[thelist] Screen Resolution, which to design for?

Stephen Rider evolt_org at striderweb.com
Tue Jan 16 09:52:41 CST 2007


On Jan 15, 2007, at 4:24 AM, Dawson Costelloe wrote:

> We're working on a new website for a client, and the question came up
> about which would be the best, or most commonly used screen resolution
> to design for. Some are saying, 1024x768, others 800x600, liquid
> designs came up and lots of other suggestions.
>
> Anyone else been through similar and what did you decide to to?

I would recommend at least a semi-fluid design (sidebar fixed width  
with main content fluid perhaps?)  If you go with all-fixed, I truly  
would not assume wider than 800 -- not because of that resolution so  
much as the fact that many many people don't maximize their browsers,  
and that narrower columns are much easier to read.  If you really  
want a wider design, try to ensure that at least the main content  
column is not too wide.

Also -- make sure you try it out in Firefox and use the browsers  
controls to size up the font.  Make sure that doesn't break the  
page.  I _frequently_ have to size up fonts on web sites, and it's  
not too uncommon for this to make certain things difficult or  
impossible to read (because, for example, absolute-positioned  
elements are now on top of other elements....)

Steve



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