Re: Monitor sizes

From: Fred <DTGNews_at_aol.com>
Date: Sun 6 Feb 2000 13:52:07 EST

JORGE WROTE:
> When dealing with the issue on monitor sizes, you
> should take into account specifically, your market.

Well spoken, Jorge.

Then several others followed along some getting it
and some clueless.

> Do you know what size monitor is the most common
> monitor? Not 20" or larger, not even 17", it is a 12"
> monitor set to 640 X 480.

and...

> Nonsense. For web surfers, it's 800x600 on
> 15" & 17" monitors.

Who cares?

Where the rubber meets the pavement is: "Readability,
Usability and intent of content" Regardless of monitor.

It would seem that the designers have forsaken the web.
Today web design seems to be "shovelware" or "design
by committee" -- advertising sales committees. A
committee never sank a putt.

In prep for 2000 web design workshops start up I
revisited nearly 200 web sites (those that were still
alive) which I used as prime examples of "good" design
in my workshops since 1995.

Not a pretty sight.

Too many of them (you would recognize all of their
domains, in fact I believe some of you are ON this
list) have given up good design sense in the name of
advertising.

Okay... I'm not going into a Design theory rant here,
this is an advertising list and NOT a design list...

But let me challenge you with one simple question:

Do you want your readers to actually READ your
pontifications?

Well, do'ya?

Then you'll probably know what "Optimum line length" is
- and why it's important to you as information purveyor
and visual communicator.

You'll probably also know that case studies have proven
line lengths beyond 'optimum' actually damages
readability, and sends readers away.

Wake-up call: the human eye reacts predictably to
reading whether it's looking at a $200 or $1,000
monitor.

... no matter if the monitors are 10,000 by 10,000.

If you understand this, you probably won't use
> percentage values for tables rather than pixel
> values

You'll also understand that if your information is to
be deemed "important" to the reader, then you'll make
it clear and clean reading if they PRINT the page.

Don't laugh: consumers report printing pages that
"matter" and a large number of our readers report
printing the pages on a regular basis.

The problem today is no one cares any more about the
content... just so the visitors see the ads and
register a few more page views and click-throughs.
Worse yet, the consumers no longer really care either
(also evidenced by the GVU surveys) and they bend over
for anything the site throws at them. (Can you say
"cough"?)

You will note that some of the more successful sites
have "adapted" their designs to maintain "Optimum Line
Length" while providing 'negative' space for the
monitor overflow to the right -- for those with monster
monitors.

I'm seeing more and more content sites limiting the
content "well" to UNDER 500 pixels. It's evidence that
some designers actually understand the evolution of
the web user, and their monitors.

Compare today's "Salon.com" to the Salon of 1996, or
1997.

Although they have given up bragging about spam-free
content, and 30K page size ceilings, their overly fat
and spam-ridden pages still maintain appealing and
inviting readability. They kept their designers. Thank
goodness.

Look at Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream site. What was once
beautifully designed, written and produced, is now
confusing and to some users 'broken'. The most
important selling features and products have been
shoved far down four or five screens where their most
important "customers" will never read. Sad. Maybe
their designers were kidnapped by Salon?

Monitor or resolution should NOT be the question or the
issue. "Readability, Usability and intent of content"
should be. Regardless of monitor.

Fred

PS: another tidbit -- yes, GVU is an excellent stats
source...
    however check out the annual reports of the computer
    monitor manufacturers -- they'll tell you that the bulk of
    selling monitors are, in fact, 15-inches. Under 49 of age
    will likely be running 800 x 600 or higher, over 49
    running 800 x 600 and lower. Be aware of your market.

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Received on Sun Feb 06 2000 - 12:52:07 CST