ken,

A person "says that a 100% width is "ugly" and "not readable" because
"users don't want to read
long lines of text." is one person's OPINION.

...

This way, you can derive hard data that probably (can't say for sure,
don't see your page) will
prove that their obtuse statement is unfounded. Certainly, I would think
your users won't consider
a liquid display "not readable" -- that's just an ignorant statement by
somebody with a strong
opinion.

Good luck

Tom


--- Ken Kogler <ken.kogler at cph.org> wrote:
> I've come up with a (mostly) liquid design for a site I'm working on. (I
say
> "mostly" because with the graphical elements, the minimum with is
something
> like 600px. It's not truly liquid).
>
> ... "not readable" because "users don't want to read long lines of
text."
> They're insisting I keep to a 750px static width on every page.
>
> Arguments for or against this?