Searching around the Internet looking for user trends and statistics is a vital part of a Website designers work.
Knowing what browser version is the most popular is useful and what OS is preferred is interesting to note but, in my opinion, screen resolution is
the most important factor to consider before heading for the graphics tablet and PHP manual.
Should you stick to an 800X600 pixel design (the mos.common screen resolution at the moment), go for a bigger 1024 job (much more useful space to design at higher screen resolutions) or hit the 100% tables or elastic CSS trail?
The answer, for me at any rate, came with the purchase of a laptop with widescreen display.
As the majority of websites shied to the left it became apparent that a little bit of extra effort to make my websites 'stretch' across the full browser window would be worth it.
So, being the type of person I am (don't like to pay for something and not use it - even pixels) I now construct every site with stretch built in, sort of like electronic lycra I suppose.
The methods depend on the job. I find database output far easier to display and control using tables but static content easier using DIVS.
CSS implementation issues arise with different browsers displaying different results and this does tend to frustrate, especially as there are supposed to be standards adoption by the big browser boys, but no-one is going to faint with shock to know it's some way off at the moment.
Do I look fat in this?
Of course there are two sides to every story. Having delighted in my new found freedom I went at it with gusto. No website of mine (unless specified by the client) fails to fill the screen width.
But I have had to remind myself of the facts that I so religiously monitor and take into account the average resolution used by viewers. Scrolling horizontally is one of the no-nos of website design.
Ironic really. I've now had to start testing my designs in lower resolutions...
Author:
amazines.com/view_author.cfm?authorid=6298 Paul Marsh
