> Anthony: Ouch! Let's make a standard for FreeCard
> clear: It will work on 13" (640x480) monitors.
Alain: I suggest a 14" (640x480). That is what I have
standardized on for years now. This monitor size and
resolution are by far the most commonly found. Smaller
screens than this are dinosaurs (sorry Anthony).
> Anthony: The reason for this is simple:
> That's what O have, and I'm not developing
> something that won't run on my system :-)
Alain: It is indeed dreadful to have to scroll
horizontally. I understand. But: (1) Is it at all
conceivable that you upgrade your monitor? (2) You are
mainly working on the interpreter. How important is
screen-size when working with source code? Programmers
work with screens they've got, and it does-not or
should-not impact on the screen-size of the other
programmers.
> Anthony: Let's make it work on the old 9",
> too, because HC does.
Alain: That would be silly Anthony, unless were aiming
at deployment of FreeCard on PDAs, in which case 9" is
too big too. We would be overly constraining ourselves
needlessly.
> Adrian: I'm not going to spend time developing for
> 9" screens, they're just so uncommon now.
Alain: I have to agree with you, Adrian.
> Adrian: I will, however, strive to reduce wasted
> space while still maintaining useability and
> attractiveness.
Alain: Space is a very important design element. As
Adrian suggests, we should strive for useability and
attractiveness.
> Adrian: I'm sure you will regularly catch me
> designing for my 17" screen though. Sigh.
> And it gets worse, I'm eying off a new computer
> with a 21" monitor. :)
Alain: With a 17" monitor, you are committing a small
error that is almost forgiveable, but if you compound
the problem by designing for 21", then I believe that
you are committing a grave error. Only developers have
large screens like this. Practically no one else does.
So you can almost be 100%-sure that everyone will be
scrolling horizontally to varying degrees, and the
unfortunate folk who have smaller-than-average (14")
screens will be viewing your stack in thin slices
(e.g.tunnel-vision). The voice of Experience (mine)
suggest that you reconsider your target monitor. Trust
me. I will inevitably sneak-up behind you and bite you
on the a..
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