Articles
The Long and Short of Website Dimensions, Part Deux
By Cyndi Nguyen
I wrote an article some years back preaching the benefits of designing for 800x600 resolution monitors. After a surprising amount of feedback from web visitors telling me 1) times they are a'changing, and 2) my outdated article has been inadvertently giving out bad advice and hence I am responsible for grossly misinforming the general public, I decided it was time to revisit this apparently hot issue.
According to unofficial resources, about 80% of today's web browsing population has a screen resolution of 1024x768 or higher. Realizing that we need to make room for browser scroll bars and the like, that gives us about 995 pixels of usable space horizontally for our display. I find nowadays that designing sites to 960 pixels in width works pretty well, since many people like to know the boundaries of their pages, and many times, a little peek of background is an important part of the overall aesthetic.
You'll find an increasing number of websites are abandoning the 800x600 bandwagon in favor of larger pastures. Apple has decided that 980 pixels is the way to go, while Microsoft had their website at 995 pixels before settling on a modest 930 pixels. Clearly, the standard remains to be set, and really, anything less than 995 is considered safe.
I still stand by the notion that fluid screen sizes are still problematic from an aesthetic and usability point of view, in that you do lose a lot of control over what the user sees. Face it folks, design is IMPORTANT. Not just because it pays my bills and gives me a shiny name plate, but because design is an integral part of how users absorb and process information. The ease and appeal with which users take in this information feeds directly back into their perception of your brand.
So what about the little people still on 800x600? Well, I would say to them what I'd say to someone still wearing socks with loafers. It's time to re-evaluate your situation and make a change for the better.
