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[JoePCool14]

This might seem like more of an odd request to some, but has anyone else ever considered implementing a forum theme where the body of the page doesn't stretch to the edges of the screen? Basically so that for wider screens, there is more of a margin where we see the BGS background and the content itself is "fixed" to a certain width.

This would be somewhat useful as on wider screens, as it's not always ideal to read small text that goes all across the screen. Especially on the ultra-wide monitors of which I sometimes use, it's very cumbersome.

[index]

That's something I've never liked about websites like Wikipedia. Their layout was designed years and years ago when wide monitors weren't really a thing and they never updated it for larger displays. Text bunched itself up neatly and readably when most people's screens were 1024x768 and 4:3. Today though, that isn't the case. It makes stuff like following tables across a screen pretty annoying.

This:
https://prnt.sc/11rmtkm
https://prnt.sc/11rmuyf
Is a lot easier on the eyes than this:
https://prnt.sc/11rmtwa
https://prnt.sc/11rmv7t
It's not that big of a deal for me, I can manage fine with what's here right now, but it would definitely fall into the "nice to have" category if it can be done.

[tolbs17]

Honestly I don't care, but the width is getting more common.

[kphoger]

That's something I've never liked about websites like Wikipedia. Their layout was designed years and years ago when wide monitors weren't really a thing and they never updated it for larger displays. Text bunched itself up neatly and readably when most people's screens were 1024x768 and 4:3. Today though, that isn't the case. It makes stuff like following tables across a screen pretty annoying.

This:
https://prnt.sc/11rmtkm
https://prnt.sc/11rmuyf
Is a lot easier on the eyes than this:
https://prnt.sc/11rmtwa
https://prnt.sc/11rmv7t
It's not that big of a deal for me but it would definitely fall into the "nice to have" category if it can be done.

Speaking of narrow columns making something easier to read...

It cracks me up when I see a depiction of someone unrolling a scroll to read something as if it were a Venetian blind or something–with the rolled-up parts at top and bottom.  That's sideways!  Depending on the text material, an ancient scroll could be several yards long, and the text was written in a series of narrow columns in what we might consider landscape format.

What they portray:


The reality:

[Scott5114]

Why don't you just make the browser window narrower?

[kphoger]

Why don't you just make the browser window narrower?

That's so simple, it just might work it will never work.

[index]

Why don't you just make the browser window narrower?

Never.



Well, I suppose that does make it narrower, actually. I didn't think this joke through.

[Scott5114]

Not what I meant, but it works.

I have the same keyboard as you!

[index]

Not what I meant, but it works.

I have the same keyboard as you!

Sometimes I'll get comments on it when I'm in voice calls just because the sound is so loud and distinct. Pretty hard to miss.

[JoePCool14]

Why don't you just make the browser window narrower?

Yes, I could... but it would be nice if the site did that for me. 

[SkyPesos]

Not what I meant, but it works.

I have the same keyboard as you!

Sometimes I'll get comments on it when I'm in voice calls just because the sound is so loud and distinct. Pretty hard to miss.

The Model M? I like that keyboard, especially the 'spring' sound, despite never used one for more than 5 seconds before. Though my current keyboard, the Corsair K70 with red switches, works great for me and have been what I used for the past 3 years.

[dlsterner]

Why don't you just make the browser window narrower?

Yes, I could... but it would be nice if the site did that for me. 

[start of pet peeve]
Actually, a lot of people would consider it rude on the part of a website to mess with things like browser width and height.  I set my browser window to where I want it because that's where I want it and where I like it - I don't want a web site to mess with that. Ever have a web site say "Please set your browser window to 1024x768 and your font to Arial for optimal viewing"?  No ... not gonna do that.
[end of pet peeve]

And I will preemptively tell myself "OK Boomer" and beat you all to the punch.   

[tolbs17]

How about the Tahoma font?

http://prntscr.com/11s5imn

[Rothman]

Not what I meant, but it works.

I have the same keyboard as you!

Sometimes I'll get comments on it when I'm in voice calls just because the sound is so loud and distinct. Pretty hard to miss.

The Model M? I like that keyboard, especially the 'spring' sound, despite never used one for more than 5 seconds before. Though my current keyboard, the Corsair K70 with red switches, works great for me and have been what I used for the past 3 years.

