SiteMeter, the service I use to track stats on this site, is now keeping tabs on the reported monitor resolutions of visitors to this site. That’s valuable information that I can use to design the site so that it appears at its best for as many people as possible. I found these numbers interesting:
If you’re running at 800 x 600, leave a comment here and tell me why. I’m thinking that most people running at that low resolution are casual visitors who got here bia a search engine, and regular readers of this site are likely to use higher resolutions. But I could be wrong…
Ed Bott 
I use the 800×600 because that is what looks best on my screen. I have a 19″ LCD wide screen and that is the only resolution I have figured out to use that fills the space.
Wow, Bill, if you have a 19″ wide screen, it has a native resolution that is definitely way more than 800 x 600! What’s the manufacturer and exact model number? We’ll figure it out for you. You’re definitely not getting the most out of that flashy monitor. In fact, it probably looks like cr er, is not performing to optimal levels.
17″ LCD monitor, set to 800×600. pretty much the same reason as Bill.
(though when I’m on the notebook, it defaults to 1024×768″. I think that’s its only good resolution… the notebook is a toshiba sattellite m35x-s11… cheap, but a student working through school should save money for stuff like food.)
Wes, that’s the native resolution of the Satellite. In fact, the 17″ LCD should also have a native resolution of 1024 x 768.
I see people still running 800×600 because they either don’t know how to, or can’t (locked down systems), change the resolution. Even worse many still have crt monitors set at 60hz. Again almost never a hardware restriction, just not aware. Change it to 75,80hz and they are amazed to see flicker gone. My cad related blog has few at 800×600 but on the other its about 25%.
Some older people and the visually impaired run at that resolution because it’s easier for them to see.
Yes, I have a 17″ CRT and I find the font easier on my 47yr old eyeballs.
If you want to see another set of data points including trends over time, we’ve got some data from our tests:
Our stats show a higher percentage of users that are still using 800×600, that could be due to the audience differences. Perhaps you have a lot of notebook users, where 800×600 has almost disappeared completely.
Before you use this kind of data to influence web page designs, remember that a lot of people with resolutions of 1024 or higher tend to use non-maximized windows.
OK, I’m back with info on my desktop monitor and onboard integrated video card, (the latter which I’m hoping to replace before 2006). The Motherboard was made by SyntaxUSA before they were bought out and changed businesses. The onboard video card is a S3 ProSavageDDR. It can go up to 1024×768 comfortably (which is what I use for Linux), but I stick with 800×600 in Windows for it’s more comfortable at that resolution.
The monitor is a MicroTek 710S LCD display which I purchased cheaply 3 or so years ago because the CRT monitor died.
I have a 17″ CRT and find the font easier on my 28y/o eyes. Granted they’re not perfect eyes, and it’s about time for new glasses.
I am glad to know that site designers can take this into consideration, even if all don’t. For example, at 800×600 Thamas Hawk’s blog runs the main column and right column together making it very difficult to read. I had asked him about it with no response. I just checked it at 1024×768 and it looks great. I wish there were a better solution than switching back and forth b/w resolutions.
I’m not a computer guy, but this freeware seems to do the trick. It sits in the system tray and provides quick access to all screen modes.
link