Web Page Size

[analog]

I am still using Publisher 2000 for a 300+ page website. I just cannot face
migrating to FrontPage since M$ still has still not addressed the near
impossibility of easily doing same.

I use CRT monitors at all our work stations, and they are all still set to
800x600 resolution. In publisher 2000, the wide page layout (7.5" x 14") nicely
fills an 800x600 screen. However, I am aware that many users are now going to
wider screen formats, and in fact the LCD monitors do not even display 800x600
such that it looks decent. Of course anyone viewing my site on a high
resolution screen sees the page scrunched over against the left margin unless of
course I manually insert a center command.

So my first question is what are most website visitors using for screen
resolution these days? Is it time to use a custom page width for my most often
visited pages? If so, what settings for page width would correspond with the
most common monitor resolution now in use?

Just how annoying do folks find 800x600 static pages displayed on higher
resolution LCD monitors? I am trying to make a decision on whether to make
changes, or leave well enuff alone.

Thanks for any input.

www.logwell.com

 

[Don Schmidt]

Best to leave things alone. You're asking how many "R's" are in a bowl of
alphabet soup? And then, there's twelve different bowls of soup around the
table!

 

[DavidF]

Hi Syd,

I would agree with Don, that I would leave it where it is. I think your site
looks good, works well and is a good example of just how good of site can be
built with Publisher.

I think your use of background images effectively mitigates any negative
that might be associated with the width of your page, as it gives the
impression that it is wider. I think that you might annoy more folks by
making the pages wider, as some of us that use larger monitors also use
multiple IE windows that are set to show 800 width pages without scrolling.
Or even if I am using full screen, I usually have a Favorites column
showing, and once again a page that is no wider than 800 just fills the rest
of my screen. When I have considered making my pages wider, I have also
considered the fact that if I do, then they won't print well if one of my
customers wants to print the page. I also think that if your text boxes are
too wide, they are more difficult to read. For what its worth, I like the
fact that you have generally used larger font sizes on your pages, for my
older eyes. Its also been my observation that even those webmasters that
have designed their pages to vary in width or to center, design their pages
such that they will still look good at 800. With Publisher being fixed in
width, how would you design for those who are using 800 if you make your
pages wider?

You gotta be careful...when you ask for an opinion, I am likely to give it
;-)

DavidF

 

[analog]

Well it is exactly the opinion I was looking for. I was just afraid that the
site was stuck in the stone age, but you made me feel better about the page
width I am now using. I did not even think about the printing issue!

Thanks.