Ducky One RGB with CHERRY BLUE switches because I just gotta be that guy.

[JoePCool14]

How about the Tahoma font?

http://prntscr.com/11s5imn

Not what I'm talking about. All that does is compress the individual letters, not decrease the amount of space the site can use for text.

[tolbs17]

How about the Tahoma font?

http://prntscr.com/11s5imn

Not what I'm talking about. All that does is compress the individual letters, not decrease the amount of space the site can use for text.

How about provide advertisements.

[kphoger]

How about the Tahoma font?

http://prntscr.com/11s5imn

Not what I'm talking about. All that does is compress the individual letters, not decrease the amount of space the site can use for text.

How about provide advertisements.

How about hot dogs.

[kevinb1994]

How about the Tahoma font?

http://prntscr.com/11s5imn

Not what I'm talking about. All that does is compress the individual letters, not decrease the amount of space the site can use for text.

How about provide advertisements.

How about hot dogs.

How about French fries. Under the boardwalk, down by the sea. Of course.

[Scott5114]

Why don't you just make the browser window narrower?

Yes, I could... but it would be nice if the site did that for me. 

The problem is, every user is going to have a different opinion of what the ideal width of reading the forum is. Someone might think it's 600px, some might think it's 1000px, some (like me) might have no problem with the text going the full width of the screen and think having a huge margin on the right side of the screen is a waste of screen space. If this is enforced through CSS, then we are taking the choice away from the user and not letting them decide for themselves.

It is much better for everyone involved to just have the theme fill 100% of the browser window, and then if others find the lines of text are too long, resize the browser window to what they find most comfortable.

This ain't Apple. We're not in the habit of choosing your preferences for you.

NOTABUG WONTFIX

[JoePCool14]

Why don't you just make the browser window narrower?

Yes, I could... but it would be nice if the site did that for me. 

The problem is, every user is going to have a different opinion of what the ideal width of reading the forum is. Someone might think it's 600px, some might think it's 1000px, some (like me) might have no problem with the text going the full width of the screen and think having a huge margin on the right side of the screen is a waste of screen space. If this is enforced through CSS, then we are taking the choice away from the user and not letting them decide for themselves.

It is much better for everyone involved to just have the theme fill 100% of the browser window, and then if others find the lines of text are too long, resize the browser window to what they find most comfortable.

This ain't Apple. We're not in the habit of choosing your preferences for you.

NOTABUG WONTFIX

I don't exactly agree, but thanks for giving an explanation anyways.

[SkyPesos]

Not what I meant, but it works.

I have the same keyboard as you!

Sometimes I'll get comments on it when I'm in voice calls just because the sound is so loud and distinct. Pretty hard to miss.

The Model M? I like that keyboard, especially the 'spring' sound, despite never used one for more than 5 seconds before. Though my current keyboard, the Corsair K70 with red switches, works great for me and have been what I used for the past 3 years.

Ducky One RGB with CHERRY BLUE switches because I just gotta be that guy.

I heard blue switches on video calls this and last year way too much that I’m used to the loud clicky sound at this point.

[Scott5114]

I didn't even realize Cherry made keyboard switches. When I worked on slot machines, I knew of them because they supplied the door alarm switches on the machines. If you were talking with a game tech and mentioned a "cherry switch", they knew you were talking about the main door switch.

My Model M is loud enough that Discord picks it up when we're playing D&D. When I'm DMing, the other players will sometimes hear me typing and say something like "oh no, he's typing something up" assuming I'm making notes and preparing to sic some sort of monster on them.

[JoePCool14]

Cherry Red switches are where it's at though.

[Rothman]

Cherry Red switches are where it's at though.

Nah.  Gotta have the click.  My staffer finally asked why my keyboard sounded like an adding machine when she talked to me over the phone.

[index]

I found a solution for this in the form of a browser plugin:

Chrome:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/narrower/jfjaedekncgddegockpigkkpgkhaoljg?hl=en

Firefox:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/center-pages/

I don't know if the Chrome one works since it's old and I don't use Chrome, but I can verify the Firefox one works: https://prnt.sc/12kq8kf