We were talking about "the fold" when designing websites.. meaning anything above the fold is better real estate, thus gets better clicks. Our home page for example we moved the item "x" below the fold last week, and the sales plummeted on that item (our highest selling part before the move) then we moved it back up yesterday. (around the fold)

I have 1024x768, and I noticed I can’t see it above the fold, until I turn my “links” and “Google bar” off. Then I started thinking about your average user ( I used my mom for example) she has 3 search bars on her computer (because as we both know everything that you install on the net now a days has a built in search bar download (Yahoo, google, links, etc...)that is automatic unless you UN-check it.

Finally to the question.... Is there any articles that you are aware of that we should look at in regards to these issues, and how we address them? What the actual screen size is? Numbers wise..... are you supposed to design around the bars being thier, and if so how many?







Any help would be appreciated
PLEASE AND THANK YOU in advance

It's one of those things that you can probably never really know. So much of how people view your site you'll never absolutely know. If you're targeting the average user you can probably just look at what comes with a standar browser install. Most people will leave their browser how it is the first time it loads.

Tech users will be more likely to have additional toolbars, but also know how to surf without having them visible all the time. I have a variety installed, but only turn them on when I'm actully using since I want to maximize the screen real estate.

Ultimately the best way to decide about resolution is to check your own web stats to see which resolutions (and browsers) people use. 1024x768 is the most common, but enough people still use 800x600 that you'll probably want to keep them in mind when designing.

There are sites online that will show you typical user data, but it's all going to be skewed a little to whoever views the sites they are measuring. I usually look at the TheCounter.com when I want to know something about global stats, but in the end will design more based on my own statistics.

You can also simply test like you've done and move things around and see where they work best. You won't be able to know where the fold is for all your visitors, but you can estimate where it will be for a good number of them.

Originally Posted by vangogh

It's one of those things that you can probably never really know. So much of how people view your site you'll never absolutely know. If you're targeting the average user you can probably just look at what comes with a standar browser install. Most people will leave their browser how it is the first time it loads.

Tech users will be more likely to have additional toolbars, but also know how to surf without having them visible all the time. I have a variety installed, but only turn them on when I'm actully using since I want to maximize the screen real estate.

Ultimately the best way to decide about resolution is to check your own web stats to see which resolutions (and browsers) people use. 1024x768 is the most common, but enough people still use 800x600 that you'll probably want to keep them in mind when designing.

There are sites online that will show you typical user data, but it's all going to be skewed a little to whoever views the sites they are measuring. I usually look at the TheCounter.com when I want to know something about global stats, but in the end will design more based on my own statistics.

You can also simply test like you've done and move things around and see where they work best. You won't be able to know where the fold is for all your visitors, but you can estimate where it will be for a good number of them.

very well put...

I agree with all of your statment thus far.....

I guess my question is how do we find out how many people have a toolbar or links showing etc...

Almost everyone now a days has to download something that installs a tool bar automatically... for instance the YAHOO toolbar is now piggybacking the Flash download....

So do we now start saying that the 800x600 is no longer it is now 800x595-590?

we all know the stats on the 8x6 or the 1024x768 etc ...

Do we need to change? Do we need to start thinking about these differneces?