Controlling your website and how it looks from one computer to another is not always an easy task. Let's look at some mediums we're all familiar with:

Television: Commercials, sitcoms, and even movies are all broadcast at a certain standard (525 scan lines at 30 frames per second at an aspect ratio of 4:3) at least until the end of 2009.

Print: Magazines are typically printed at 300 dpi (dots per inch) and the page size is specific to that book, but no matter who picks up the magazine, everyone sees things exactly the same.

Internet: The web has a set of rules unlike any other medium. We have standards as web developers we follow, but from one computer to another there can be many variables. Some variables include:

1. Screen resolution: 1024 x 768, 1280 x 800, or 1440 x 900


2. Screen size: 15", 17" or 21"


3. Screen shape: Square or rectangle


4. The choice of web browser: Internet Explorer, Mozilla's FireFox or Safari


5. Browser version: IE 5, 6 or 7; Firefox 2 or 3


6. Computer Type: Apple (Mac) or Dell (PC)

As you can see, the web is a whole new game with its own set of rules. These rules are constantly changing, and for many individuals it is not easy to keep up with the new standards.

One of the most common requests when building a website is to design a site that fits in the frame or in the browser window. As you can see by the 6 variables above, that is not an easy task, and now there is a 7th variable making this task even more difficult - the toolbar.

There have always been toolbars on your browser windows providing you with the options to go back or refresh a webpage, but now more and more people are using additional toolbars. Here are a few of the popular toolbars people have added to their browser: Google toolbar, Yahoo toolbar, and Alexa toolbar. Typically, people have their toolbars stacked so a page that was once in frame is now pushed down and the user is required to scroll down the page to see the remainder of the content.

This new variable will make it difficult for any site to be designed to be in frame. Though it should be understood and acknowledged, the toolbar variable should not be a major cause for concern. When designing your site, you need to look at the industry web standards (visit w3c.org) and recognize that your website will not be perfect on every machine. If you follow the usability standards and understand your audience, your website will be flexible.

Labels: building a website, updating a website, web design