What width do you design for?

Discussion in 'HTML & Website Design' started by vprp, Jul 15, 2005.

  1. #1
    I'm wondering what width everyone designs their Web sites for? I usually design Web sites so it's browsable under 800x600 without having to scroll. I'm designing a new Web site right now and it has a 160 pixel width sidebar. I'm debating on what kind of AdSense ad I want to place. If I place the leaderboard that has a 768 pixel width to the side of the sidebar, 800x600 users will have to scroll. Would it be better to just place a 468 pixel width AdSense ad or should I continue to keep 800x600 users in mind?
     
    vprp, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  2. Sandpetra

    Sandpetra Guest

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    #2
    You should really be using %widths values, but to be safe, copy what Yahoo does - they should know....760 I think.:)
     
    Sandpetra, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  3. vprp

    vprp Peon

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    #3
    Well, I do use % width values but the thing is, my sidebar is set for 160 pixels and the AdSense box is set at 768 pixels. Since I have no control over the AdSense box width, setting the % width of my table to 100% doesn't really make much difference since I can't constrain the AdSense box at all.
     
    vprp, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  4. SEbasic

    SEbasic Peon

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    #4
    760px...

    Always make a site for 800x600

    I may have a res of 1280x1024 on my home PC, but I always keep the window at 800x600...
     
    SEbasic, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  5. themaster

    themaster Well-Known Member

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    #5
    760*600 .. It works nice at 800*600
     
    themaster, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  6. vectorgraphx

    vectorgraphx Guest

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    #6
    depends on the site... either 760 for fixed width, or 100% table cells for full-screen effect. I used to design at 615 wide, (for 640x resolution) but i've phased out of doing that since most people seem to be using 800x resolution or greater, and if they haven't, they're used to side-scrolling anyways since 800x seems to have become the internet standard in recent years.

    VG
     
    vectorgraphx, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  7. vprp

    vprp Peon

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    #7
    Thanks everyone. I'll continue to design for 800x600.
     
    vprp, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  8. JoeO

    JoeO Peon

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    #8
    JoeO, Jul 15, 2005 IP
  9. bobby9101

    bobby9101 Peon

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    #9
    you can chage the width of adsense code
    (well technically you can. i am not sure if google will allow width changes)
     
    bobby9101, Jul 16, 2005 IP
  10. SEbasic

    SEbasic Peon

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    #10
    No, You are not allowed to do this - if you do, you will be banned as far as I know.
     
    SEbasic, Jul 18, 2005 IP
  11. yo-yo

    yo-yo Well-Known Member

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    #11
    800x600 is so 4 years ago.

    I think it depends on your site.. If your site is for computer nerds and techies I wouldn't worry about it. If your site is a store for old ladies.. you better be designing for computers from the early 90s :D

    You know the ones that only have 1 small graphic under 10kb lol.
     
    yo-yo, Jul 18, 2005 IP
  12. SEbasic

    SEbasic Peon

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    #12
    I would never be a regular member of a site unless it was designed for 800x600 (For the reason I previously stated)... (SEW is one forum I stopped visiting, just because I had to keep scrolling left and right - I think they fixed this issue now.
     
    SEbasic, Jul 18, 2005 IP
  13. yo-yo

    yo-yo Well-Known Member

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    #13
    Unless you have an old computer or tiny monitor there's no reason you should be browsing at 800x600.. my flat screen doesn't even support res. that low :D
     
    yo-yo, Jul 18, 2005 IP
  14. SEbasic

    SEbasic Peon

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    #14
    My resolution is set to 1024x768 at work and 1280x1024 at home - on both however, I keep my browser window fixed at 800x600 - It's just a more pleasent user experience.

    I treasure my desktop real estate and just don't see the point of building a site only for 1024x768 when it's just as easy to build for 800x600.

    It's a standard - regardless of the user's resoultion.

    Once 90% of browsers have 20" TFT's are you going to start designing for 1600x1200?
     
    SEbasic, Jul 18, 2005 IP
  15. mate_pl

    mate_pl Active Member

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    #15
    sites for more serious projects (and for bigger companies) are always for 800*600 but the last page I've made was for my own pleasure and is optimised for 1024*768. IMHO, we should make sites for 1024 but there are still some people using 800 and because of them we make 800*600 sites, but we shoul finally tell them to buy 17" displays because the price is too low to look on anything smaller...

    i've forgot to say that I hate 800*600 sites :)
     
    mate_pl, Jul 18, 2005 IP
  16. vectorgraphx

    vectorgraphx Guest

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    #16
    It does, also, depend on your demographic. I know alot of people that are still at 800x600, and while i WISH i could design for 1024, the last think i want to have happen is a large chunk of my visiting traffic to have to scroll left/right... to me it looks like bad design. But, if you know your demographic, and feel like most of them are using 1024, then it's a judgement call.

    Many of my visitors are looking at my website via internet terminals/kiosks, and they don't have control over the resolution.

    It comes back to knowing your visitor - and making the best guess you can.

    VG
     
    vectorgraphx, Jul 18, 2005 IP
  17. mate_pl

    mate_pl Active Member

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    #17
    The portal of city I live in is made in 800*600 because lots of people read it from work and I estimate that almost 40% of them still use this resolution but targeted public for my software site are people that care a little bit more about computers and I thing they also use larger displays so the resolution is 1024*768. I think I'm right...
     
    mate_pl, Jul 23, 2005 IP
  18. T0PS3O

    T0PS3O Feel Good PLC

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    #18
    I optimize then for 1024 but make sure it doesn't look whack on 800.
     
    T0PS3O, Jul 23, 2005 IP
  19. Josh

    Josh Peon

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    #19
    Just use %s.. and a min-width for those with a low low resolution. I always try to make sure my site works fine in 800x600, but if that means that 1024x768 users won't be able to see anything, I don't.I'm using like 1280x1024 though, so its easy to forgett about 800x600 people sometimes :(



    Josh
     
    Josh, Jul 23, 2005 IP
  20. Sandwalker

    Sandwalker Peon

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    #20
    I've had problems using percentages or a fixed with...

    The problem with percentages is, lets say you put 90% table width. If your content is only 750 wide and the table stretches to 90% of a 1280x1024 monitor, it's going to look funny. On the other hand, if you use a fixed width and center it, it looks tiny also.

    This solution works for me, for a more fluid design:

    Do not put any width or percentage for the main table. Instead use fixed widths in the columns only. Make these add up to the maximum width you want your design to be, say 1024. Then design your content to look good when minimized down to 750. What this does is treat your width setting as a 'suggestion'. Browsers consider widths in the table columns <td> as a "suggestion", whereas the table tags themselves <table> are a fixed width.

    Sorry if I'm being too simple for some of you, but hopefully someone finds this helpful.
     
    Sandwalker, Jul 23, 2005 IP