Re: Monitor/Resolutions

Subject: Re: Monitor/Resolutions
From: Paul Branchaud <paul -at- VEDGE -dot- COM>
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 1997 10:45:46 -0400

On Fri, 15 Aug 1997, Suzanne Townsend wrote:

> Does anyone have the "definitive" answer as to what the prevailing (if
> not "standard") screen resolution most computer users use is? And, if they
> are capable of higher resolutions, why don't they use them?

Suzanne,

I don't think there can ever be a *definitive* answer. Given the vast
number of users "out there", there is an equally vast variety of system
configurations. With regards to monitors and screen resolution, I have
always taken the position that I expect my end users to have *at least*
256 color VGA with 640x480 resolution, and I state it in a "System
Requirements" section early in the manual (or online documentation).

If your product requires higher resolution (say 1024x768) and 16 million
colors, the system requirements should clearly state that a SVGA card
with a minimum of 1Mb VRAM (is that the right one?) is required. You
should try to aim for the lowest common denominator, and I think it is
safe to assume that 640x480 256 VGA is the lowest of modern common
denominators. Others, who are more "in the know" of the hardware aspect
of modern computing, might be able to make my foolproof assumptions proof
of a fool. ;)

Then again, my computer at home uses a monochrome monitor with a VGA card.

Hope everything is well in Canada's Ocean Playground,

Paul
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Paul Branchaud "Men, do you fear that, one day, your
paul -at- vedge -dot- com wife will run her hands through your
Technical Writer hair... and you won't be there?!"
Visual Edge Software, Ltd. -- Richard Jeni (on hair loss)
--My opinions are rarely shared by Visual Edge and other smart folks--

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