donlelel@gmail.com wrote, On 11/13/2006 3:34 PM:
> Hi,
>
> I have a laptop capable of a resolution of 1680x1050 and I'd like
> sometimes to browse the web using the full screen of the laptop.
> Unfortunately, many web sites (for instance, bbc.com
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/?ok), are designed to keep a specific page width.
> Even if I try to increase the font (CTRL++), the layout stays the same
> and the page has a lot of wasted/unused space. Is there a way to
> enforce using some non-absolute dimensions on tables / frames elements
> in html pages? Or how could I still use the whole screen width? If
> Firefox doesnt have any option for this, would there be another browser
> to have it? Of course, I can always pass to a 800x600 screen
> resolution...
>

The "problem" (if we want to call it that) is that the author of the
page has forced a specific page width instead of allowing the page to be
"scalable". Without getting too technical, assuming the page uses
tables in the HTML, the author has entered something like "width=800"
instead of "width=100%".

The author probably found that his/her page design fell apart at higher
widths, and chose to force everyone to see the site at the resolution of
his/her computer. (Don't you just love those "it looks good on my
screen, so that's what everyone's going to see" sites?)

It won't matter what browser you use to view the page, they're ALL going
to obey that size restriction.

"Ken Wagner" wrote ...
> donlelel@gmail.com wrote, On 11/13/2006 3:34 PM:
> It won't matter what browser you use to view the page, they're ALL going
> to obey that size restriction.

There are differences in the containers between usage in Firefox
which adheres to standards blah, blah, and the other browsers
which don't adhere to standards whether preexisting usage or whatever.

But would suggest that you install GreaseMonkey and Platypus
extensions, and if this pertains to a site that you frequent often
you might be able to do something with Platypus to create a
usable GreaseMonkey script for yourself. There are a lot of
preexisting GreaseMonkey scripts as well that focus on a printed
version (check the site has a print version).

If it is a site that you don't visit often or the above does not work
you might try turning of styles (style sheets) View, style, no style
instead of "Basic Page Style". Also available as a toolbar button
in the "Read Easily" extension to toggle and clearly shows if toggled
one way or the other -- setting persists not just for the current web
page usage since it sets a preference item.


--
David McRitchie, Firefox customizations/extensions notes, see
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/firefox/firefox.htm

Ken Wagner wrote:
> ...
>
> The "problem" ... is that the author of the
> page has forced a specific page width instead of allowing the page to be
> "scalable". ... the author has entered something like "width=800"
> instead of "width=100%".
>
> The author probably found that his/her page design fell apart at higher
> widths, and chose to force everyone to see the site at the resolution of
> his/her computer. (Don't you just love those "it looks good on my
> screen, so that's what everyone's going to see" sites?)

(Yep.)

>
> It won't matter what browser you use to view the page, they're ALL going
> to obey that size restriction.

Actually, it does matter which browser you use.

The web browser on my PDA has a mode in which it ignores some HTML/CSS
settings such as fixed widths and tables.

Perhaps Firefox/Seamonkey should (after cleaning up existing bugs) add
a feature like that (if it doesn't already exist in an extension somewhere).


Daniel