Web site's width of 800px ?

[BuezaWebDev]

Is is okay to design a website with a static width of 800px? I know it may be filtering out the 640x480 users, but don't you think we are at the point where most web users are viewing at 800x600 and up?

What are your opinions of it? I'm currently using 1280x1024, and I want to be able to appeal to those who use 800x600 and up (basically, just forget those who use 640x480) :|

Kind regards,
Jaime


Edit:

http://source.bueza.com

[Jona]

I'm sure, by now, users with resolutions less than 800x600 are used to having a scrollbar on almost every site they visit. I wouldn't suggest a fixed-width at 800px, though. I'd recommend 780 or less, since there are possible margins, applications and others that give an 800px screen resolution horizontal scrollbars. (For example, my screen is 1024x768, but if you set the width of the page to 1024 exactly, there will almost always be a horizontal scrollbar that doesn't scroll -- even if you remove all body margins.)

Edit: by the way, for the layout I see you have, it might be a good idea to set all dimensions in EM's (relative to the font size). That way it will look good even for users with 640x480.

[pawky]

Originally posted by Jona
I'd recommend 780 or less, since there are possible margins, applications and others that give an 800px screen resolution horizontal scrollbars.

One thing that will give it the horizontal scroll bar is the vertical scroll bar. By default my scrollbar is 16 px, not sure if its that on all windows. But that is one thing you will want to consider :)

[Scottcamp]

design a script to detect the browser settings and use this to send the user to the 800x600 site or the 1024x768 site. Forget the 640x480 users. I wouldn't even build one for 1280x1024. Not alot use this. Most common now is 1024x768

[pawky]

Originally posted by Scottcamp
design a script to detect the browser settings and use this to send the user to the 800x600 site or the 1024x768 site. Forget the 640x480 users. I wouldn't even build one for 1280x1024. Not alot use this. Most common now is 1024x768

so you're saying to design the site twice? that really isnt necessary at all.

[russell]

Originally posted by Scottcamp
design a script to detect the browser settings and use this to send the user to the 800x600 site or the 1024x768 site.
no, don't do that. build a site that fits nicely in ANY resolution is the best answer. But 800x600 is an acceptable value if you are going to fix it at some specified height/width.

[Jona]

Suggested reading: Creating Efficient CSS designs (http://www.vladdy.net/Demos/ElementSizing.html).

[Stephen Philbin]

Targeting 800+ I use 770.

Min-width/Max-width would be an ideal solution to all of these kinds of problems. Unforunately however most people use Microsoft Internet Explorer though, so normal implementation of even the most basic design solutions are still not an option.

[BuezaWebDev]

Hrmm...doh!

How is http://source.bueza.com going with your guys' screen resolutions??

I'm trying to get that dropshadow.

[Jona]

Looks great on my screen, Jaime. (And doesn't look all too shabby, either! ;))

Originally posted by Mr Herer
Min-width/Max-width would be an ideal solution to all of these kinds of problems. Unforunately however most people use Microsoft Internet Explorer though, so normal implementation of even the most basic design solutions are still not an option.

I believe that issue could be fixed (http://www.mezzoblue.com/archives/2004/09/16/minheight_fi/) with some deep thought.

[Stephen Philbin]

Exactly. Like I said, normal implementation. Instead of being able to simply say "min-height:Npx;" or "min-width:Npx;" entire documents and discussions are required to theorise over possible solutions such as: *>.box {
padding-top: 200px;
min-height: 1px;
}
*>.box p {
margin-top: -200px;
}
/* for IE, with IE5/Mac backslash filter \*/
* html .box {
height: 200px;
}

Which to my mind, is just stupid.

Nice site by the way Bueza. Like the look. Not sure on the mirrored menus though. :confused:

[pawky]

I agree, your site looks good :) though im not sure i care for the mirrored menus