Screen Resolutions

[Phillip Mann]

I work on a Web Site and my desktop computer screen resolution is set
at 800x600.

I understand most people are using 1024x768 or higher now.

While writing html, should I set my desktop to the higher resolution
to be sure the pages look OK in the 1024x768 setting?

Phil

www.BluegrassBanjo.com
www.BluegrassBanjo.org

 

[Jonathan N. Little]

I work on a Web Site and my desktop computer screen resolution is set
at 800x600.

I understand most people are using 1024x768 or higher now.

While writing html, should I set my desktop to the higher resolution
to be sure the pages look OK in the 1024x768 setting?

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...te+for+a+single+resolution&btnG=Google+Search
why you should not design website for a single resolution - Google Search

 

[cwdjrxyz]

I work on a Web Site and my desktop computer screen resolution is set
at 800x600.

I understand most people are using 1024x768 or higher now.

While writing html, should I set my desktop to the higher resolution
to be sure the pages look OK in the 1024x768 setting?

Some now use well over 1024x768 resolution, and some use very much
less on some handheld devices, cell phones, etc. If you have an Opera
browser, you can select the view tab and then select the small screen
view that shows how your page looks on a very small screen. Or you can
rather use shift + F11 to do the same thing. If a page views well on
this small screen setting and on 1024x768, then nearly everyone can
view it properly. One main thing to watch is how well text reads at
smaller screen size. Using a fixed font size in pixels often can make
the text nearly impossible to read on the Opera small screen setting.

 

[Bernhard Sturm]

I work on a Web Site and my desktop computer screen resolution is set
at 800x600.

I understand most people are using 1024x768 or higher now.

While writing html, should I set my desktop to the higher resolution
to be sure the pages look OK in the 1024x768 setting?

the main question is:
if people use high-resolution screens, does that automatically mean,
that they will surf with their UA window maximsed?

as a webdesigner you should concentrate your efforts on 'how can I use
the available space in the best possible way' instead of 'how can design
for the highest possible screen-resolution'. Design for your audiance
and not for what is technically possible. It is well possible, that your
audiance uses 1024x768 screens, but they will never have their UA window
maximised, so its good practice to (still) design for 800x600 resolutions.

cheers
bernhard

 

[Chris F.A. Johnson]

the main question is:
if people use high-resolution screens, does that automatically mean,
that they will surf with their UA window maximsed?

as a webdesigner you should concentrate your efforts on 'how can I use
the available space in the best possible way' instead of 'how can design
for the highest possible screen-resolution'. Design for your audiance
and not for what is technically possible. It is well possible, that your
audiance uses 1024x768 screens, but they will never have their UA window
maximised, so its good practice to (still) design for 800x600 resolutions.

It is not good practice to design for 800x600 resolutions. Window
size is only one factor. Different users have different default
text sizes; what works on one user's 800x600 window may not work on
another user's 800x600 window with a larger font size.

Avoid specifying any font or window sizes, and let the browser
adjust the page to fit its window. That is, after all, the default,
and it is the default for a good reason.

 

[Bernhard Sturm]

It is not good practice to design for 800x600 resolutions. Window
size is only one factor. Different users have different default
text sizes; what works on one user's 800x600 window may not work on
another user's 800x600 window with a larger font size.

we are not talking about font-size here, we are talking about the use of
(available) space. if your point was to advocate for dynamic layouts
then this would be a different can of worms.

I was refering to the use of screen space with respect to your intended
audiance. If you are going to design for 800x600px then you will have to
deal with a limited amount of space in order to place your layout
objects. Limitation is always a good practice for a designer, because
you will have to respect certain design rules.
And in order to overcome the problem you mentioned, I suggest you use
only 'em'-units for the position and size of visual elements (and of
course use the various media-selectors in CSS for non-screen devices).

cheers
bernhard