RE: Examples of Great Software/Web-based User Guides

["Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>]

Dan Goldstein wrote:

> Right, 710 pixels high. The next step down from 1280x1024 is 1280x768,
> i.e. 768 pixels high. Throw in a Firefox toolbar (just one), the new
> Firefox tab design, the Windows task bar, and Madcap's own tool bar,
> and... unh-uh. No dice.
> 
> The biggest problem is that you can't scroll up to view the
decapitated
> portion. When the screen cuts something off, users assume they can
> scroll to see what's hidden.
 
Well, 1280x1024 is a "traditional" aspect ratio (approx. 4:3)
resolution. Technically, the true 4:3 setting, available with many
display drivers, is 1280x960. I don't recall seeing an LCD panel with
that resolution, but it can be useful for CRTs. Many display drivers
offer 1152x864, which is also precisely 4:3 (but again, I don't think
LCDs are available in that resolution).

1280x768 is a widescreen display setting (it's between the 16:9 HDTV
ratio and the 16:10 ratio more common in monitors). The 4:3 equivalent
is 1024x768. 

According to the browser display stats from w3schools.com, in Jan. 2009,
36% of their visitors still had 1024x768 displays. That number has no
doubt declined since then (despite the recession), but it's still a lot
of people to just kiss off for no good reason. 

So I'll second your nitpicking and go further: it's not even a
reasonable limitation, especially for a popup that doesn't need to be
that big.

Richard


Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------






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