# Reconfiguring the "Functional Space" on screen (Desktop, may be Mobile too) **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [June 25, 2020, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963 "2020-06-25T12:16:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/1 "2020-06-25T12:16:50Z")
Granted, I’m on a desktop, with a wide screen. You may have different options, devices, screen sizes, resolution, YMMV. Options not standard on all models. Serving suggestion. Do not operate heavy machinery while taking Ambien. Only you can prevent forest fires. But on my screen, I have a minimum of “functional space,” compared to a lot of “wasted space.” At a glance it’s about 50/50. Screen capture example link is: [here](https://imgur.com/a/Gl2O66h). Link is SFW, and features _awesome_ PowerPoint Ranger graphic additions. Is there a way to reconfigure that ratio, to get more “functional space” and reduce the “wasted space”? Tripler If it’s in “Preferences,” it’s buried so deep, I can’t seem to find it. . . ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/2 "2020-06-25T12:20:42Z")
I have my browser in a smaller window than you. So I have text almost all the way across my browser. There’s a little wasted space vertically, because everything is widely spaced. But it’s not bad. As I said in the other thread, I’m really surprised to learn that lots of people are running this is massively wide browsers. Personally, I find it hard to read really wide text, and I like to be able to click around between windows on my screen, so I never set any windows really wide, unless maybe to edit a photo. And even then, I like to leave room for other stuff on my screen. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/3 "2020-06-25T12:28:33Z")
I also use a wide desktop monitor. One of my gripes with the old board was that it was _too_ wide. I didn’t like having to move my eyes all the way across long lines of text, almost the whole width of my screen. So I _like_ the way it is now. It’s far easier to read posts. I don’t mind the white space at all. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/4 "2020-06-25T12:39:34Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I have my browser in a smaller window than you. So I have text almost all the way across my browser. There’s a little wasted space vertically, because everything is widely spaced. But it’s not bad. Interestingly enough, that when I “half-size” my wide screen (Windows-arrow left, or Windows-arrow right), the screen collapses enough to keep the functional space there, with the wasted space minimized. I don’t use “half-size” often, and I was hoping to find an option to keep the page on full-size. > [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I also use a wide desktop monitor. One of my gripes with the old board was that it was _too_ wide. I didn’t like having to move my eyes all the way across long lines of text, almost the whole width of my screen. > > So I _like_ the way it is now. It’s far easier to read posts. I don’t mind the white space at all. Interestingly, I’m just the opposite; give me all the information on one page, and I’ll read as much as I can. Scrolling, for me, should be minimized. Tripler Still hoping for user-configurable options. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/5 "2020-06-25T12:57:49Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Interestingly enough, that when I “half-size” my wide screen (Windows-arrow left, or Windows-arrow right), the screen collapses enough to keep the functional space there, with the wasted space minimized. I don’t use “half-size” often, and I was hoping to find an option to keep the page on full-size. LOL, we have different preferences. Every single one of my windows is hand adjusted to be where I want it and the size I want it. (Well, the many apps that open to the same window they were closed in don’t usually get re-adjusted.) I get really annoyed when windows automatically resizes windows on my to fill all or half or a quarter of my screen. That’s the feature of Windows 10 that annoys me the most. Even if I want a window to be very large for some reason, I always leave a little room around it so I can click to other windows. But it’s pretty rare for me to set any window to be more than 60% of the width of my screen. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/6 "2020-06-25T13:21:35Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Scrolling, for me, should be minimized. I don’t see why scrolling is a problem. That’s what the PageUp and PageDown keys are for. Not to mention the scroll bar. Also, with the new board you can always see immediately which post is being replied to _without_ scrolling up and down. If you want to, you can view the full replied-to post in the same place without scrolling. It’s a huge improvement on hunting up and down a long thread on the old board. