[WEB4LIB] Pixel sizes for web pages

[Jenny Levine]

One thing to note on this subject is that sometimes what you
do with your computer determines what resolution you will use.  I'm
an experienced user, but at home I have a computer that runs mostly
kids games plus Internet access.
	Most of the games we've bought (including new ones like the
the Barbie CD-ROMs) won't run unless the resolution is set to 640 x 480
and the colors are set to 256.  I know how to change the settings back
and forth, but it's too much of a pain so Web surfing is done at 256 and
640.
	While this may not be much of a concern for an academic library,
it may influence decisions made by public library webmasters who don't
want to alienate an audience of parents using the library's Web site
(not
to mention computers in Youth Services departments).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jenny Levine				125 Tower Drive
Internet Development Specialist		Burr Ridge, IL 60521
Suburban Library System			+1 (630) 734 5141
http://www.sls.lib.il.us/		levinej at sls.lib.il.us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barbara Brattin wrote:
> 
> We have an escalating argument within our home page committee which will
> only be resolved by gathering learned opinions. Therefore, I come to you
> for learned opinions. We are developing a new and improved web site as a
> team. Some team members believe very strongly that the pages should be
> created to be viewed within the 800x600 pixel setting. Their argument is,
> the higher resolution is becoming a standard for commercial sites. Along
> with this argument, they request that all monitors within the library be
> set to this resolution. Frankly, I find this resolution to be bordering on
> hard to read, and I have 20/20 vision. The other side says, there are few
> times when we encounter a web page where we have to scroll right to left to
> see the contents (Infotrac is the main offender)  and seeing that we are
> concerned with visually challenged patron access, why would we reduce the
> font size for the few times that we need to adjust? They claim that 800x600
> is not the new standard, and that 640x480 is where we should be.  I'm
> interested in hearing from all you webmasters- what size pixel are you
> designing your pages for? Why? Does anyone really know what the new
> standard is? Thanks for your help!