I have read over the conversation discussed here and felt that as a web designer
my personal experience and ‘business practices’ may assist people in designing
other sites.
I personally design using the variable width table options allowed within HTML.
I utilise an array of nested tables with 100% widths for the overall table, and limit
navigational areas to fixed pixel widths.
For example on my business website, www.bluecrack.com. I have a large table with a number of tables nested inside. The outside one has a set width of 100%.
This way, irrespective of the viewers/users resolution settings my site appears to
take up the full width of the window.
I have nested tables within my header area, so as to align navigational elements to
either the left or right. This is done using table cells and alignment within tags.
The left navigational element, currently containing a newsletter subscription box,
and to also hold in the future my client testimonials, has a fixed width set. This is
set to be a little wider than the name and e-mail form areas.
This is repeated on the other side of the screen with the promotional links to my
hosting packages. Set to the same pixel width as the left column for consistency of
appearance.
At this point when users view this website, www.bluecrack.com, and change their
resolution settings, minimise the size of their viewing window, or open one of the
search/favourite/media portions of their browser the centre column of page content
adjusts accordingly. This is most visible on the copyright, and privacy policy pages.
Where the content extends for more than a single screen height.
I deem that this practice is integral to the success of a web site, and the design work
of the web site designer. Even in situations where you know for ‘certain’ the screen
resolution to be used, such as a business intranet, I still design using variable width
tables. Because you never know when hardware will be upgraded. And I am sure no
business is willing to pay you to come back in and re-design their intranet site purely
because it no longer takes up the entire browser window.
Design from the outset with the option to adjust to inevitable future changes that can
be outside of you control.
While this information, that I have presented is not directly related for designing web
sites using PhotoShop, I feel that is done address the initial question of whether ‘real’
people out there work for just one size browser and work within those constraints
imposed by the dimensions available within the on screen real estate.
I hope think helps clarify your thoughts for the designs that you may do in the future.
Fiona Fell
<< head creative geek
<< bluecrack multimedia
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