[thelist] What shall we do with the W3C DOM - part 2

[the head lemur]

> Try setting your resolution above 800x600.....do people still use
> 800x600...and, if so, why?


1. Default.
In a lot of cases programs and computer folks define best viewed at 800x600
Most business programs use this as the default size.
Most video cards sold presently are defaulted at this.
Very little furniture is built to establish the 16" to 20" viewing distance
that ergonomic literature(out of date) specifies as a 'good distance'.

Cubical manufactures do not think about the computer as the primary
information/work tool. (this is getting better, but the cost in relation to
the benefit usually has the button sorters stroking out)

2. Monitor size. Bigger monitors require more space. Folks move them farther
back on their desks. At higher resolution the images become unreadable.

3. Lack of information regarding display properties. Yes you can use large
icons on windows, but how many folks know that? Yes you can change the
colors, fonts, font sizes, and focus colors, but how many folks know that or
are allowed to make these changes?

4. Cost. Most major brand manfactured computers in service have either
shared video memory or 8 MB of video memory. At higher resolutions this
impacts performance,(screen refreshes, screen drawing, display color depth,)
At higher resolutions, to mitigate this performance hit, the video card
palatte will degrade from 32 to 24 to 16 bit to 256 colors.

5. Vision difficulties. Folks who wear glasses, may or may not use them when
working on a computer. This relates back to the viewing distance between the
operator and the monitor. Color blindness is also a factor, as if you cannot
see them, 32bit color is not an enhancement.
(I wear bifocal glasses for driving and reading, but they sit on the counter
when I am on the keyboard)

6. Productivity Impact. There are very few compelling arguments for screen
refreshing justifying an investment in a video card that will run quake3,
but because of the system bus, ram, harddrive speed, etc. really providing
any sort of productivity increase.

7. Folks are happy at 800x600.
This puts the ball back in the court of the designer/developer.

<tip type="eyeglasses" author="head lemur">
When ordering 'reading or computer eyeglasses measure the distance you
actually are from the monitor. Eyeglass companies will build them for
16"-20" which may not be correct and you will just be pouring money down a
rathole.
Have somebody measure the distance you Actually sit from the screen.
</tip>

the head lemur
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