Web Design Thoughts

[Arctic]

I have a few guidelines I try to stick to when I develop a website, but what do you guys stick to? I guess I'll just throw mine out.

1) Centered and Liquid Layout
I like to have my layouts centered, and liquid. I find that this makes the website seem more confident. Liquid layouts are also nice because they make use of the screenspace. An extreme example to imagine for centering the layout is that if you had a 200*100 image to feature on a blank white page, would you want it on the left, the right, or the center? Liquid layouts are harder to make with pixel precision, so sometimes fixed width is better... but centering is definitely a must.

2) Relative Sizing
I use EM/% over PX/PT for the most part to ensure the text resizes nicely on different devices.

3) Large, Readable Fonts
I don't mean like 200px Arial fonts, I just mean that I like the fonts to be larger than 10px Times New Roman. Pixel fonts and such kind of died away when people realized websites should look more like magazines or newspapers (print media).

4) Luminance Contrast
Luminance contrast is a must. No dark grey fonts on light grey backgrounds, it's hard to read -_-

5) The Div > Table
I'd rather use the DIV tags and CSS to create my columns in my layouts, simply because tables hurt the Internet (and Div tags are easier to style).

Well, what about you?

[AbyssUnderground]

1. For me it depends on the website Im designing. For example abyssunderground is fixed width and left aligned. It always has been.

2. Like I say, my site is fixed width but I use px text sizes.

3. Size 10 for most text unfortunately, however 99% of people Ive asked can read it just fine. For those who can't they should know about CTRL + scrollwheel to increase the text size.

4. I hate sites that are hard to read. I always put dark on light and vice versa.

5. I use tables because its what Ive grown up to love and use with HTML. You can still use CSS on tables but its limited. I do use the occasional DIV for certain things but the mostpart of my site is tables.

:-)
_________________
Andy (AbyssUnderground) (previously The Inquisitor)
www.abyssunderground.co.uk

[Tom Chapman]

Similar to Artic but I use PX for text sizing like AbyssUnderground.

PS Artic would you be interested in passing the code for your current test website template if you move on from it? ><

I love it lol.. Of course if you did a link would remain in any way you wish. Thanks Tom.

[Arctic]

I'll keep in mind to contact you once I'm finished with it, :)