Width of a Blog - is 800x600 not so important?

Simon · 2006-03-23, 08:28 AM

Blogging beginner here. I'm just starting work on a new blog and my intention was to stay with the standard "less than 800 wide" that I see suggested so often for building free sites, galleries, etc.

But I noticed that many blogs don't seem to care about that for some reason. Some examples are Boogie's Blog, Walrus' Blog, Depraved World, Pornogomy, Byte of Porn Tart, and others.

I've looked around this forum to see if it's screen size/resolution has been discussed here as it might specifically relate to blog widths, but I didn't find anything.

So... can anyone shed some light on this? I'm currently developing something within the 800 wide standard, but if there are good reasons to go a little wider, I'd love to hear about it.

Simon

Tart · 2006-03-23, 09:20 AM

I'll have you know mine is just barely over (was too lazy to adjust it those last few pixels)

Seriously though, many blogs are designed to have a flexible width so that they look decent on 800 and up (although perhaps a bit bare at larger resolutions) I usually try to go that route myself and probably will with the new theme I'm working on.
Many mainstream blogs I've come across are either very narrow or adjust to fit so I think perhaps the larger size on adult blogs might be because most of us have bigger screens, and we're also trying to fit alot more images/ads etc on the page.
Personally I would go with a flexible width with the small end being 800, because then it will look decent to most surfers.

Preacher · 2006-03-23, 11:40 AM

Well, I'm not all that concerned about the 800x600 rule even on my LL, which I know puts me in the rare minority, but that's just how I am. As long as it's close and people with a generally acceptable monitor can view the page in a non-full sized window I'm happy.

When I rebuilt Depraved World in wordpress, I knew I wanted a 3 column scheme similiar to my old style blog and my linklist. It gives me a place to add friend's and blog links without losing good placement area's for my sponsor links. And trust me, to get the columns sitting right and main body to expand for my buddy's that use a 24" monitor and view web pages maximized took a bit of doing.

The cool thing about blogs is that for the most part, you are not required to have any set of rules like you are with a free site. So you can link to what you want, build it how you want, and say what you want in it. In some ways that is a positive thing as it gives you a great deal of freedom. Yet at times, it's easier to be constrained, however strange that sounds.

Good luck Simon!

walrus · 2006-03-23, 12:42 PM

I fall pretty much into the same category here as the preacher. Sticking to a hard 800 wide wasnt as big of a concern as getting the three columns in with enough width to be able to actually use the left and right side but maintain a respectable amount of space for the actual text.

That having been said...it's now going to bug the shit out of me till I get home tonight cause I noticed that the right side bar and the right edge of the grapic are a few px off. Damn!

Boogie · 2006-03-23, 02:00 PM

[quote=walrus]I fall pretty much into the same category here as the preacher. Sticking to a hard 800 wide wasnt as big of a concern as getting the three columns in with enough width to be able to actually use the left and right side but maintain a respectable amount of space for the actual text.
[quote]

thirded

Simon · 2006-03-23, 06:00 PM

Thanks for all the feedback!

I was playing with a two-column layout but the comments about better control over placement had me experimenting with a three-column one today.

The more I play around with this the more ideas I'm getting for other blogs I'd do a different way. I guess I may just have to do another one when I get the hang of this first one.

Now I have to decide how wide my side columns need to be. Which I think comes down to whether I want to use sponsor-supplied button graphics. Without those, I can stay quite a bit narrower I think.

Btw... I did know that some of the blogs I mentioned were just barely over 800 wide, but I had to get you folks here somehow.

Thanks again for the feedback. I'll post a URL here for more advice when I have something more than the thin flesh over bones I have now.

