Trends in browser resolutions and usage statistics

Stay on top of the changing world of browsers is not easy, but it is the key to the excellent website design. That's why Visionefx puts time and effort to understand the latest developments. The following is an update on the browser, and some important information to consider when designing a website or hire a web designer.

Currently, Internet Explorer 6 is the dominant browser, XP is the most popular operating system, and most people use a screen with 1024x768 pixels or higher. We brave few have migrated to IE7 Beta release that is quirky at best. Do not install this version unless you're a PC guru. The installation files embeds itself in your system and it is difficult at best to completely uninstall.

Web design professionals have long debated the possibility of designing websites for small screen resolutions of 800x600 or 1024x768. Since 2006, the majority of users viewing at 1024x768 and higher, but a large minority are still viewing at 800x600. These users are the crowd that just can not let go of their 20 pounds on their laptop or 13 "CRT monitors.

Yahoo.com has just recently adopted a 1024px display for their homepage. This is good news for designers who support a larger, sturdy display.

Here are some specific examples of how graphics than 1024px 800px may affect the general appearance and the display of a web project. Open two browser windows and compare to Yahoo.com MSN.com. You can see there is a difference in the overflow screen left and right.

Multiple browser types and versions

The type and version of browser used by web surfers usability influence in different ways. Screen resolution and the type of computer also affect usability as follows:

1) The web pages may or may not be viewable by users
2) If you can see, they may not look as desired. The colors may be wrong, the text may be too big or small, users may have to scroll too much, or some features might not work.

When designing a website, you must also consider the users' operating systems (PC, Mac) and the most popular browsers used by web surfers today. The most popular browsers for PC for Windows includes Internet Explorer (IE), Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape and Opera. The most popular Mac OS (Operating sysytem) include Firefox, IE, Mozilla, Opera, Safari, Linux (Fedora Core 3), Epiphany, Firefox and Konqueror.

Good references for the current statistics of Web browser usage include W3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp, Upsdell.com / BrowserNews, Thecounter.com / Webreference.com and stats / stats / browser.html

Layout and Real real browser

The greatest challenge for designers today is to design a website that takes this unused real estate in the browser view. Some designers leave an empty space or incorporate the background or surrounding space in the design phase.

I call this the fake full screen! An experienced designer uses shapes, colors and elements to merge or link the web site for the remainder of the browser. Another way to use the entire browser is to use divs or tables that expand or contract the browser / screen resolution users. This is referred to as a 'layout resolution dependent'.

Some web browsers can use the extra space to place advertisements on the right of the screen. This method is often used by popular Web sites like espn.com. The main body of the website containing news, links, images and video are designed to be conveniently viewed at 800x600. Ads are placed in 224px on the flow, which adds up to a horizontal display of 1024px.

Clean Design is Good Design

Sometimes it's the hardest thing in the world to convince a customer that there is no need to fill every nook and cranny on the screen. Web layout follows the same rules as print design. Text and graphics are aligned to create 'flow of reading' an individual or a 'flow eye'. An experienced designer strategically use 'white space' to facilitate a good read or a stream.

You Decide

In the end, you must decide what works best for you or your client. Different sites attract different audiences. Do not let technology limit or dictate the final design of your website. Consider how visitors interact with web content and navigation, and design from there .......