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/7 "2020-06-25T14:15:19Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I don’t see why scrolling is a problem. That’s what the PageUp and PageDown keys are for. Not to mention the scroll bar. I tend to read Web pages like I read a hardcopy book/piece of paper; all of the information “up front-and-center”, with minimal page-turning. Scrolling a small set of information, for me, moves the entire context. Psychological thing, I know. But that’s part of the reason I want to minimize wasted space–give me everything possible, so I can minimize scrolling/pagination. > [@GreenWyvern](#): > > Also, with the new board you can always see immediately which post is being replied to _without_ scrolling up and down. If you want to, you can view the full replied-to post in the same place without scrolling. It’s a huge improvement on hunting up and down a long thread on the old board. Admittedly, this is a nice feature. I got used to hunting and searching for where I last picked up a thread. Tripler Old school. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/8 "2020-06-25T16:00:28Z")
I do NOT use full screen for my browser window. My monitor screen is about 18.5" wide and my browser window is 12.25" wide and against the right edge of the screen. That leaves 6.25" on the left for shortcuts and icons. I’ve found that when I’m on the tab for the new SD board, if I move the left edge of the browser window to the right (make the browser narrower) the middle part of the SD (where all the posts are) does not get narrower, but the wasted space on both sides do. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/9 "2020-06-25T18:24:39Z")
So, I logged in with my tablet, and the wasted space is minimized. And seeing @Ranger_Jeff and his post above, it must be a browser-user-specific thing. Mark my OP down to a ‘lower priority’ now, but I’d be interested in the future if there’s a way to change it through preferences. I know, I know. With all my “Site Feedback” threads and posts, it stands to reason that “I am the pretty, pretty Princess.” Tripler I’d type more, but my tiara strains my neck and wrists. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/10 "2020-06-25T19:06:43Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > So, I logged in with my tablet, and the wasted space is minimized. And seeing @Ranger_Jeff and his post above, it must be a browser-user-specific thing. Ah, so this is how quoting works here! I use Chrome for my browser. Just sayin’. 😇 ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/11 "2020-06-25T19:47:31Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > One of my gripes with the old board was that it was _too_ wide. I didn’t like having to move my eyes all the way across long lines of text, almost the whole width of my screen. This really should be a user-settable preference. I generally have the font size somewhat magnified; so the narrow space this site allows for text means there are a lot fewer words on the page at a time than there would be for somebody viewing smaller print. I’d much rather have more visible at any given moment. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/12 "2020-06-25T19:55:58Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I generally have the font size somewhat magnified; so the narrow space this site allows for text means there are a lot fewer words on the page at a time than there would be for somebody viewing smaller print. I’d much rather have more visible at any given moment. Most browsers have a zoom setting that is remembered for each site. Use that rather than changing the size of the text in your board profile. Using the browser zoom function will magnify the whole page, including the width used. The white space at the sides will be reduced. Try Ctrl+ to zoom in, Ctrl- to zoom out. It works on Chrome, and I think on Firefox too. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/13 "2020-06-25T20:05:22Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > Using the browser zoom function will magnify the whole page, including the width used. The white space at the sides will be reduced. Try Ctrl+ to zoom in, Ctrl- to zoom out. That’s what I am doing. I’ve got more than half the horizontal space blank. Maybe it only works in Chrome. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/14 "2020-06-25T20:19:03Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Maybe it only works in Chrome. Which browser are you using? If it’s not a modern browser it may not handle modern web design well. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/15 "2020-06-25T20:29:11Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Ah, so this is how quoting works here! > > I use Chrome for my browser. Just sayin’. . . . and that’s how tags work too! I’m a FireFox guy, until the end of time. But I question whether it’s a “modern browser” issue. Tripler Aren’t _all_ browser’s modern? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reconfiguring-the-functional-space-on-screen-desktop-may-be-mobile-too/912963/16 "2020-06-25T21:05:12Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > Which browser are you using? If it’s not a modern browser it may not handle modern web design It’s Firefox, last updated about two or three weeks ago.