Should my forum width be 100% or fixed width?

[Muller2]

Hi,

I am just building a forum/content site and I am looking at the layout which will cover both aspects. I can choose whether I should use percentage or a fixed width for the layout.

Several big forums including Sitepoint use a percentage based layout but I believe that knowing the max width will allow me to create the rest of the site more appealing to the eyes.

But my question is: As users of a forum which do you prefer? Percentage or fixed width layout for a forum?

Thanks,

Al

[AutisticCuckoo]

Do all of your users have the exact same width of their browser windows?

[GenePimentel]

Definitely percentage. Everyone uses different monitor sizes and resolution settings. Making it a fixed size will not work well with many of your visitor's settings.

[kooshin.com]

I agree with GenePimentel , it is better to make it in % so that it can display the same on any monitor

[dojo]

Fixed for a more complicated design. And most my sites are fixed. I just can't design a site for 1000 or 2000 pixels wide resolution and have it display OK in both.

[kooshin.com]

I also think it is kind of hard but it is becoming a normal thing these days. Persoanlly I like to design for 800*600 and when you are viewing the site on a wider screen it will just be in the center.

[Dan Schulz]

Neither. I set a minimum width of 750px and then a maximum width of (usually) 1150px. Then I use a percentage for the font size on the page body and use a relative unit (specifically EM units) for the layout.

[Muller2]

No they don't all have the same width.

The fixed width would be around 1000px. The issue with a fluid layout is that for example on the homepage I will include graphics that will link to articles etc that will be on seperate pages but all pages including the forum will have the same layout/style. The prob I have is shall I spend that extra time making the homepage and the static pages look nice as you know the size of the area you are dealing with and it can't change. Hope that makes sense

[web67]

i think have it 100%