2006-03-23, 08:28 AM	#1
Simon That which does not kill us, will try, try again. Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Conch Republic Posts: 5,150	Width of a Blog - is 800x600 not so important? Blogging beginner here. I'm just starting work on a new blog and my intention was to stay with the standard "less than 800 wide" that I see suggested so often for building free sites, galleries, etc. But I noticed that many blogs don't seem to care about that for some reason. Some examples are Boogie's Blog, Walrus' Blog, Depraved World, Pornogomy, Byte of Porn Tart, and others. I've looked around this forum to see if it's screen size/resolution has been discussed here as it might specifically relate to blog widths, but I didn't find anything. So... can anyone shed some light on this? I'm currently developing something within the 800 wide standard, but if there are good reasons to go a little wider, I'd love to hear about it. Simon __________________ "If you're happy and you know it, think again." -- Guru Pitka

2006-03-23, 09:20 AM	#2
Tart When life hands you lemons, squirt the juice in your enemy's eyes Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Sunny South Posts: 423	I'll have you know mine is just barely over (was too lazy to adjust it those last few pixels) Seriously though, many blogs are designed to have a flexible width so that they look decent on 800 and up (although perhaps a bit bare at larger resolutions) I usually try to go that route myself and probably will with the new theme I'm working on. Many mainstream blogs I've come across are either very narrow or adjust to fit so I think perhaps the larger size on adult blogs might be because most of us have bigger screens, and we're also trying to fit alot more images/ads etc on the page. Personally I would go with a flexible width with the small end being 800, because then it will look decent to most surfers. __________________ Tart's Porn Zone

2006-03-23, 11:40 AM	#3
Preacher There's Xanax in my thurible! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wherever they screw on my head Posts: 2,441	Well, I'm not all that concerned about the 800x600 rule even on my LL, which I know puts me in the rare minority, but that's just how I am. As long as it's close and people with a generally acceptable monitor can view the page in a non-full sized window I'm happy. When I rebuilt Depraved World in wordpress, I knew I wanted a 3 column scheme similiar to my old style blog and my linklist. It gives me a place to add friend's and blog links without losing good placement area's for my sponsor links. And trust me, to get the columns sitting right and main body to expand for my buddy's that use a 24" monitor and view web pages maximized took a bit of doing. The cool thing about blogs is that for the most part, you are not required to have any set of rules like you are with a free site. So you can link to what you want, build it how you want, and say what you want in it. In some ways that is a positive thing as it gives you a great deal of freedom. Yet at times, it's easier to be constrained, however strange that sounds. Good luck Simon! __________________ NSCash * This Depraved World

2006-03-23, 12:42 PM	#4
walrus Oh no, I'm sweating like Roger Ebert Join Date: May 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,773	I fall pretty much into the same category here as the preacher. Sticking to a hard 800 wide wasnt as big of a concern as getting the three columns in with enough width to be able to actually use the left and right side but maintain a respectable amount of space for the actual text. That having been said...it's now going to bug the shit out of me till I get home tonight cause I noticed that the right side bar and the right edge of the grapic are a few px off. Damn! __________________ Naked Girlfriend Porn TGP free partner account

2006-03-23, 02:00 PM	#5
Boogie I like to blog :) Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,050	[quote=walrus]I fall pretty much into the same category here as the preacher. Sticking to a hard 800 wide wasnt as big of a concern as getting the three columns in with enough width to be able to actually use the left and right side but maintain a respectable amount of space for the actual text. [quote] thirded __________________ I got a porn blog! Got a blog worth linking to? Contact me

2006-03-23, 06:00 PM	#6
Simon That which does not kill us, will try, try again. Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Conch Republic Posts: 5,150	Thanks for all the feedback! I was playing with a two-column layout but the comments about better control over placement had me experimenting with a three-column one today. The more I play around with this the more ideas I'm getting for other blogs I'd do a different way. I guess I may just have to do another one when I get the hang of this first one. Now I have to decide how wide my side columns need to be. Which I think comes down to whether I want to use sponsor-supplied button graphics. Without those, I can stay quite a bit narrower I think. Btw... I did know that some of the blogs I mentioned were just barely over 800 wide, but I had to get you folks here somehow. Thanks again for the feedback. I'll post a URL here for more advice when I have something more than the thin flesh over bones I have now. __________________ "If you're happy and you know it, think again." -- Guru Pitka