1024x768 vs. 800x600?

Question

Hi all,
I'm doing some research for my company about the trend in
decreasing 800x600 screen resolution users. At my last job we had
already made the decision to move to a 1024x768 layout (not
actually using the full 1024 width.. rather, 950px, for the same
reason that we never fully used an 800px layout).
At my new job I'm trying to convince them to do the same
thing. Having an extra couple of hundred horizontal pixels to play
with makes site navigation challenges easier (if you have a very
large site) and of course, it allows you to put more stuff "above
the fold." A CSS liquid layout of course can solve the "above the
fold" thing but not necessarily the navigational thing.
2 years ago, for the month of May 2005, 36% of our users had
a 800x600 layout. Over the last month, only 17% of our users had a
800x600 layout. And I've looked at the trend to make sure these
numbers weren't a fluke and the data supports the decreasing trend
in 800x600 resolution.
So I'm wondering if any of you have been faced with answering
these questions and how you solved them?
I'm an advocate for moving to more screen space but I'd like
to back that up with some solid research.
thanks!
Ron

Answer 1

HI Ron,
I posted something similar to this a while back and got some
defensive responses as well.
I work for an engineering firm. Last month we had 10,000
visitors. Less than 2% of these visitors were using a resolution of
800x600. Over 70% of our visitors were using 1024x768 or 1280x1024.
I know we both understand that this doesn't mean their browsers are
fully maximized when searching the Internet. Probably very, very
few of them are. I watched our engineers search the web and I found
even though they weren't maximized, they were open larger than 800
pixels. Our website, which is 950, looks absolutely ridiculous on
one of our engineers monitors that has a giant 30" apple monitor
even though it is fluid, BUT, everything essential fits on an old
crt monitor too.
I personally would not design a site 1200 pixels wide, nor
would I design one 640x480.
I think it is most relevant to be familiar with your
demographic and your products and best determine a layout based on
what a potential customer might be and what the sites purpose is.
For example, I'm an artist and I love design sites that push
the envelope. If I'm at a creative site, I enjoy "figuring" out
certain things an artist might have thrown in there. I will
increase my browser window if necessary. However, if I go looking
for a pair of shoes during my lunch break and your nav bar doesn't
work or your page is hard to read, I'm out of there.
I think hard and fast rules are not alway applicable. I think
if the navigation is readable and functions with ease at 800
pixels, the rest is up for interpretation.
That being said, I'm not a professional web developer, I went
to art school.
HI Ron,
I posted something similar to this a while back and got some
defensive responses as well.
I work for an engineering firm. Last month we had 10,000
visitors. Less than 2% of these visitors were using a resolution of
800x600. Over 70% of our visitors were using 1024x768 or 1280x1024.
I know we both understand that this doesn't mean their browsers are
fully maximized when searching the Internet. Probably very, very
few of them are. I watched our engineers search the web and I found
even though they weren't maximized, they were open larger than 800
pixels. Our website, which is 950, looks absolutely ridiculous on
one of our engineers monitors that has a giant 30" apple monitor
even though it is fluid, BUT, everything essential fits on an old
crt monitor too.
I personally would not design a site 1200 pixels wide, nor
would I design one 640x480.
I think it is most relevant to be familiar with your
demographic and your products and best determine a layout based on
what a potential customer might be and what the sites purpose is.
For example, I'm an artist and I love design sites that push
the envelope. If I'm at a creative site, I enjoy "figuring" out
certain things an artist might have thrown in there. I will
increase my browser window if necessary. However, if I go looking
for a pair of shoes during my lunch break and your nav bar doesn't
work or your page is hard to read, I'm out of there.
I think hard and fast rules are not alway applicable. I think
if the navigation is readable and functions with ease at 800
pixels, the rest is up for interpretation.
That being said, I'm not a professional web developer, I went
to art school.
To the other "professionals", please don't call me names, I'm
not claiming to be an expert--just a consumer.