How much longer do you cater for the 800 x 600 screen resolution?

[Egg Bramhill]

It's been an almost unwritten law that web pages are created for an 800 pix x 600 pix resolution.

Like Web Safe colours at some time this standard will become defunct, as did 640 x 480 resolution standard. But when? Looking at the latest data from HERE it would suggest that by Jan 2009 only 2% of surfers will be using 800 x 600 resolution.

I create sites using 1024 x 768 but give an alternative for lower resolution users.

No bone to pick, just interested in your views.

[steve.ledger]

Personally I don't follow why big screens and larger resolutions should mean web pages should be created to fill the extra space.
I have always thought that a web page should print perfectly on an A4 sheet of paper without any special conditions or 'printer friendly' page creation being necessary.

Large wide-screen monitors simply mean you can view two documents side by side. No need to stretch the document when you can't print it that size in any case.

Have paper back books or newpapers changed in size relative to the improved technology which produces them? Of course not.
If they had, then I'd expect a paperback to be the size of a box of cornflakes by now

It's more about ergonomics surely.

Of course the rule changes with multi-media flash and online game sites designed to entertain. Like cinema screens, bigger is better

[ss-kalm]

I agree with Steve - Nothing infuriates me more than printing a site to find that most of the important text is not on the page.

[Egg Bramhill]

That's strange, I've never considered the printing function of a web site (except in Flash as printing can be a problem here). I very rarely do so. Personally I find the restriction of a max width of 770 pixels limiting. The "shrink to fit" option on printing suits my rare printing excursions just fine. I've noticed that more and more big sites are dropping the 800 restriction and moving to a 1024 width. BBC, Ebay etc.

[zaphodeist]

The BBC says 95% of end-users have 1024 or over. I find the concept of printing a web page a bit alien - though I suppose some will want to - but I agree with Steve, if a page is likely to be printed, then A4 is logical.

[remi]

The best approach is, to design your pages resolution independent.
Ok, ok unfortunately this is not always possible.

Some widths of known websites:

• Firefox website: 950px
• Apple website: 982px
• Microsoft website: 934px

Regards,
Remi

[a4hire]

My tracking on my web site still shows 34 percent of visitors using 800 x 600 and the highest percentage is 1024 x 768,
It is possible to make designs that will adapt to any size but can be very tricky and does not always guarantee that it will look right on the users resolution.

I think I will be sticking with 800 x 600 design for sometime.

[zaphodeist]

There was a thread on TG [can't find it, sorry] a short while ago that went into these things and the point was made that many people have bookmarks/favourites open at the side and loads of toolbars at the top so making a page for 1024 x 768, for instance, would mean the user having to scroll horizontaly as well as verticaly, so this should be taken into account too with a width of about 950.

[haakoo]

This one
http://www.talkgraphics.com/showpost...9&postcount=79

Hans

[zaphodeist]

Thanks Hans ... see, I did take notice of it