4 ms·

(Not OP) But I would point out the “fixed” elements used for the top and bottom bars eats away a large amount of real estate for users (I’m using an iPhone SE f

(Not OP) But I would point out the “fixed” elements used for the top and bottom bars eats away a large amount of real estate for users (I’m using an iPhone SE for reference) Just my two cents.

hypertele-Xii 5y ago
This is a completely valid issue and difficult to address. I've been testing on my phone, and my phone admittedly may have a screen larger than average. Some devices just aren't suitable for some types of content.
- bradley_taunt 5y ago
  > Some devices just aren't suitable for some types of content I think that’s rather dismissive when said content is simple text in the browser. Easy solution: don’t use fixed navigation - it is a very bad UX pattern for content/informational websites. That’s why scrolling exists. I assure you that users don’t require access to your menu 24/7 when reading through your website.
  - hypertele-Xii 5y ago
    > I think that’s rather dismissive when said content is simple text in the browser. Content is not simple text in this case. My site is designed for visual arts and experimental literature, including poetry.
    - bradley_taunt 5y ago
      My point is that if it is built out in HTML - it should work on any device that can render HTML. Many other art-based, photography focused and creative writing projects work fine in my browser. You seem to just be avoiding the removal of bad UX patterns (fixed elements) for personal reasons - which is fine. But you shouldn’t hint towards the fact that it’s “how things are” and they “can’t be fixed”. You’re hurting user experience for personal preference - not limitations.
  - bradley_taunt 5y ago
    Replying to my own comment for additional content: I wrote about this "sticky" header problem back in 2019. Seems very relevant to this current discussion. https://tdarb.org/blog/sticky-elements.html https://tdarb.org/blog/sticky-elements.html
- arc-in-space 5y ago
  Difficult to address?! Just don't do it! Observe the website you are on right now: no fixed topbar. Perfect on any device.
  - hypertele-Xii 5y ago
    I wish HN had a fixed topbar so I wouldn't need to scroll to the top so often.
    - bradley_taunt 5y ago
      FYI - if you're on iPhone, you can simply tap the time in the top bar to instantly scroll to the top of any website you're currently viewing.
    - rossitter 5y ago
      Home button on a keyboard, tap the top of the screen on iOS, and I believe Android implements something similar. I agree with the other commenter here. If a text-only article follows the tenets of some version of 'minimalist' design, I should be able to read it comfortably on my phone. Straight to reader mode for me. I tried it on my desktop, where it was better. But I still wouldn't call it 'minimalist.' Again, it's just an article, but the background image draws my eyes away from the text. The top and sidebars do too, but to a lesser extent. That's fine, but it's not minimalism. If I hear that an article on the web has been presented in a minimalist style I'm going to click on it assuming that once I start in on the article that's all I'm going to notice.
      - galaxyLogic 5y ago
        Home-button is a good trick to know about but I wish there was an easy way to jump between the top and the location I came from to get back. It seems back-button does not do that on my browser at least. Since browser's don't do it there could be a side-ribbon that had a TOP-button and then a BACK-button. I think that would be useful on sites like HN.

(Not OP) But I would point out the “fixed” elements used for the top and bottom bars eats away a large amount of real estate for users (I’m using an iPhone SE for reference) Just my two cents.

hypertele-Xii 5y ago

This is a completely valid issue and difficult to address. I've been testing on my phone, and my phone admittedly may have a screen larger than average. Some devices just aren't suitable for some types of content.

bradley_taunt 5y ago
> Some devices just aren't suitable for some types of content I think that’s rather dismissive when said content is simple text in the browser. Easy solution: don’t use fixed navigation - it is a very bad UX pattern for content/informational websites. That’s why scrolling exists. I assure you that users don’t require access to your menu 24/7 when reading through your website.
- hypertele-Xii 5y ago
  > I think that’s rather dismissive when said content is simple text in the browser. Content is not simple text in this case. My site is designed for visual arts and experimental literature, including poetry.
  - bradley_taunt 5y ago
    My point is that if it is built out in HTML - it should work on any device that can render HTML. Many other art-based, photography focused and creative writing projects work fine in my browser. You seem to just be avoiding the removal of bad UX patterns (fixed elements) for personal reasons - which is fine. But you shouldn’t hint towards the fact that it’s “how things are” and they “can’t be fixed”. You’re hurting user experience for personal preference - not limitations.
- bradley_taunt 5y ago
  Replying to my own comment for additional content: I wrote about this "sticky" header problem back in 2019. Seems very relevant to this current discussion. https://tdarb.org/blog/sticky-elements.html https://tdarb.org/blog/sticky-elements.html
arc-in-space 5y ago
Difficult to address?! Just don't do it! Observe the website you are on right now: no fixed topbar. Perfect on any device.
- hypertele-Xii 5y ago
  I wish HN had a fixed topbar so I wouldn't need to scroll to the top so often.
  - bradley_taunt 5y ago
    FYI - if you're on iPhone, you can simply tap the time in the top bar to instantly scroll to the top of any website you're currently viewing.
  - rossitter 5y ago
    Home button on a keyboard, tap the top of the screen on iOS, and I believe Android implements something similar. I agree with the other commenter here. If a text-only article follows the tenets of some version of 'minimalist' design, I should be able to read it comfortably on my phone. Straight to reader mode for me. I tried it on my desktop, where it was better. But I still wouldn't call it 'minimalist.' Again, it's just an article, but the background image draws my eyes away from the text. The top and sidebars do too, but to a lesser extent. That's fine, but it's not minimalism. If I hear that an article on the web has been presented in a minimalist style I'm going to click on it assuming that once I start in on the article that's all I'm going to notice.
    - galaxyLogic 5y ago
      Home-button is a good trick to know about but I wish there was an easy way to jump between the top and the location I came from to get back. It seems back-button does not do that on my browser at least. Since browser's don't do it there could be a side-ribbon that had a TOP-button and then a BACK-button. I think that would be useful on sites like HN.