[Web4lib] 800x600 Browser Resolution

[Ryan Eby]

I've seen this discussed on many design sites. Some are using hybrid
layouts with areas that have a max-width (and hacks to get browsers to
obey). Some are basing it on font-size so that it can still get larger
even with max-width. And I've seen others even make it so that the
layout itself changes to more columns or similar layouts depending on
the space allowed. Most of these are more complex and require more
testing so I'm not surprised they haven't caught on.

I've seen these layouts called elastic, flexible, jello and zoom. A
google search should bring up some examples.

Ryan Eby

On 8/2/06, Hankinson, Andrew <HankiA at parl.gc.ca> wrote:
> I think at some point we need to make a "serving suggestion," though.
> Liquid layouts are great in that they allow a user to experience the
> content in the way they're most comfortable with, but when they become
> detrimental to the usability of the site, I would question their
> effectiveness.
>
> We're not *forcing* anyone to experience our content in one way -
> especially if we're doing completely CSS-based layouts.  However, I do
> think it's up to designers to think about the esoteric points of
> usability (optimal line-lengths is not something I overhear in
> conversations on the bus...) so that the users don't have to.  Doing
> that means that you have to control some (many?) aspects of the
> experience, but AS LONG as you don't lock a user into that one way
> (using tables for layout is the first example I can think of) I think
> you're fine.
>